Children's Home run by The Together Trust in Bolton

Inspection report children’s home: SC057718 1 SC057718 Registered provider: The Together Trust Interim inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The children’s home is one of a number of homes operated by an independent organisation. It provides care for up to five children who may have emotional and/or social difficulties, physical disabilities or learning disabilities.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has been registered with Ofsted since June 2021. She is suitably qualified and experienced. Due to COVID-19, at the request of the Secretary of State, we suspended all routine inspections of social care providers carried out under the social care common inspection framework (SCCIF) on 17 March 2020. We returned to routine SCCIF inspections on 12 April 2021.

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Information about this children’s home

Date of last inspection: 21 and 22 April 2021

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Information about this children’s home

Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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Information about this children’s home

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC057718 2

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged requires improvement to be good at the last full inspection. At this interim inspection, Ofsted judged that it has improved effectiveness.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Children make significant progress due to the quality of care they receive. A parent said, ‘The setting has brought [name of child] on in leaps and bounds. The staff have made him feel like it is his home. They all have such a lovely bond with him.’

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

As they approach adulthood, children are supported to move on from the home into adult provision through well-planned transitions. Staff work closely with placing authorities to ensure that proposed accommodation and support will meet each child’s needs.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Detailed, child-centred pre-admission assessments support good decision-making about children moving into the home. As a result, new children settle quickly and the routines of children already living at the home are not disrupted.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Children are encouraged to develop skills and gain increased independence in line with their cognitive and physical needs. Two children who have recently come to live at the home are now able to use the toilet, are no longer using dummies to pacify themselves and can walk independently. Staff have high aspirations for children. Their nurturing and skilled care helps children to achieve.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Since the last inspection, the registered manager and senior leaders have worked hard to address the performance of some staff which had resulted in a poor safeguarding culture. Some staff have left the home as a result of this, and other staff have received additional training. This has resulted in children’s dignity and welfare being promoted.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Children who are non-verbal and those with additional barriers to communication are supported by the use of a range of communication tools such as Makaton, the Picture Exchange Communication System and electronic devices. Staff ensure that children’s wishes, views and feelings are captured and used to inform practice around the quality of care, particularly after significant incidents have taken place. This helps staff to understand the impact of events on children’s physical and emotional well-being.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The registered manager and senior leaders actively challenge local authorities when they consider a child’s needs are not being met. They ensure that children have independent advocates to champion their rights.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The registered manager and assistant manager have a good oversight of the quality of care and a detailed understanding of strengths and areas of development. They Inspection report children’s home: SC057718 3 have high expectations of the staff team and provide challenge and support to drive improvements.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

At the last inspection, a requirement was made in relation to improvements needed in the quality of scrutiny from the independent person’s visits to the home. The independent person has continued to announce all visits, some up to a week in advance. The independent person is not routinely seeking the views of children’s families. As a result, opportunities to improve scrutiny of the home are missed. This requirement is not met and has been restated. All other requirements made at the last inspection have been met. Inspection report children’s home: SC057718 4

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

21/04/2021 Full Requires improvement to be good 14/05/2019 Full Good 26/11/2018 Full Outstanding 20/04/2017 Full Outstanding Inspection report children’s home: SC057718 5

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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, 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 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

The independent person must produce a report about a visit ("the independent person’s report") which sets out, in particular, the independent person’s opinion as to whether—

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Requirement Due date

children are effectively safeguarded; and

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Requirement Due date

the conduct of the home promotes children’s well-being.

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Requirement Due date

The independent person’s report may recommend actions that the registered person may take in relation to the home and timescales within which the registered person must consider whether or not to take those actions. (Regulation 44 (1) (4)(a)(b)(c))

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Requirement Due date

This particularly refers to improvement in the quality of scrutiny by the independent person; reintroduction of unannounced visits; and regularly seeking the views of children’s families. This is a repeated requirement. 30 April 2022

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Information about this inspection

This inspection focused on the effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of children and young people since the most recent full inspection.

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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 children’s home: SC057718 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: The Together Trust Centre, Schools Hill, Cheadle SK8 1JE

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Inspector

Dawn Parton, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC057718 7 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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