Children's Home run by Therapeutic Care Limited in Lancashire

Inspection report for children’s home: 2811603 1 Registered provider: Therapeutic Care Limited

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is operated by a private company. It provides care for 2 children who may experience social and/or emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of this inspection, 2 children were living at the home. The children spoke to the inspector.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in June 2026.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

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good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

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good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2811603 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

17/06/2025 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2811603 3

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Summary of findings

The manager is experienced in childcare and is child centred. Staff know the children well and understand their needs and vulnerabilities. Staff have developed positive relationships with children and respond in a consistent and therapeutic way. Multi- agency working is effective and supports positive outcomes for children.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Two children have lived at the home since it registered. Staff know the children well and have developed positive relationships with them. Both children said that they were happy living in the home. One child scored the home a ‘10/10’ and said, ‘This is the best home I could have been in.’ The children get on well together.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff understand children’s health needs. Staff work effectively with relevant professionals to ensure that support is available when needed. Children benefit from access to therapeutic support, which helps them to understand and manage their emotions.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Education is valued in the home. Staff work effectively with education professionals to promote children’s engagement and support positive outcomes. Children are supported to develop their independence skills and prepare for their next steps. One child who is approaching adulthood has been supported to secure employment and is really enjoying working.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are encouraged and supported to spend time with family members and others who are important to them when this is in line with their plans. Children have access to a range of activities and experiences and have had the opportunity to go on holiday to other countries of their choice, including Egypt and Tenerife.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is clean, comfortable and well maintained. Children’s bedrooms are personalised with their belongings and reflect their interests. Children say that they feel listened to and supported by staff.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Children are kept safe by staff who are knowledgeable about their current needs and vulnerabilities. Generally, staff understand their safeguarding responsibilities and know how to escalate concerns, including to external safeguarding partners.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

When children experience emotional distress, staff respond calmly and consistently. Staff use effective de-escalation strategies and adopt a therapeutic approach that helps children to understand and manage their emotions. Physical intervention is rarely used; when it is used, records show that it is proportionate, appropriate and well recorded. Inspection report for children’s home: 2811603 4 The manager has established effective working relationships with partner agencies. Professionals speak positively about the quality of care that children receive and the progress they make. One child’s independent reviewing officer said, ‘The home provides consistent and child-centred care. Staff work hard to build positive relationships, advocate for [name of child]’s needs, maintain effective communication with professionals and promote stability and emotional wellbeing.’

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Staff provide effective oversight of children during their free time, including regular welfare checks. However, on one occasion, staff did not take sufficient action to locate a child. When the child returned home intoxicated, staff completed regular welfare checks through the night, but they did not seek medical advice until the morning. The manager has identified these shortfalls and taken action to address them. Relevant plans have been reviewed; practice has been addressed with staff, and refresher training has been provided. Since these incidents and the action taken by the manager, missing-from- home incidents have been managed appropriately.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager is child centred, experienced in residential childcare and holds the relevant qualification in leadership and management. Although there has been some instability in the staff team since the last inspection, leaders and managers have taken effective action to recruit staff and reduce reliance on staff from other homes. As a result, children benefit from improved continuity of care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Team meetings provide opportunities for reflection, professional discussion and shared learning. Supervision sessions take place regularly and support staff to reflect on children’s needs, safeguarding responsibilities and their practice. Leaders and managers provide challenge when shortfalls are found and take action to improve practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff report that they feel well supported by the manager. They benefit from a wide range of training opportunities that help them develop the skills and knowledge needed to meet children’s individual needs, including when those needs change.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Safer recruitment practices are in place, with all staff having Disclosure and Barring Service checks and references before working in the home. However, the manager has not fully explored a gap in employment for one staff member. The manager said that they were actively making efforts to improve oversight in this area.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has good oversight of the day-to-day events and works to address any shortfalls identified. The independent person also visits the home on a monthly basis. However, they do not routinely seek the children’s views and those of their carers. This limits the effectiveness of independent monitoring. Inspection report for children’s home: 2811603 5

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered person(s) must take to meet the Care Standards Act 2000, The Children’s Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the ‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’. The registered person(s) must comply within the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

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Requirement Due date

assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the child’s relevant plans, and, if necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child;

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Requirement Due date

have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm;

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Requirement Due date

understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person;

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Requirement Due date

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare; and

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Requirement Due date

that the home’s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(iii)(v)(vi)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that staff are provided with clear guidance so that they take appropriate action when children are missing from home, to support their safe return in line with the child’s missing-from-home protocol. The registered person must also ensure that appropriate medical advice is sought when there are concerns that a child may be intoxicated and that this guidance is available to staff. 3 September 2026

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety. 3 September 2026 Inspection report for children’s home: 2811603 6 The registered person may only—

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Requirement Due date

employ an individual to work at the children’s home;

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Requirement Due date

if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3).

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Requirement Due date

full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2. (Regulation 32 (1) (2)(a) (3)(d))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that robust recruitment procedures are followed. Application forms should include a full employment history and a satisfactory explanation of any gaps in employment, in writing.

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure and support the independent person to routinely seek the views of children and carers to ensure independent monitoring is effective. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 65, paragraph 15.5)

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people, using the social care common inspection framework. This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000 to assess the effectiveness of the service, how it meets the core functions of the service as set out in legislation, and to consider how well it complies with The Children’s Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the ‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’. Inspection report for children’s home: 2811603 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Therapeutic Care Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Errigal House, Avroe Crescent, Blackpool FY4 2DP

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Inspector

Sonja Vega, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2811603 8 and inspects to achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children’s social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services and inspects services for looked- after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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