Children's home run by Time-Out Children’s Homes Limited in Stockport

Inspection report for children’s home: SC357468 1 SC357468 Registered provider: Time-Out Children’s Homes Limited 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 provider. It provides care for one child who may have emotional and/or social difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

If required, children can access the organisation’s school and therapy department.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in April 2023.

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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

Date of last inspection: 7 and 8 June 2022

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: outstanding

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home:SC357468 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

07/06/2022 Full Outstanding 24/05/2021 Full Outstanding 29/05/2019 Full Outstanding 12/06/2018 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home:SC357468 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child is happy living in the home. They have been supported to develop trusting, secure relationships with staff. Staff are committed to the child and provide a safe, loving and fun environment. Consequently, the child has developed a sense of belonging and importance in the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff are innovative and use creative ways to communicate with the child. The child has made considerable progress with speech and language.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff have helped the child to enjoy friendships with other children in the local area. This has increased the child’s confidence and social skills.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff were proactive in supporting the child to overcome some challenges with school attendance, and the child now engages well with education. They also take part in activities such as forest school and cookery lessons. Staff work closely with the school and provide support to the child when required. A member of school staff said, ‘Staff at the home have the best interests of [name of child] at the forefront. They are consistent with the child and communicate well with the school.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child is consulted regularly, and their views and wishes are considered. Timely changes were made to the child’s bedroom at their request. This has resulted in the child being calmer and more settled at bedtime.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support the child to take part in a range of activities inside and outside the home. The child enjoys weekly visits to a local stable, and a staff member described it as the child’s ‘happy place’. There are lots of toys and games at the home, but many are in a locked playroom, restricting easy access for the child.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff are supported by the organisation’s therapy team, which works directly with them and with the child. The child attends weekly therapy sessions and engages well.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child lives in a warm and spacious home that is personalised to reflect their interests. The kitchen has been renovated recently, and the child has been involved in plans to redecorate the living room.

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

Staff support the child’s emotional well-being. They provide nurturing care and consistent, clear boundaries, which the child responds well to. When challenges arise, staff work sensitively and therapeutically to ensure that the child feels safe and secure. As a result, there has been a reduction in incidents of the child needing to be held to keep them and others safe. Inspection report for children’s home:SC357468 4 Staff have access to training in subjects specific to safeguarding the child. Training is valued by staff and used to help keep the child safe and feel calm.

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

Staff understand the child well and know how to keep them safe. Individualised risk plans provide staff with useful information and guidance. However, clear guidance is limited regarding the risks in respect of transporting the child in a car.

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

Allegations and incidents are managed well. However, at times, the manager has not always notified Ofsted of incidents they have considered to be serious. This limits the regulator’s oversight of practice in the home.

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

Staff work together with external agencies to ensure that the child is safe and supported. A social worker said, ‘The staff are absolutely amazing. The care is nurturing, and the support is brilliant.’

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

The manager follows safer recruitment practices to ensure that staff are safe to work with a vulnerable child.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager knows the child and the staff well. He is aware of the home’s strengths and areas for development and is committed to maintaining a settled home for the child. One staff member said, ‘The manager and team all work closely together, sharing ideas and all working for the benefit of [name of child] and their goals. The manager has a strong vision and supports the child and staff in a positive and fair manner.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Team meetings take place monthly and usually include input from the therapeutic team. This allows staff to seek support and discuss the right therapeutic approach to help the child.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff have access to regular supervision sessions with the manager or deputy manager. These sessions, along with biannual appraisals, give staff the opportunity to discuss any training needs and set learning goals. Staff are encouraged to develop their knowledge and skills and consider progression in the company.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff are proud to work at the home. They are dedicated and passionate about their role and the contribution they make. The staff work well together to provide consistent care and support to the child.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

External agencies have not always provided key documents to the home, and the manager has not challenged or escalated this in a timely manner. This limits opportunities to ensure that the team is caring for the child in line with their statutory plans. Inspection report for children’s home:SC357468 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 protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

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Requirement Due date

assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the child’s relevant plans, and, if necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child; and

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand how to keep safe. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that all risk assessments contain clear steps for staff to follow should an incident arise. 28 February 2024

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Requirement Due date

the privacy of children is appropriately protected;

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Requirement Due date

children can access all appropriate areas of the children’s home’s premises; and

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Requirement Due date

any limitation placed on a child’s privacy or access to any area of the home’s premises—

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Requirement Due date

is intended to safeguard each child accommodated in the home;

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Requirement Due date

is kept under review and, if necessary, revised; and 28 February 2024 Inspection report for children’s home:SC357468 6 allows children as much freedom as is possible when balanced against the need to protect them and keep them safe. (Regulation 21 (a)(b)(c)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that children have access to all areas in the home, with the exception of areas that are restricted to safeguard them.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if—

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Requirement Due date

there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there. (Regulation 40 (4)(c))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that they notify Ofsted of any incident relating to the child that they consider to be serious. 28 February 2024

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Requirement Due date

In meeting the quality standards, the registered person must, and must ensure that staff—

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Requirement Due date

seek to involve each child’s placing authority effectively in the child’s care, in accordance with the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

seek to secure the input and services required to meet each child’s needs;

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Requirement Due date

if the registered person considers, or staff consider, a placing authority’s or a relevant person’s performance or response to be inadequate in relation to their role, challenge the placing authority or the relevant person to seek to ensure that each child’s needs are met in accordance with the child’s relevant plans. (Regulation 5 (a)(b)(c))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that they follow the organisation’s escalation policy to obtain the child’s missing statutory documents. 28 February 2024

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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:SC357468 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Time-Out Children’s Homes Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Unit 2, Ripponden Mill, Mill Fold, Ripponden, Sowerby Bridge, West Yorkshire HX6 4DH

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Dominic Macauley

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Inspectors

Zillah Brooks, Social Care Inspector Kelly McCurdy, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home:SC357468 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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