Children's Home run by Social Care Services (Clayton) Limited in Wigan

Inspection report for children’s home: 2737713 1 Registered provider: Social Care Services (Clayton) Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

A private provider operates this children’s home. The home is registered to provide care for three children with social and emotional difficulties. Two children were living in the home at the time of the inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in July 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: Not previously inspected

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: not applicable

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: not applicable Inspection report for children’s home: 2737713 2

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is warm and welcoming. Staff have worked hard to make it feel like a family home. The children have personalised their rooms to help them feel more at home. A child said, ‘I couldn’t ask for a better care home.’ Children feel comfortable and settled in their home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff offer children a variety of activities. Children take part in a range of activities in the community. They enjoy activities that interest them, such as trampolining and bowling. Staff have set up a gym and encourage children to use it. This means that children establish healthy routines and form happy childhood memories.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support children to see their families in line with their care plans. Family members are welcomed to the home, and staff take children to see their families. A family member said, ‘The communication is brilliant; the manager speaks to me every day.’ Family time is important for children’s identity and sense of belonging.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have made progress from their starting points with school attendance. However, school attendance is still low relative to their peers. Staff are working alongside schools, but not with the virtual headteacher. Staff try to provide educational activities during school time at the home, but this is not always successful.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The manager and staff try to provide clear boundaries for the children. Sometimes means that the children feel that they have different rules to their peers. The manager and staff are working towards finding boundaries that are agreeable to the children and that continue to ensure their safety.

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

There have been some incidents of children going missing from home. Each child has an individual missing-from-home plan. The plans help staff know how to respond when they are worried about a child’s whereabouts. Staff follow these risk assessments and thoroughly search for children. Children have not gone missing from this home for over two months.

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

Children have individual risk assessments, which are updated very regularly. Staff read and sign the records. This shows that they have read and understood any changes. The records show that children’s risks have reduced, and over time, children are becoming safer.

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

Staff manage children’s behaviour through rewards and incentives. Staff have never used physical intervention to control children’s behaviour. Staff support children to Inspection report for children’s home: 2737713 3 learn how to manage their emotions and behaviours. This will support them to integrate well into society.

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

Not all staff on duty are trained in first aid. The manager enrolled all staff on the first-aid training during the inspection.

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

Some staff were unclear on the procedure for managing allegations. This means that they may not know how to respond if a situation arises where this knowledge is needed.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home is managed by a manager who is registered with Ofsted. The manager is working towards the qualification relevant to his role.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is very proud of the home. Staff describe the manager as approachable and supportive. He has positive relationships with both staff and children. The manager is working creatively to ensure that staff feel valued, supporting them to remain in their role.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Supervision is regular and provides an opportunity for staff to reflect on their work with the children. All staff have been through a detailed induction programme. This supports staff development to ensure positive care for the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff have regular team meetings. These enable staff to discuss their plans and ambitions for the children. There is also a thorough discussion to share information when staff change over. This ensures that care practice is consistent and boundaries are clear. This means that children feel secure.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager’s monitoring of the service is thorough. He has a good overview of the children’s files and escalates concerns to the relevant professionals when important documents are not received. This helps to ensure that all the staff are working towards a shared goal.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager keeps in close contact with partner agencies to ensure that the children are kept as the central focus. An education professional said, ‘The children have a complex history and now have a good chance of a successful pathway forward.’ Everyone working with the children are working in close partnership to ensure they make positive progress. Inspection report for children’s home: 2737713 4

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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.

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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

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;

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Requirement Due date

have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm;

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Requirement Due date

understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person;

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Requirement Due date

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare; and

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Requirement Due date

are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(iii)(v)(vi)(vii))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, managers should ensure that staff are fully aware of safeguarding procedures to follow in response to allegations and disclosures. 16 February 2024

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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— 16 February 2024 Inspection report for children’s home: 2737713 5 that staff—

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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

raise any need for further assessment or specialist provision in relation to a child with the child’s education or training provider and the child’s placing authority;

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Requirement Due date

help a child who is excluded from school, or who is of compulsory school age but not attending school, to access educational and training support throughout the period of exclusion or non-attendance and to return to school as soon as possible. (Regulation 8 (1) (2)(a)(vi)(vii)(viii))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the provider must advocate on behalf of children who are not in full time education by challenging and escalating concerns with the placing authority and virtual school.

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Recommendation

 The responsible person should ensure that children have the opportunity to have their voices heard and that when they do express an opinion about the rules and boundaries, this is taken seriously and a reason given if their views and wishes cannot be acted on. (‘Guide to the Children’s Home regulations including the quality standards.’ Paragraph 4.10 page 22)

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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: 2737713 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Social Care Services (Clayton) Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Social Care Services Group, 31 Shaw Road, Stockport SK4 4AG

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Inspector

Cathy Wilkins, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2737713 7 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 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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