Children's home run by The Partnership of Care Today in Stockport

Inspection report for children’s home: SC025417 1 SC025417 Registered provider: The Partnership of Care Today Interim inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is operated by a private provider and registered to provide care for up to four children with social, emotional and mental health difficulties. Children may also have autism spectrum disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder or learning difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

There is currently no registered manager.

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Inspection date: 30 March 2022

Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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Inspection date: 30 March 2022

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC025417 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

There are currently two children living at the home. Neither child was available to speak to the inspector during the inspection. The provider has chosen to put a hold on any new admissions until the new manager, who has been appointed, takes up their position in the home and the staff team is stable.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Overall, the home is settled, and the two children are progressing well. Both children have good education attendance. Children’s health is being well managed. Children are helped to attend medical appointments and additional advice is sought when required. There are currently no concerns in relation to exploitation or incidents of children going missing from home. Incidents of concern have been recognised and managed quickly and appropriately by staff.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Both children have good arrangements in place so that they can have contact with their family and friends. The home has provided some challenge around family supervision arrangements, which has improved the quality of family time for one child.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Since the last inspection, one child has come to live at the home and two children have left the home. One child who left had been living in the home for some time. However, staff were unable to manage the child’s escalating behaviour, which culminated in a serious incident. Management of the incident was appropriate and avoided criminalising the child, but the incident resulted in the child leaving the home quickly. The deputy manager appropriately challenged the child’s new referral information with the placing authority as it incorrectly identified the child’s needs and risks. This action reduced the risk of the child having a failed placement. Another child came into the home and left very quickly. Information about the child’s involvement in criminal exploitation had not been shared at the time the child came to live in the home. This behaviour increased the risks to other children in the home

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

and the provider made the decision that the child’s needs could not be met.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The home has been extensively refurbished and redecorated since the last inspection. Children have been included in the decisions about how the house has been updated, including their bedrooms. Some additional work is required, which will improve the overall quality of the redecoration.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The home currently has no registered manager, but a new manager has been appointed and is due to start working in the home shortly. Initial introductions to the home have already begun. Management oversight of the home currently requires some improvement. Actions identified by the independent visitor are often not met. Inspection report for children’s home: SC025417 3 The report on the review of the quality of care does not include feedback from children, parents and other professionals who are involved in the care of the child. This is a missed opportunity for additional reflection on the strengths and weaknesses of the home. The content of the report is factual and uses language that focuses on the actions of the children rather than the quality of care provided to them, and how this can be improved. More analysis is necessary to identify what is working well and what needs to be done better.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Action has been taken to meet the requirements set at the last inspection. Risk assessments have been updated, though these are still being reviewed to ensure that they provide staff with clear direction on understanding risks and strategies to reduce risk.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Children have been able to take part in more activities, and new activities can be suggested during children’s meetings and key-work sessions.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

A new rewards and consequence process has been shared with children, who are pleased with the changes. This has led to more achievable rewards, which has improved the children’s sense of accomplishment.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Medication audits take place weekly and are documented against the children’s individual medication records. Inspection report for children’s home: SC025417 4

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

13/07/2021 Full Requires improvement to be good 10/03/2020 Full Requires improvement to be good 22/01/2019 Full Good 14/11/2017 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: SC025417 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 complete a review of the quality of care provided for children (“a quality of care review”) at least once every 6 months.

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Requirement Due date

In order to complete a quality of care review the registered person must establish and maintain a system for monitoring, reviewing and evaluating—

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Requirement Due date

the quality of care provided for children;

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Requirement Due date

the feedback and opinions of children about the children’s home, its facilities and the quality of care they receive in it; and

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Requirement Due date

any actions that the registered person considers necessary in order to improve or maintain the quality of care provided for children.

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Requirement Due date

After completing a quality of care review, the registered person must produce a written report about the quality of care review and the actions which the registered person intends to take as a result of the quality of care review (“the quality of care review report”).

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Requirement Due date

The system referred to in paragraph (2) must provide for ascertaining and considering the opinions of children, their parents, placing authorities and staff.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 45 (1) (2)(a)(b)(c) (3) (5))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that the review seeks feedback from others; that information gathered to complete the review is fully evaluated to determine the quality of care; and that any improvements that are necessary are identified. 30 April 2022 Inspection report for children’s home: SC025417 6

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that general maintenance is timely, such as reparation to decoration; windows are dressed appropriately; televisions are hung; blown windows are replaced; and areas of damp are sealed and decorated. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9)

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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 for children’s home: SC025417 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: The Partnership of Care Today

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Lansdowne House, 85 Buxton Road, Stockport, Cheshire SK2 6LR

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Inspector

Mark Broomhead, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC025417 8 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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