Children's Home run by Zen Care and Education Limited in Wigan

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2775403 1 Registered provider: Zen Care and Education 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 run by a private provider. It provides care for one child who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of this inspection, there was one child living in the home, who spoke with the inspector.

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Information about this children’s home

The home and manager registered with Ofsted in May 2024.

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This monitoring visit

During a full inspection on 11 and 12 August 2026, Ofsted found the care being provided to children to be inadequate. In response, Ofsted issued compliance notices under Regulation 12, the protection of children standard, and Regulation 13, the leadership and management standard. The responsible individual provided a clear action plan to address the concerns identified and provided assurances that no children would move into the home until the steps in the compliance notices had been met.

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This monitoring visit

This visit was carried out to review the effectiveness of the action taken by the provider to address the steps in the compliance notices.

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This monitoring visit

Staff complete regular checks of the home environment to remove glass and any identified risks to the child’s safety. However, unsafe screws had not been identified and posed a risk to the child. Leaders and managers have plans to formalise these checks and increase their effectiveness. The child is comfortable in the home and likes their personalised bedroom.

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This monitoring visit

Staff have implemented a communication board to support the child’s understanding of their daily care. Although this has reduced the child’s anxieties, it does not always Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2775403 2 provide reassurance. Unclear expectations of daily care have left the child confused, and this has resulted in them becoming upset.

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This monitoring visit

Care plans and risk assessments are reviewed regularly and identify strategies to keep the child safe. However, discrepancies and the lack of detail do not provide clear guidance to staff, affecting their practice and the daily care that the child receives.

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This monitoring visit

Incidents are managed appropriately, and the child is held as a last resort to keep them safe. On one occasion, staff practice contributed to the child becoming upset, which resulted in them experiencing a physical intervention. Although leaders and managers have identified learning from this, reflection with staff has not taken place to share this learning.

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This monitoring visit

When room searches take place in response to an incident, they are effective. Staff identify items that are a risk to the child and remove these. However, routine room searches are not completed as frequently as stated in the child’s risk assessment, leaving the child at risk of harm.

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This monitoring visit

Staff have received medication training, resulting in them administrating medication safely. However, the storage of medication is confusing, with leaders and managers unable to identify individual prescriptions. Discrepancies in medications are not investigated to ensure that the child is safe and mitigate further risk.

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This monitoring visit

Allegations are investigated appropriately. Actions are undertaken quickly to ensure the child’s immediate safety. Leaders and managers complete fact-finding exercises and inform the child’s local authority to promote transparency. Recommendations to improve staff practice are identified. This learning has not yet been embedded into practice as it is yet to be shared with staff.

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This monitoring visit

Staff receive supervision sessions in line with the provider’s supervision policy. These provide a safe space for staff to reflect on their practice and explore how to positively change the child’s daily care experiences.

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This monitoring visit

The reporting and recording of information are inconsistent and lack detail. Incident records do not accurately reflect incidents and do not detail all actions taken. While children have post-incident discussions, they are not always recorded in a timely manner. This affects the oversight of leaders and managers.

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This monitoring visit

Leaders and managers have not informed Ofsted of a significant incident. This affects the regulatory oversight of the home. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2775403 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

11/08/2026 Full Inadequate 24/02/2026 Full Good 28/01/2025 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2775403 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 with 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

that the home’s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated. 15 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

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

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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. (Regulation 13 (1)(b) (2)(c)(e))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated. 15 November 2026 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2775403 5 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

understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person;

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Requirement Due date

that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed, furnished and maintained so as to protect each child from avoidable hazards to the child’s health. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(iii)(d))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated. 15 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

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

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)(b) (2)(a)(f)(h))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated. 15 November 2026

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Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children— 15 November 2026 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2775403 6 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 each child’s relevant plans are followed;

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Requirement Due date

that staff help each child to access and contribute to the records kept by the registered person in relation to the child. (Regulation 14 (1)(a) (2)(c)(f))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated.

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Requirement Due date

*These requirements are subject to a compliance notice.

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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: 2775403 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Zen Care and Education Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Trafford House, Chester Road, Manchester M32 0RS

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Inspector

Sarah McGow, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2775403 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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