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

Inspection report for children’s home: SC008486 1 SC008486 Registered provider: The Partnership of Care Today Children’s Services Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This children’s home is one of a number of homes run by a partnership. It is registered to provide care for up to six children. At the time of the inspection, two children were living in the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has been registered with Ofsted since 2017.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

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good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

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good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC008486 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

04/01/2022 Full Good 12/09/2019 Full Outstanding 09/01/2019 Interim Sustained effectiveness 17/04/2018 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: SC008486 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home has recently undergone an extensive refurbishment, and although it is registered for six children, only two children are currently living there. Children were involved in the design of the new kitchen and dining room, and they have chosen the furniture, bedding and posters for their newly refurbished bedrooms. The home is comfortable, well furnished and feels like a family home. However, there were locks on internal doors. These were removed by the company during the inspection.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Care for the children is individualised. There are lots of fun and educational activities tailored to the children’s interests. This broadens the children’s life experiences.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff promote contact with family and friends. Family members have been welcomed into the home. When it is appropriate, children see their family and the people who are important to them regularly. This is important as it helps children retain a sense of identity.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Both children are on roll at high school. However, one child’s attendance at school has declined. Staff are working together with education professionals to try and understand the barriers to attendance for the child. In addition, the school reports that the other child is frequently late. There have been some delays between care staff and school staff resolving this issue.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

There have been very few episodes of children going missing from home. When a child has failed to return home, staff have gone looking for them and found them very quickly.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Staff are vigilant about internet safety, and there are measures in place that allow children to participate in gaming and online activities. These measures keep children safe.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Safer recruitment policy has been followed to make sure that staff who care for vulnerable children have been vetted. This ensures that they are appropriate to be employed in the role.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Staff communicate well, which leads to clear and consistent boundaries for children. However, some of the consequences that are used to manage children’s behaviours are repetitive and focus on negative behaviour. This had led to the consequences being ineffective.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Risk assessments cover children’s risks and are linked to changes in the children’s behaviour. However, the risk assessment for one child did not cover the risks that he may encounter in the community. An important risk assessment that is Inspection report for children’s home: SC008486 4 completed by the local authority, which would have helped to inform the home’s risk assessment, had not been received by the home. This was received while the inspection was in progress.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home has two registered managers. The managers are passionate about the welfare of the children and work hard to ensure that the children are cared for well. They are aware of the home’s strengths and weaknesses and are clear about the progress of the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home is staffed by a stable staff group, and some staff have worked there for many years. They know the children well. Children feel safe and secure, knowing that they will be cared for by staff members who know them well. One child said, ‘They are like my family.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff say that they feel supported, the managers are approachable and they have regular supervision. Staff have annual appraisals, and the managers focus on the development of staff.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff attend training regularly. A variety of training opportunities are offered, and the company ensures that all staff are up to date with mandatory training and can study for the relevant qualification. Managers source and deliver bespoke training when required to ensure that staff can meet the needs of the children. Inspection report for children’s home: SC008486 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 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

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

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

help each child to attend education or training in accordance with the expectations in the child’s relevant plans. (Regulation 8 (1) (2)(a)(iii)(iv)(vi)(x))

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Requirement Due date

This relates to ensuring that there are open lines of communication with children’s school and that all measures are taken to ensure that children attend school regularly and on time. 28 April 2023

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that they are aware of children’s whereabouts and who they are with during their free time away from the home. They should be alert to any risks the child poses or risks that they may encounter while in the community. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 43, paragraph 9.13) Inspection report for children’s home: SC008486 6  The registered person should ensure that any consequences that are used to address poor behaviour are restorative in nature and clearly recorded and that they maximise the opportunity for children to reflect and learn. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 46, paragraph 9.38)

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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: SC008486 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: The Partnership of Care Today Children’s Services

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 2nd Floor, Lansdowne House, 85 Buxton Road, Cheshire SK2 6LR

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Children’s home details

Registered managers: Ryan Knight, Joshua Lewis

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Inspector

Cathy Wilkins, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC008486 8 regulates 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 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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