Children's home run by The Together Trust in Stockport

Inspection report for children’s home: SC413985 1 SC413985 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 owned and managed by a charitable organisation. It is registered to care for up to five children with autism spectrum disorder and additional complex needs.

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Information about this children’s home

There were three children living at the home at the time of this inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in January 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: 16 November 2022

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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: SC413985 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

16/11/2022 Full Good 08/03/2022 Full Good 21/10/2019 Full Good 19/02/2019 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report for children’s home: SC413985 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have positive and trusting relationships with the staff. Staff treat the children with dignity and respect. The children experience care and help that is sensitive to their identity, age, and ability.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The staff and manager have extremely positive relationships with children’s families. They support children’s families to be as involved as possible with the children’s lives and encourage family time in line with children’s individual plans. This means that children can maintain positive relationships with those who are important to them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have access to a wide range of activities to meet their sensory needs and their hobbies and interests, such as swimming, trampolining, going on holiday to Scotland, bowling and playing in the park. Staff also understand the children’s need to spend time in the home with their own home comforts.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are encouraged to express their views and contribute to their day-to-day decisions. Staff support the children to understand key information through their preferred communication methods and the use of social stories.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s health needs are met, and staff support them to attend routine appointments, such as the dentist and opticians. When necessary, children have also been supported to access emergency appointments. The manager and staff work collaboratively with external health professionals to ensure that children’s needs are met.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The physical environment is warm and welcoming. It feels and looks like a family home for children. However, there are some areas of the home that require attention to improve its appearance. In addition, the window handles in one child’s bedroom need replacing to ensure that they can be opened freely by the child.

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

Staff understand children’s individual risks. These are clearly identified within behaviour support plans and risk management plans, which give clear guidance and strategies for staff to follow. However, these documents are not always updated to ensure that they include current and relevant information.

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

Staff respond to children’s behaviour with clear boundaries about what is acceptable. Staff seek to understand the children’s individual needs and support the children to manage their own behaviours and emotions appropriately.

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

Staff complete regular direct-work sessions with the children to support them to understand risks and dangers. These are completed to the child’s level of ability and understanding, using suitable communication methods. Keeping accurate records of Inspection report for children’s home: SC413985 4 the key-work sessions will allow children and staff the ability to reflect on the learning from those sessions.

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

Leaders and managers have responded suitably when safeguarding concerns have been raised. They have taken all necessary action to investigate and address these complaints, ensuring the needs of the children were prioritised throughout the process. In addition, the staff involved have received appropriate support and supervision throughout.

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

When it has been necessary to physically hold a child, it has been reasonable, proportionate, and used as a last resort. Restraint reports are suitably recorded, with the manager’s oversight and reflection on each report. When the manager has identified areas where practice could be improved, he has addressed this and taken appropriate action, such as additional training or supervision for staff.

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

When children require the use of mechanical restraints, such as harnesses for travelling or reins to keep them safe in the community, it is recorded in their plans so that staff understand how and when these should be used. However, this equipment is not regularly reviewed by an occupational therapist to make sure that their fitting remains correct and are still suitable for the child.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There is an experienced manager in post, who is suitably qualified and supported by an assistant manager. The staff are positive about the manager and describe a supportive environment. Staff spoken to describe the manager as readily available to provide advice and guidance.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There are systems in place for effective monitoring and review of the home. These ensure that the leaders and managers have oversight and can identify and address any issues. However, the quality of care review is not evaluative and does not include the feedback from children and stakeholders. In addition, the home’s location report does not include consultation with relevant people. Although they have minimal impact on children, these shortfalls were raised at the last inspection and will be repeated as requirements.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Children are supported by a consistent and experienced workforce. When it has been necessary to use agency staff, there are suitable safer recruitment checks in place and the manager ensures that there are always staff on shift who know the children, to work alongside the agency staff. This provides stability and constancy for the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Generally, staff are suitably qualified and trained to meet children’s needs. However, due to a difficulty with access, some staff have yet to complete specific training.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff are supported through regular practice-related supervisions. These are an opportunity for staff to reflect on their practice, and are also a development opportunity and a supportive tool for staff. Inspection report for children’s home: SC413985 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 health and well-being standard is that—

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Requirement Due date

the health and well-being needs of children are met;

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Requirement Due date

children receive advice, services and support in relation to their health and well-being; and

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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

that each child has access to such dental, medical, nursing, psychiatric and psychological advice, treatment and other services as the child may require. (Regulation 10 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(c))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that mechanical restraints, such as harnesses and reins, are regularly reviewed by a suitably trained occupational therapist. 7 March 2024

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

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Requirement Due date

provide to children living in the home the physical necessities they need in order to live there comfortably;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed and furnished so as to—

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Requirement Due date

meet the needs of each child. (Regulation 6 (2)(b)(vii)(c)(i))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that any damage is repaired in a timely manner and that one child’s 7 March 2024 Inspection report for children’s home: SC413985 6 bedroom flooring is replaced with flooring that can be suitably cleaned.

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Requirement Due date

In addition, window openings should be managed through the use of effective restrictors, rather than by removing the children’s ability to open them.

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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

that the home’s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(b))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person should ensure that children’s risk management plans are reviewed regularly and amended as appropriate to ensure that the information included is current and relevant. 7 March 2024

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must complete a review of the quality of care provided for children ("a quality of care review") at least once every 6 months.

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Requirement Due date

In order to complete a quality of care review the registered person must establish and maintain a system for monitoring, reviewing and evaluating—

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Requirement Due date

the quality of care provided for children;

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Requirement Due date

the feedback and opinions of children about the children’s home, its facilities and the quality of care they receive in it; and

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Requirement Due date

any actions that the registered person considers necessary in order to improve or maintain the quality of care provided for children. (Regulation 45 (1) (2)(a)(b)(c))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement is restated. 7 March 2024

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must review the appropriateness and suitability of the location of the premises used for the purposes of the children’s home at least once in each calendar year taking into account the requirement in regulation 12(2)(c) (the protection of children standard). 7 March 2024 Inspection report for children’s home: SC413985 7 When conducting the review, the registered person must consult, and take into account the views of, each relevant person. (Regulation 46 (1) (2))

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that staff can access appropriate facilities and resources to support their training needs. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 53, paragraph 10.11)  The registered person should ensure that staff help children to understand how to protect themselves, feel protected, and be protected from significant harm. Staff should ensure that there is a record of when these sessions have taken place. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 43, paragraph 9.9)

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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: SC413985 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: The Together Trust Centre, Schools Hill, Cheadle SK8 1JE

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Inspector

Katie Tomlinson, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC413985 9 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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