Children's home run by Exceptional Care Limited

Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2537801 1 Registered provider: Exceptional Care Limited

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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 privately run and registered to provide care for up to 3 children who may have social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children's home

There were no children living in the home at the time of the inspection.

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This monitoring visit

This children's home was judged to require improvement at the full inspection on 9 September 2025. Following this judgement, a complaint was received from a child who used to reside in the home. Ofsted made a decision to impose a condition on the home to enable the provider to make changes and improve their oversight of the home and ensure the safety of children.

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This monitoring visit

Since the previous inspection, there have been substantial changes within the provider's senior management structure, including the departure of 4 directors. The responsible individual, who had previously resigned, subsequently withdrew their resignation and has remained with the organisation.

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This monitoring visit

The provider has recently appointed an experienced operations director to provide additional oversight and support. At the time of the inspection, they had been in post for approximately one month.

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This monitoring visit

Leaders and managers have a realistic understanding of the home's current challenges and the improvements required. They have identified deficits in staff training, practice and management oversight and have responded by implementing targeted action plans. Monitoring and quality assurance systems are being reviewed to provide greater oversight of practice and help drive improvement. Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2537801 2 At the time of the inspection, no children were living at the home and, consequently, no staff were working there. One member of the original staff team remains employed by the organisation and is currently working at another home. A further staff member is due to transfer to the home, and 3 newly recruited staff are undergoing safer recruitment checks.

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This monitoring visit

The operations director is working with the management team to develop a staffing plan that sets out the staffing arrangements necessary to provide safe and effective care and respond flexibly to children's individual needs. This includes the use of waking night staff where appropriate.

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This monitoring visit

Despite the changes made, there are still vulnerabilities in terms of the management of the home. Senior leaders are aware of the changes that are needed. Therefore, conditions remain in place to allow leaders and managers further time to continue to work on the management arrangements in the home.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

09/09/2025 Full Requires improvement to be good 18/06/2024 Full Good 13/09/2023 Full Requires improvement to be good 08/11/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2537801 3

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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 with the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

The leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children's home that—

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Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

lead and manage the home in a way that is consistent with the approach and ethos, and delivers the outcomes, set out in the home's statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff work as a team where appropriate;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home's workforce provides continuity of care to each child;

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Requirement Due date

understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home; and

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Requirement Due date

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(c)(d)(e)(f)(h))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, leaders and managers must ensure that when patterns of risk to children and gaps in staff practice are 28 October 2026 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2537801 4 identified, they use proactive approaches to help staff recognise and minimise the risks.

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Requirement Due date

Leaders and managers must ensure that the home has a full staff team to provide consistent care and stability for children, as outlined in their statement of purpose.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that an independent person visits the children's home at least once each month.

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Requirement Due date

When the independent person is carrying out a visit, the registered person must help the independent person—

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Requirement Due date

if they consent, to interview in private such of the children, their parents, relatives and persons working at the home as the independent person requires. (Regulation 44 (1) (2)(a))

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Requirement Due date

Leaders and managers must ensure that the independent person is provided the opportunity to receive feedback about the home from the children, their families and other professional supporting the children. 28 October 2026

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must complete a review of the quality of care provided for children ("a quality of care review") at least once every 6 months. (Regulation 45 (1)) 28 October 2026

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Information about this inspection

The purpose of this visit was to monitor the action taken and the progress made by the children's home since its last Ofsted inspection.

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Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000. Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2537801 5

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Children's home details

Registered provider: Exceptional Care Limited

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Children's home details

Registered provider address: Exceptional Care Ltd, Malthouse Business Centre, 48 Southport Road, Ormskirk L39 1QR

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Inspector

Sarah Jackson, Regulation Inspection Manager Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2537801 6 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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