Children's Home run by Bridgewater Children’s Care Services Limited in Wirral

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2837987 1 Registered provider: Bridgewater Children’s Care Services Ltd

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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 provider. It offers care for up to 4 children who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

This home was registered with Ofsted in August 2025.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager is not registered but has applied to Ofsted.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, there were no children living in the home.

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This monitoring visit

Ofsted imposed a condition on this home on 5 March 2026 under section 13 of the Care Standards Act 2000. The condition is that the registered person must inform Ofsted of their intention to accommodate children in the home at least 3 months before any child is accommodated. This measure was introduced as the directors of the organisation had been clear that they did not intend for any children to move in until they had recruited new leadership and a more-experienced staff team to ensure effective safeguarding of children.

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This monitoring visit

The provider informed Ofsted of their intention for children to move into the home. This visit took place to consider the removal of the condition.

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This monitoring visit

Since the condition was imposed, there is a new director, and the provider has recruited a new manager and a responsible individual, who have not yet had their suitability assessed by Ofsted.

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This monitoring visit

There is not sufficient staff to enable the home to operate. A deputy manager has been appointed but has not yet commenced employment. A further 2 staff members have been offered employment, but all safer recruitment checks have not yet been completed. Recruitment is ongoing for experienced staff. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2837987 2 Leaders and managers have designed a detailed induction programme and training plan for staff to complete once they commence employment. The training plan aligns with the home’s statement of purpose and includes mandatory training such as safeguarding. Staff recruitment, induction and training will not be completed before the date proposed by the provider for children to move in.

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This monitoring visit

Leaders and managers intend to enrol all unqualified staff for the relevant qualification as soon as they start their employment. This will avoid any delays in staff achieving their qualification and ensure that staff are provided with the relevant skills to care for children. This cannot yet be seen in practice as no staff have commenced employment.

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This monitoring visit

Leaders and managers state an intention to gradually increase the number of children living in the home in line with the number of staff recruited. However, at the time of the visit, there was not a sufficient number of staff to allow the home to operate.

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This monitoring visit

A further notice will be issued. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2837987 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

17/12/2025 Full Inadequate Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2837987 4

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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

help each child to understand how to keep safe;

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Requirement Due date

have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(v)(vi)(vii))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that risk assessments clearly record all known risks and state the exact actions staff must take, and that they are reviewed and updated without delay when risks change.

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Requirement Due date

Staff must not facilitate or permit unsafe behaviours, including vaping.

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Requirement Due date

Safeguards must be in place to monitor mobile phone and internet use where exploitation is a concern.

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Requirement Due date

All allegations made by children must be acted on immediately in line with safeguarding procedures. 4 November 2026

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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 4 November 2026 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2837987 5 promotes their welfare.

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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’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;

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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)(e)(h))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that there is a suitably skilled and knowledgeable person managing the home at all times.

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Requirement Due date

Care planning and safeguarding information must be shared clearly with all staff and staff concerns must be acted on promptly. Staff must receive regular reflective supervision and management oversight must identify and address safeguarding failings quickly. In addition, ensure that effective arrangements are in place when management changes occur.

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Requirement Due date

The education standard is that children make measurable progress towards achieving their educational potential and are helped to do so.

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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

that staff— 4 November 2026 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2837987 6 help each child to achieve the child’s education and training targets, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

support each child’s learning and development, including helping the child to develop independent study skills and, where appropriate, helping the child to complete independent study;

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Requirement Due date

understand the barriers to learning that each child may face and take appropriate action to help the child to overcome any such barriers;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand the importance and value of education, learning, training and employment;

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Requirement Due date

promote opportunities for each child to learn informally;

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Requirement Due date

maintain regular contact with each child’s education and training provider, including engaging with the provider and the placing authority to support the child’s education and training and to maximise the child’s achievement;

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Requirement Due date

raise any need for further assessment or specialist provision in relation to a child with the child’s education or training provider and the child’s placing authority;

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Requirement Due date

help a child who is excluded from school, or who is of compulsory school age but not attending school, to access educational and training support throughout the period of exclusion or non-attendance and to return to school as soon as possible;

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Requirement Due date

help each child who is above compulsory school age to participate in further education, training or employment and to prepare for future care, education or employment. (Regulation 8 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(viii)(ix)(x))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that managers and staff advocate for children to receive education.

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Requirement Due date

Ensure that children have clear structures and routines in place that focus on learning.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if— 4 November 2026 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2837987 7 there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40 (4)(e))

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Requirement Due date

In meeting the quality standards, the registered person must, and must ensure that staff—

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Requirement Due date

seek to involve each child’s placing authority effectively in the child’s care, in accordance with the child’s relevant plans. (Regulation 5 (a))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that children have consistent access to services as identified in their plans, including emotional support. 4 November 2026

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Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children—

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Requirement Due date

receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home.

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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

that children are admitted to the home only if their needs are within the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the home is to provide care and accommodation, as set out in the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

ensure the effective induction of each child into the home;

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Requirement Due date

manage and review the placement of each child in the home; and

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Requirement Due date

plan for, and help, each child to prepare to leave the home or to move into adult care in a way that is consistent with arrangements agreed with the child’s placing authority;

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Requirement Due date

that, subject to regulation 22 (contact and access to communications), contact between each child and the child’s parents, relatives and friends, is promoted in accordance with the child’s relevant plans. (Regulation 14 (1)(a) (2)(a)(b)(i)(ii)(iii)(d)) 4 November 2026 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2837987 8 The registered person must ensure that children are only admitted where the home can meet their needs safely, including consideration of staff’s skills and experience. Care plans must clearly align with placing authority plans. In addition, family time arrangements must be child focused and protective, not reliant on the child.

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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: 2837987 9

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Bridgewater Children’s Care Services Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Sincere Accounting Ltd Duchess Street, Shaw, Oldham OL2 7UT

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Inspector

Nicola Forrester, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2837987 10 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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