Children's Home run by The Children’s Home Company Limited in St Helens

Inspection report for children's home: 2836513 1 Registered provider: The Children’s Home Company Limited

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Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is operated by a private company. It offers care for up to 4 children who may experience social and emotional difficulties. The inspector spoke with all the children.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in May 2025.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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outstanding

How well children and young people are helped and protected outstanding

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outstanding

The effectiveness of leaders and managers outstanding

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outstanding

The children’s home provides highly effective services that consistently exceed the standards of good. The actions of the children’s home contribute to significantly improved outcomes and positive experiences for children and young people who need help, protection and care.

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outstanding

Date of last inspection: 14 October 2025

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outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children's home: 2836513 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

14/10/2025 Full Good Inspection report for children's home: 2836513 3

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Summary of findings

Children thrive in this warm, nurturing and child-centred home. They receive good levels of support and make positive progress. Children can maintain important relationships and engage in education and community activities. Children develop a strong sense of belonging.

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Summary of findings

Effective safeguarding, therapeutic care and strong leadership ensure that children receive highly individualised care that promotes their stability, safety and influences positive outcomes for them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children consistently say that are safe, supported and happy in the home. One child said, ‘This is the best place I have ever lived.’ Children value being able to live in the community they are from.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children with highly complex needs, some of whom have experienced multiple moves, make exceptional progress. Through consistent, nurturing relationships with staff and highly individualised support, children develop greater stability, resilience and a strong sense of belonging.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children are supported to maintain and strengthen important relationships with family members, with staff ensuring that children have meaningful opportunities to spend time with those who are important to them. They also take part in a wide range of community activities. These opportunities include attending local festivals, participating in challenging events such as Tough Mudder, and engaging with youth forums and advocacy groups. Through these experiences, children broaden their horizons, develop a sense of achievement, and are valued members of their communities.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Family members describe staff as committed, caring and responsive to children’s needs. A parent said, ‘They go above and beyond.’ The positive impact staff have on family relationships and outcomes for children is valued.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children enjoy regular holidays and enriching experiences. They are cared for by staff who know them exceptionally well and understand their individual needs, preferences and aspirations. As a result, children develop trusting relationships with staff and feel listened to and valued.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff plan carefully to ensure that children receive the support they need during periods of change. One child who successfully returned to live with family, was supported through a six-week phased move, with staff providing extensive support to both the child and family members throughout the process. Inspection report for children's home: 2836513 4 Children receive strong support with their education. For those with complex educational needs, staff work closely with schools and virtual school professionals to develop highly individualised plans that promote attendance and achievement. This collaborative approach helps children to make significant progress from their individual starting points.

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

Children benefit from effective safeguarding arrangements that help them to remain safe and secure. Staff know the children exceptionally well and have a good understanding of their individual vulnerabilities, risks and protective factors. Staff provide consistent support that promotes children’s welfare and helps them to make progress. Children become increasingly settled in the home and their risk-taking behaviours reduce over time.

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

There has been one incident of a child going missing from home. When this happened staff followed missing-from-home protocols effectively. Staff actively searched for the child, attempted to maintain contact and worked closely with the police and other relevant professionals to support a safe return home. Following this episode of going missing from home, the child received appropriate support and return home arrangements were managed sensitively to help staff understand the reasons for the incident and reduce the likelihood of recurrence.

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

Children have detailed behaviour support plans that reflect their individual needs, triggers and strategies that help them regulate their emotions. Staff record changes in behaviour, identify patterns and use approaches that are effective in supporting children. This enables staff to provide informed, consistent care and adapt their responses as children’s needs develop.

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

Staff are well supported in their work with children. They receive professional guidance to help build trusting relationships and respond therapeutically to children’s emotional needs. This approach promotes positive behaviour, strengthens relationships and helps children to develop safer ways of managing their feelings.

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

Staff work proactively with partner agencies, including social workers, education providers, health professionals, and the police, to ensure that children receive coordinated and effective safeguarding support. Strong multi-agency working helps to identify and respond to risks promptly and contributes to positive outcomes for children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Leaders and management are exceptional. Leaders have created a highly aspirational, child-focused culture where children thrive and receive care that is tailored to their individual needs. A social worker said, ‘I love it here, I love seeing [name of child] blossom.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Children’s voices are central to the running and development of the home. Staff actively encourage children to express their views and influence decisions. Children’s Inspection report for children's home: 2836513 5 contributions lead to meaningful changes in practice. For example, one child worked with staff to rewrite the children’s guide in language that was more accessible. Children are not only heard but actively shape the services they receive.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Leaders have established a reflective and learning focused environment that enables staff to provide exceptionally high standards of care. Staff receive regular, meaningful supervision sessions, participate in monthly team meetings, complete comprehensive induction programmes and benefit from a wide range of mandatory and specialist training. New staff are carefully supported through shadow shifts and mentoring, ensuring that they develop the confidence and competence required to meet children’s complex and individual needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Quality assurance systems are highly effective and embedded in practice. Leaders regularly review records, analyse incidents, evaluate risks and scrutinise children’s progress. Reflective discussions promote continual learning and improvement. This strong oversight enables leaders to identify trends quickly, celebrate good practice and drive continuous improvement, resulting in positive experiences and outcomes for children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Managers maintain rigorous oversight of all aspects of children’s care through detailed monitoring systems, regular review of care plans and risk assessments and highly effective tracking of children’s progress. As a result, staff respond swiftly to emerging needs, ensuring that children receive support that is consistently relevant and effective. However, the monitoring from the independent person has not sought the views of family members.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Leaders are strong advocates for children. They challenge and escalate concerns when services do not meet children’s needs and work persistently to secure the right support for them. Strong partnership working ensures that children receive coordinated and effective support that promotes their welfare and educational achievement. Inspection report for children's home: 2836513 6

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that the independent person makes a rigorous assessment of the home’s arrangements for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of the children in the home’s care which and includes the views of family members who are important to the child. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, and 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: 2836513 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: The Children’s Home Company Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: St. Ann’s Mount, 166 Prescot Road, St. Helens, Merseyside WA10 3TS

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Inspector

Cathy Wilkins, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: 2836513 8 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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