Children's Home run by New Horizons NW Limited in Lancashire

Inspection report for children’s home: 2804979 1 Registered provider: New Horizons NW 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 run by a private provider. The home provides care for 3 children who may experience social and emotional difficulties and/or learning difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

Three children lived in the home at the time of the inspection. All 3 children interacted with the inspectors during the inspection.

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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

Overall judgement at last inspection: outstanding

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outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2804979 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

23/04/2025 Full Outstanding Inspection report for children’s home: 2804979 3

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Summary of findings

Children are making excellent progress, and they benefit from nurturing and consistent support. Children have formed strong, trusting relationships with staff, as well as maintaining relationships with those who are important to them.

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Summary of findings

The home has a warm, welcoming atmosphere that reflects a healthy family environment, helping children to feel safe and valued. As a result, children demonstrate a strong sense of belonging.

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Summary of findings

Children are encouraged to be individuals and to be comfortable with their own identity. Relevant research-informed steps have helped children self-regulate, and they are safer as a result.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Managers and staff have made a homely environment that supports children in building positive relationships. Since the last inspection, one child has moved out in line with their plans. The child’s social worker said that the child ‘felt truly loved and part of the family’, saying, ‘It’s the only place they felt safe. [Name of child] speaks fondly of them [staff].’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children feel settled and happy at the home, which provides them with stability and security. Children’s views are considered in everyday decision-making. Children have pets and are supported to learn how to care for them. Staff spend quality time with children and are able to communicate effectively in a range of ways, including with one child who has a learning disability.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

There are exceptionally warm and nurturing relationships between the staff and the children. As a result, children are thriving in a caring environment that provides them with a strong sense of belonging and makes them feel valued. While the home can be loud and lively, staff maintain appropriate boundaries to ensure that the children feel safe and secure and continue to make excellent progress.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff support children to maintain meaningful relationships with people who are important to them, and they facilitate regular opportunities for children to spend time with both immediate and wider family members. Children can therefore explore and understand their own identities.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff show a strong commitment to promoting children’s education in line with their individual needs. Staff encourage attendance and try to understand any barriers to learning. A headteacher specifically recognised the team’s commitment to promoting education and the support provided to help children achieve their educational goals. Inspection report for children’s home: 2804979 4 Staff ensure that children can access a range of activities that can be done either with others or individually. Community activities build social skills and provide opportunities to develop new interests. Children are offered enriching activities, including going on holiday, camping and caravanning. Staff help to alleviate any anxieties in creative ways, including making preparation for holidays fun by practising ‘airport dances’ and painting the children’s nails.

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

Leaders and managers are exceptional at ensuring that risks to children are well understood and appropriate action is taken to prevent and reduce risks. Staff effectively embed research-informed practice into their work, regularly reflecting on children’s experiences and progress to ensure support remains responsive to their changing needs. One child’s mum said that staff have worked with her child and understand them very well. She said that her child is in touch with their emotions and talks about things and how they feel. She said, ‘It’s amazing to see how well [name of child] has developed.’

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

Risk assessments are detailed and provide clear guidance for staff. They outline preventative strategies to reduce risks, and they set out the actions to be taken should a child go missing from home or engage in self-harming behaviours. This ensures that staff respond consistently and in line with children’s individual needs. Management oversight is effective, with evaluations recognising both strengths and any missed opportunities; therefore, practice continues to develop.

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

When children go missing from home, staff follow the missing-from-home protocol and are proactive in locating children quickly. The manager reflects with staff and children, then reviews all the information to gain clarity and understanding to help prevent further incidents. However, when children share their views on return, it is not always clear that action is taken to ensure that the child felt heard.

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

Staff carefully consider all the children’s needs. There is a clear understanding of the need for and benefits of direct work. This helps children to increase their knowledge, have the opportunity to reflect and understand why there may be concerns.

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

The manager recognises emerging concerns and quickly informs staff, ensuring that children receive support to reduce the likelihood of harm. Physical intervention is only used when necessary and as a last resort. The manager ensures they have full oversight of any incident of physical intervention records and that children and staff are always given the opportunity to reflect afterwards. This enables staff to maintain positive relationships with children, helping them develop trust and feel safe and secure.

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

Allegations have been managed suitably. Children and staff are supported throughout the process of allegations being investigated. Relevant external agencies are promptly notified and involved in the investigations, ensuring that safeguarding procedures are followed effectively. Inspection report for children’s home: 2804979 5

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager is child focused and uses a therapeutic approach to really understand the children’s needs, risks and vulnerabilities. The manager maintains strong oversight of all events and ensures that plans are updated so that staff provide consistent care to children. One child’s social worker said, ‘This will be [name of child]’s lasting home as she is happy and settled. It’s great, [name of child] is living their best life and getting the support that they need.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Leaders and managers ensure that staff have access to appropriate and regular training. This is delivered through face-to-face training and online training. In addition, those in their induction period and new to the service have bite-sized 30-minute sessions, looking at specific areas to reinforce important messages. This ensures that staff are provided with the knowledge required to meet the children’s needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Reflective supervision sessions and team meetings are held regularly, providing the manager with the opportunity to share key messages and reinforce expectations for staff regarding the importance of using a therapeutic approach with children. Staff have an opportunity to ask questions and seek clarity during these sessions. Therefore, children receive consistency around boundaries and the care afforded to them.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff feedback for leaders and managers is very positive. Staff report feeling well supported by managers and confident that any concerns or requests they raise will be listened to and acted on. They describe managers as approachable, with one member of staff highlighting the prompt support provided for accessing training.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

There are no staff vacancies. This provides stability for the children. Reliance on agency staff has significantly reduced due to the permanent staff team being in place. Children are able to build stable and trusting relationships with adults who know them well. Inspection report for children’s home: 2804979 6

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that any maintenance required in the home is recognised and addressed quickly. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 14, paragraph 3.3)  The registered person should ensure that children’s views are acknowledged and recorded and the outcomes are shared with the children. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 22, paragraph 4.11)

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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: 2804979 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: New Horizons NW Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Unit 17-18, Navigation Business Village, Navigation Way, Ashton-on-Ribble, Preston PR2 2YP

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Inspectors

Claire Foster, Social Care Inspector Sylvia Eboigbe, Regulatory Inspection Manager Inspection report for children’s home: 2804979 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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