Social care · Children's home inspection (SCCIF)
Children's Home run by Holistic Care Service Nationwide Limited in SeftonOfsted inspection, 8 Sept 2026
Ofsted inspected this children's home run by holistic care service nationwide limited on 8 Sept 2026, led by Michelle Greenhalgh. The overall judgement was Requires improvement to be good. Source: Ofsted (Open Government Licence v3).
Summary
Michelle Greenhalgh (lead), Julie Elder
What we read, and from where
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- Group verified
Holistic Care Service Nationwide Limited
- Inspection date verified
8 Sept 2026
- Inspectors verified
Julie Elder, Michelle Greenhalgh
- Helped and protected verified
Requires improvement to be good
- Leadership and management verified
Requires improvement to be good
- Overall effectiveness verified
Requires improvement to be good
- Name on report verified
2739583
- URN verified
2739583
Deep dive
What this report says
In plain English
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Grade profile
Hollow rings show the previous inspection, 2026.
- OverallRI to be good
- Helped and protectedRI to be good
- Leadership and managementRI to be good
13% of comparable inspections in the last three years were graded Requires improvement to be good (12,875 inspections).
Tone of the report
How positive or critical the inspectors' language is, from the words they chose. No AI involved.
Reads more warmly than most reports of this type graded Requires improvement to be good.
Markers show where typical reports of each grade sit.
How the report reads, start to finish
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Strengths
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Concerns
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Next steps
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- This specifically relates to ensuring that staff have the appropriate knowledge in relation to working with children where a deprivation of liberty order is in place. 30 October 2026 p.7
- The registered person should ensure that the location risk assessment includes the identification of any risks and opportunities presented by the home’s location and strategies for managing them. p.7
- Additionally, ensure that there is consultation with the host local authority and other community professionals to ensure that crime statistics and other information shared are current and relevant. p.7
- The registered person should ensure that any record of discussion relating to the home, including any discussions about children, is recorded and that a copy is provided to all parties. p.7
What the report dwells on
Topics by how often they come up, coloured by how they are described. Open one for an example.
Wellbeing & mental health2
“Staff support the child with their emotional and physical health.” p.4
Anatomy of the report
How the report is built, against others of the same type and grade.
- Pages
- 10
- Words of findings
- 1,297
- shorter than usual (typical 1918)
- Reading level
- Hard
- Flesch 47, typical 50
- Average sentence
- 18 words
- Next steps
- 4
- typical 8
- Hedged sentences
- 1%
- “some”, “not always”, “most”…
Where the words go
Full report text
Inspection report for children's home: 2739583 1 Registered provider: Holistic Care Service Nationwide Limited
p.1
Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework
p.1
Information about this children’s home
This home is operated by a private company and provides care for one child who may experience social and/or emotional difficulties.
p.1
Information about this children’s home
At the time of this inspection, one child was living at the home. The child spoke with the inspectors.
p.1
Information about this children’s home
The home and manager registered with Ofsted in April 2024.
p.1
Information about this children’s home
The provider has recently appointed a new responsible individual. Ofsted is currently considering the proposed responsible individual’s suitability.
p.1
Overall experiences and progress of
children and young people, taking into account
p.1
requires improvement to be good
How well children and young people are helped and protected requires improvement to be good
p.1
requires improvement to be good
The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good
p.1
requires improvement to be good
The children’s home is not yet delivering good help and care for children and young people. However, there are no serious or widespread failures that result in their welfare not being safeguarded or promoted.
p.1
requires improvement to be good
Overall judgement at last inspection: inadequate
p.1
requires improvement to be good
Enforcement action since last inspection: This home was judged ‘inadequate’ at a full inspection on 9 and 10 June 2026. Following this inspection, Ofsted issued 3 compliance notices under section 22A of the Care Standards Act 2000. Inspection report for children's home: 2739583 2 These related to Regulation 12 (the protection of children standard), Regulation 13 (the leadership and management standard) and Regulation 14 (the care planning standard).
p.1
requires improvement to be good
A subsequent monitoring visit took place and inspectors found that the provider has taken sufficient action to meet the steps set out in the compliance notices relating to Regulations 12 and 13; however, the compliance notice relating to Regulation 14 was reissued. During this inspection, this was considered and has now been sufficiently met. Inspection report for children's home: 2739583 3
p.2
Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement
09/06/2026 Full Inadequate 24/02/2026 Full Requires improvement to be good 15/10/2024 Full Good Inspection report for children's home: 2739583 4
p.3
Summary of findings
Staff know the child well and have been developing a good understanding of the child’s individual needs.
p.4
Summary of findings
The child’s risks are reducing. Staff have been provided with training to improve their knowledge, which enables them to confidently manage the child’s risks.
p.4
Summary of findings
There has been instability in management arrangements for several months. Leaders and managers are working to improve consistency in care practice, internal monitoring of the home and oversight of all records relating to all aspects of care and support.
p.4
improvement to be good
Staff know the child well and their likes and dislikes, and they promote activities and hobbies that enable the child to achieve success and feel proud of their accomplishments.
p.4
improvement to be good
The child is attending school 3 days a week. For the remaining 2 days, the child completes educational worksheets with staff at home. The child engages with this work, and this plan remains under review.
p.4
improvement to be good
Staff support the child with their emotional and physical health. They ensure that the child attends health appointments and have regular communication with health professionals to ensure that there is a coordinated response to the child’s needs.
p.4
improvement to be good
The child is supported to maintain relationships with important people in their life. This supports the child to retain their identity and have time with the people who mean the most to them.
p.4
improvement to be good
The child’s religious and cultural needs are positively promoted through religious observance and food choices. When children wish to explore aspects of their identity, staff support this in a safe and sensitive way.
p.4
improvement to be good
The home is welcoming, clean and tidy. The child’s bedroom is personalised and well furnished. The home and garden contain the child’s wall art, and the child’s records of achievements are displayed in the lounge area. Inspection report for children's home: 2739583 5
p.4
improvement to be good
The child’s risks are reducing. Regular, multi-agency discussions with a range of professionals, such as the child and adolescent mental health services, education, ‘Prevent’ and children’s social care, are taking place. Staff share information with these agencies when required to ensure that all professionals working with the child can safety plan effectively and that the child’s risk management plans remain current.
p.5
improvement to be good
There have been no serious incidents since the last inspection. Staff knowledge regarding the child’s risks and emerging needs continues to improve. A requirement has been raised in relation to ensuring that staff receive appropriate training when supporting children where a deprivation of liberty order is in place.
p.5
improvement to be good
Room searches are taking place when necessary to ensure that the child is kept safe. When searches have taken place, the child is consulted and their views are obtained.
p.5
improvement to be good
When the child has had accidents, these are managed well and the appropriate support and advice are quickly obtained. Staff ensure that the child attends hospital follow-up visits and encourage the child to act on advice provided by nursing staff to help the child get back into their routines and enjoy their hobbies.
p.5
improvement to be good
Staff demonstrated understanding of the whistleblowing procedure and what action to take to report safeguarding concerns. Staff have recently received training in relation to closed cultures and maintaining professional boundaries, which demonstrates leaders and managers have prioritised enhancing staff knowledge in these areas.
p.5
improvement to be good
Regular environmental checks of the home are taking place, which ensures that the child is living in a safe environment and free from hazards. A recommendation has been raised to ensure that the review of the location risk assessment includes consultation with the host local authority as well as community professionals to consider all risk factors apparent in the local area.
p.5
The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good
Leaders and managers have implemented interim measures to oversee the management of the home in the absence of the registered manager and deputy manager. This has provided consistency for the staff team and has positively impacted on the care provided to the child.
p.5
The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good
The responsible individual continues to implement regular audits, and the independent visitor undertakes regular visits. Additionally, senior leaders meet regularly to discuss the progress the child is making as well as matters affecting the home. This ensures that the quality of care provided to the child is under constant review. A recommendation has been raised in relation to ensuring that a record of any meetings relating to the child and the home is kept and is accessible. Inspection report for children's home: 2739583 6 Staff say that they are happy working in the home and that the leadership team is available and supportive. Team meetings have been reflective and have focused on changes required to strengthen practice and learn from previous shortfalls. Staff contribute well in these meetings, which demonstrates their commitment to ongoing improvements. Staff supervision is regularly taking place for all staff. Those team members who are new
p.5
The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good
to the home are supported by experienced members of staff, and they regularly receive supervision in their probation period that measures their progress and areas for development. Inspection report for children's home: 2739583 7
p.6
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.
p.7
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—
p.7
Requirement Due date
helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and
p.7
Requirement Due date
In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—
p.7
Requirement Due date
ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(c))
p.7
Requirement Due date
This specifically relates to ensuring that staff have the appropriate knowledge in relation to working with children where a deprivation of liberty order is in place. 30 October 2026
p.7
Recommendations
The registered person should ensure that the location risk assessment includes the identification of any risks and opportunities presented by the home’s location and strategies for managing them. Additionally, ensure that there is consultation with the host local authority and other community professionals to ensure that crime statistics and other information shared are current and relevant. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 64, paragraph 15.1)
p.7
Recommendations
The registered person should ensure that any record of discussion relating to the home, including any discussions about children, is recorded and that a copy is provided to all parties. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.3) Inspection report for children's home: 2739583 8
p.7
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: 2739583 9
p.8
Children’s home details
Registered provider: Holistic Care Service Nationwide Limited
p.9
Children’s home details
Registered provider address: 4 Rose Hill, Southport PR9 0SN
p.9
Inspectors
Michelle Greenhalgh, Social Care Inspector Julie Elder, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: 2739583 10 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
T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted
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