Children's Home run by The Together Trust in Stockport

Inspection report for children’s home: SC025739 1 SC025739 Registered provider: The Together Trust Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is operated by a private organisation and provides care for up to four children who may have learning disabilities and/or experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in September 2009 and is suitably experienced and qualified.

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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: SC025739 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

21/03/2023 Full Good 15/03/2022 Full Outstanding 10/09/2019 Full Outstanding 27/11/2018 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: SC025739 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

At the time of this inspection, three children were living in the home. Since the last inspection, two children have moved into the home and one child has moved out to semi-independent accommodation. The manager has planned well for the children moving in and out of the home. This means that children have had a positive experience of moving.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff promote education and all children in the home and all children are making good progress. The manager is a strong advocate for the children’s education and one child has recently been able to return to school after being tutored at home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children’s individual health needs are well met by the staff. Children are supported to attend health appointments, such as dental and optician appointments. Staff maintain good links with the in-house therapy team which offers one-to-one sessions to the children as well as advice, support and guidance for staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff understand the children’s emotional health needs. They use a therapeutic model of care to consider the underlying causes of the children’s behaviour and help them to manage their emotions.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support children to see the people who are important to them. This helps the children to maintain their relationships with their family and friends. The manager and staff capture children’s important events in a memory books, which children can take with them when they move out of the home.

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

The manager and staff have a good understanding of children’s risks and vulnerabilities. Risk assessments are updated regularly and include clear strategies to assist staff in safeguarding children.

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

Missing-from-home protocols are in place and are regularly reviewed by the manager. If children go missing, staff actively search for them and liaise with the relevant professionals so that children return home safely.

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

When needed, staff undertake relevant training to develop their skills and knowledge in relation children’s specific needs. Staff are effective at managing children’s behaviours and can de-escalate situations. This means that there have been no physical interventions since the last inspection.

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

Safeguarding concerns are acted on in a timely manner and staff have ensured that any risks for children are minimised swiftly. Where children have made allegations about staff, these have been reported to senior leaders immediately. However, there Inspection report for children’s home: SC025739 4 are some inconsistencies in the recording of correspondence with external professionals, including evidence of outcomes.

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

Safe recruitment and health and safety practices at the home mean that suitable staff work at the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home is managed by a suitably qualified manager who is dedicated, committed and leads by example with a child-centred approach. She has a wealth of experience and is well respected by her team. Staff morale is good, with new and experienced staff feeling part of the team and well supported by the manager. Children benefit from this environment.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Several members of staff have worked in the home for many years. Staff stability means that children receive reliable, consistent and stable care from a team of staff who know them well. New staff have been appropriately inducted into the home, with detailed training plans to support their professional development. All staff receive a good range of mandatory training and training specific to the needs of the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Regular team meetings and good-quality supervision ensure that staff understand their roles, the needs of the children and how best to support them. This aids staff to put skills and learning into practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager and staff have excellent working relationships with family members and professionals. The manager and staff understand the importance of effective partnership working and how this contributes towards children’s positive experiences in the home. One parent said, ‘Staff are very supportive of [name of child], they don’t get the credit they deserve.’ Inspection report for children’s home: SC025739 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, 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.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must maintain records (“case records”) for each child which—

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Requirement Due date

are kept up to date. (Regulation 36 (1)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that when managing allegations, there are clear and up-to-date records of any correspondence with external professionals, including evidence of outcomes. 23 December

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that they notify the regulating body and other relevant persons if one of the situations specified in regulation 40(4)(a) to (e) occurs. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 63, paragraph 14.10)

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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: SC025739 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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Inspectors

Carrie Mayes, Social Care Inspector Kimmy Feeley, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC025739 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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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