Children's Home run by Union House (NW) Limited in Lancashire

Inspection report for children’s home: 2538285 1 Registered provider: Union House NW Ltd

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is owned and operated by a private provider.

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Information about this children’s home

It is registered to provide care for up to 6 children with social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

There were 3 children living in the home at the time of the inspection. Two children have moved out of the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted on 26 November 2019.

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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: 2538285 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

21/05/2025 Full Good 09/07/2024 Full Good 23/08/2023 Full Good 06/09/2022 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2538285 3

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Summary of findings

Children living in the home say they feel safe, happy and well supported. They benefit from positive experiences and are making good progress. Relationships between children and staff are respectful and nurturing. Staff understand children’s needs and respond appropriately to changing risks, helping to keep children safe from harm. The home is led by an experienced and suitably qualified manager who provides effective leadership and oversight.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children say they are happy living in the home, with some describing it as their ‘best home’. Most children are making excellent progress from their starting points and achieving positive outcomes. This reflects the positive impact of the consistent care, encouragement and support provided by staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported to move into the home through careful assessment and planning. The manager completes a thorough evaluation of children’s needs and compatibility to help ensure that moves are in their best interests. However, these processes are not always clearly recorded. When children move on from the home, transitions are well planned and managed. Children continue to maintain positive and meaningful relationships with staff after they leave, reflecting the strength of these relationships.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s health needs are well met. Staff support children to attend routine and specialist appointments and ensure they receive the services they need. This support has contributed to positive outcomes, including improved emotional wellbeing, better emotional regulation and a reduction in substance misuse.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff prioritise children’s education and support them to achieve positive outcomes. Most children have good attendance and make good progress from their starting points. Achievements include gaining a university place, completing a college qualification, securing employment interviews and accessing volunteering opportunities. Where educational challenges remain, staff work effectively with relevant professionals to promote engagement and progress.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children value their families, and staff support and encourage contact in line with children’s plans. Children also enjoy a range of activities that reflect their interests and promote their social, emotional and physical development.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff use direct work and independence planning to help children develop practical skills, share their views and prepare for adulthood. Children make good progress as a result. For example, one child attained their driving licence and purchased a car in preparation for university and semi-independent living. Inspection report for children’s home: 2538285 4 The home is warm, welcoming and well maintained. Children’s bedrooms and communal areas are personalised and homely. The environment is safe and secure, providing suitable spaces for living, learning, recreation and privacy.

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

Children say they feel safe and happy living in the home and have trusting relationships with staff. They confidently share their views and feelings with staff who know them well. While children’s relationships are generally positive, staff manage the impact of individual circumstances effectively to promote positive experiences for all children.

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

Staff have a good understanding of children’s risks, including going missing from home, self-harm, suicidal ideation, substance misuse and mental health concerns. Individualised risk assessments provide clear guidance for staff and are regularly reviewed. Direct work is of good quality, helping children understand risks, develop coping strategies and build resilience.

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

When children go missing from home, staff take prompt action to safeguard them and work effectively with the police, missing-from-home services and complex safeguarding teams. This helps to safeguard children from potential risks of exploitation. Follow-up work helps children understand risk, and managers maintain effective oversight to promote learning and improve practice.

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

Staff respond swiftly and appropriately when children disclose substance misuse or historical abuse. Children’s welfare is prioritised through prompt safeguarding referrals, liaison with relevant agencies and the provision of emotional support. Where children misuse substances, staff seek medical advice when necessary and undertake direct work to help children understand the associated risks.

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

Children experiencing mental health difficulties receive well-coordinated support. Staff work effectively with specialist services to reduce risks associated with self-harm and suicidal thoughts. Staff respond consistently through welfare checks, room searches, where appropriate, and communication with relevant professionals. Interventions are undertaken sensitively, with children’s dignity and rights respected.

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

Positive achievements and behaviours are suitably celebrated through praise, rewards and personalised incentives. Staff understand children well and use effective de- escalation strategies to prevent situations from escalating. As a result, physical intervention has not been necessary.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home is led by an experienced and suitably qualified manager who has a clear vision for the care provided to children. She knows the children well, takes pride in their progress and is a strong advocate for them. This is particularly evident when challenging Inspection report for children’s home: 2538285 5 other agencies to ensure children receive the services they need, including appropriate educational courses.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has monitoring and oversight systems in place, which are used to identify strengths, address shortfalls and drive improvement. However, development plans do not contain sufficiently specific and measurable actions to demonstrate progress against identified targets. In addition, the manager has not challenged shortfalls in independent visitor reports where staff views and experiences of working in the home have not been obtained.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There is a stable and consistent team of staff who know the children well. Children value their relationships with staff, and some say that staff have helped them overcome challenges. Staff are suitably qualified and receive a wide range of training that equips them to meet children’s individual needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive regular supervision, which they say they value as a source of support and development. Sessions provide opportunities to reflect on practice and discuss children’s experiences. However, some records do not fully reflect the quality of these discussions. Staff also complete annual appraisals, which support performance review, professional development and career progression.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Team meetings are held regularly and are well attended. These meetings provide opportunities for information-sharing, reflection and staff development. Regular staff briefings help ensure that staff remain informed about significant events and changes affecting children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Children’s meetings are also held regularly and provide opportunities for children to share their views, celebrate achievements and discuss matters important to them, including education, employment, social activities and future plans. Inspection report for children’s home: 2538285 6

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that placements are only accepted where the home can meet the child’s assessed needs and has fully considered the impact on children already living in the home. Clear records should evidence the assessment and decision-making process, including how the child is introduced and welcomed into the home. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 56, paragraph 11.4)  The registered person should make effective use of information from internal and external monitoring, including the quality of care review, to drive continuous improvement. This includes ensuring that independent visitor reports capture staff views about their experiences of working in the home. Development plans should contain all relevant information, with actions that are clear, specific and measurable. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 55,

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Recommendations

paragraph 10.24)  The registered person should ensure that all staff receive regular supervision that supports reflection on their practice and the needs of the children in their care. Supervision records should be consistently detailed and of a high quality. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.2)

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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: 2538285 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Union House NW Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Richmond House, 50 Tontine Street, Blackburn, Lancashire BB1 7ED

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Inspector

Samantha Cooper, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2538285 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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