Children's home run by The Partnership of Care Today

Inspection report for children's home: SC025409 1 SC025409 Registered provider: The Partnership Of Care Today Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This private children’s home provides care for up to three children with social and emotional difficulties or learning disabilities.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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outstanding

How well children and young people are helped and protected outstanding

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outstanding

The effectiveness of leaders and managers outstanding

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outstanding

The children’s home provides highly effective services that consistently exceed the standards of good. The actions of the children’s home contribute to significantly improved outcomes and positive experiences for children and young people who need help, protection and care.

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outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children's home: SC025409 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

02/08/2022 Full Good 01/03/2022 Full Good 04/06/2019 Full Good 18/12/2018 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children's home: SC025409 3

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outstanding

At the time of the inspection, three children were living at the home. All have excellent relationships with staff. Staff model mutual respect and kindness. Children describe their carers as being like a family or a group of good friends. These relationships provide a secure platform for children to explore relationships with other people outside the home.

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outstanding

Children’s daily experiences are positive and trusting. Children phone staff when they arrive at college and when they are on their way home. This shows that relationships between staff and children are trusting and loving. Staff care about the children and will go the extra mile to support them. Staff respect each other and can rely on their team members for support and guidance.

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outstanding

Children who had struggled in mainstream education now all attend education. Staff promote creative thinking around educational opportunities. This means that children have realistic education plans which they can achieve. This is because children engage in learning which interests them. Staff offer lots of support and encouragement and advocate for children’s educational needs.

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outstanding

Children are linked to local primary healthcare services and their health needs are met in the home. Staff ensure that children attend medical appointments when necessary. Staff support children to understand their emotions through therapy sessions. This enables children to express their emotions in a safe environment. Children know they can also talk to staff at any time. If necessary, the home links with specialist therapeutic support services. This service offers research-based intervention for children and guidance for staff.

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outstanding

Behaviour management plans give a clear overview of children’s behaviours. This provides staff with clarity about effective ways to respond. Staff continue to explore the reasons and causes for individual behaviours. This supports dynamic care planning and decision-making.

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outstanding

Staff understand how important children’s families are to them and go over and above to enhance family relationships. Staff celebrate successes with children and their families, including by holding ‘Come Dine with Me’ theme nights. All the children’s parents said the staff are lovely and very supportive. One parent said, ‘They have helped the family to become a family again.’ Family and friends regularly visit the home and staff attend family days out with children to support positive times.

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outstanding

The home has a warm, friendly and relaxed atmosphere. Photos and children’s belongings are displayed around the home, and this makes the home feel lived in. Children’s bedrooms are personalised and furnished to their tastes. Inspection report for children's home: SC025409 4 Staff consult with children. Children’s meetings and direct work promote learning. Staff help children to enjoy hobbies and interests, to support their self-esteem. Children engage in a range of stimulating social activities and clubs and take part in charity and community work. They thrive in their social, emotional and physical development. They make healthy friendships with their peers.

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outstanding

Staff use their positive relationships with children to de-escalate challenging behaviours. Clear routines and boundaries help children to feel safe and secure. Children who used to display behaviours that posed a risk to themselves and others are now able to manage their emotions. Children who engaged in criminal activity are now able to make safer lifestyle choices. This enhances children’s life chances.

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outstanding

Children know they can rely on staff. Staff listen to children and empower them to make responsible decisions about their own lives. Children have detailed and thorough link-work sessions. This enables them to understand complicated and serious matters. Staff work with the children in a sensitive and child-friendly manner. This means that children understand complex issues and decisions about their lives.

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outstanding

All children know who they can go to if they want to make a formal complaint. Children receive a welcome pack on arrival at the home, which details how to make a complaint. Complaint forms are available, which allow children to make a complaint in private. One child said, ‘I can speak to any of the staff if I have worries or concerns.’

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outstanding

Staff reward children for their efforts and achievements. Staff help children to understand why they want the best for them. Children appreciate the staff’s advice and guidance and adhere to rules and requests.

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outstanding

Children let staff know where they are at all times. Children who used to go missing, no longer do so. Staff teach children about keeping safe when out in the community. Children contact staff when daily plans change. This is a result of the honest and respectful relationships that staff have built with children.

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outstanding

Staff understand how important children’s families are to them and go over and above to enhance family relationships. All the children’s parents said the staff are lovely and very supportive. One parent said, ‘They have helped the family to become a family again.’ Family and friends regularly visit the home and staff attend family days out with children to support positive times.

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outstanding

Staff hold conversations with children to support them emotionally through difficult times. They help children to understand different viewpoints. This promotes children’s learning and development. The staff and manager share effective behaviour strategies with parents and professionals. This enhances consistency of care and improves partnership working. Inspection report for children's home: SC025409 5 All children feel safe, secure and happy in the home. One child said, ‘It’s great here. The staff have really helped me, I wish I could have moved here sooner. They always support me and my family whenever we need it. My life is much better now.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager has high aspirations for the children. The staff team shares the manager’s vision. The manager understands the importance of providing high-level care. The manager uses her wealth of experience to support continuous development. Staffing arrangements are excellent; they describe their colleagues as an extended family. This creates a harmonious, respectful home where children can flourish.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The home has a committed and child-centred staff team. Staff retention is very good and some staff have been at the home for many years. This ensures continuity of care for children and means that staff know the children very well. Staff are nurturing in their approach. They create a culture of mutual respect. Children know that staff genuinely care about them. This supports children to thrive.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered manager has a clear understanding of the home’s strengths and weaknesses. She welcomes the expertise of others to help to support children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Partnership working is another of the manager’s strengths. The manager and staff collaborate. One external professional said that the staff go over and above. Another said that the staff helped one child to have a purpose, a sense of belonging and develop future aspirations.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager and staff have excellent relationships with children’s parents and families. The manager advocates for children and their families. She challenges agencies to ensure children get the best care. Independent advocates support children’s rights. The manager uses research to find the most suitable specialist services for children. This has resulted in parents feeling supported and children’s relationships with family improving.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager uses internal and external monitoring systems. This supports rigorous quality assurance of the home. She suggested a new format for the independent monitoring reports. This promotes further constructive challenge. This shows that the manager strives for improvements and values the monitoring process. Inspection report for children's home: SC025409 6

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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: SC025409 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: 2nd Floor, Lansdowne House, 85 Buxton Road, Stockport, Cheshire SK2 6LR

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Inspector

Sally Hallwood, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: SC025409 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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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