Children's home run by The Partnership of Care Today in Stockport

Inspection report for children’s home: SC008608 1 SC008608 Registered provider: The Partnership of Care Today

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Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is run by a partnership. It provides care for up to two children with social and emotional difficulties and/or learning disabilities.

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Information about this children’s home

The home and manager registered with Ofsted in July 2001.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of this inspection, no children were living in the home.

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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: 28 November 2023

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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: SC008608 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

28/11/2023 Full Good 28/02/2023 Full Good 08/03/2022 Full Good 10/04/2019 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: SC008608 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child who previously lived in the home has moved to a different home that is more appropriate to their needs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

This home provides short-term care for children. Children move in at short notice, due to them experiencing crisis in their lives, or while a permanent home can be found for them. Consequently, due to the short timescales spent living in the home, their progress is often linked to small achievable targets, which are set and achieved.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The manager carefully considers the needs of children moving into the home. Time is spent gaining a full understanding of children’s risks and vulnerabilities, ensuring that the home is sufficiently equipped to meet their needs. This is intended to maximise stability and safety for children.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Education is supported and promoted in the home. Staff develop strong links with children’s schools to ensure that there is good communication and a joined-up approach. This provides children with support and consistency.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are registered with primary healthcare services and attend routine health appointments with support and encouragement from staff. Children have access to the services they need to promote their physical, emotional and psychological well-being.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support children’s time with their family. This ensures that children remain close to the people who are important to them and benefit from being involved in a wider support network outside of the home.

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

All staff are clear about their safeguarding responsibilities and demonstrate a good understanding of the individual needs of children. Staff ensure that tailored risk management plans help to identify potential dangers and risks associated with children’s behaviours. These are kept under regular review to ensure that the strategies remain effective.

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

Staff follow protocols effectively when children are missing from the home. Managers and staff also respond to any child exploitation risks well. For example, when one child’s incidents and vulnerabilities increased, they followed the child’s protocols, worked well with professionals and took decisive action to keep the child safe. Strategy meetings were held and return home interviews took place. These actions reassured the child that staff care about their safety and welfare.

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

Incidents of physical restraint are rare. Staff are skilled in de-escalating behaviours and resolving conflict. When restraint had been used, the recording of incidents is clear. Inspection report for children’s home: SC008608 4 There is clear management oversight of practice, which is evaluative and ensured that the child was safeguarded.

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

The manager ensures that children live in a home that is physically safe and secure. Regular health and safety checks on all electrical, gas and fire safety equipment help to make sure that they remain in good working order. Staff carry out fire drills so that children know what they need to do in an emergency.

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

The manager ensures that children are protected by the organisation’s effective recruitment practices. Staff are vetted and assessed as suitable before working in the home. This helps to prevent unsuitable adults working with children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home is managed by a suitably qualified and experienced registered manager. The manager has a strong commitment to improving children’s outcomes.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There are good arrangements in place for the development and training of staff. New staff complete an induction and progress towards completing the level 3 diploma in residential childcare. All staff benefit from a diverse range of appropriate training to develop their knowledge, skills and professional practice. This ensures that staff keep their skills and knowledge up to date and are competent in looking after children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager undertakes practice-related supervision with staff. This helps staff to reflect on their practice and develop their skills and knowledge to provide good-quality care to children. However, the manager has not received regular supervision. This leaves the manager without a regular opportunity to have his practice reviewed and appraised.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Regular team meetings and good-quality handovers ensure that staff are individually supported and work well together as a team.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The staff and the manager have developed effective relationships with partner agencies. Staff work closely with social workers, schools, local police and parents. They use this shared knowledge to ensure that children’s plans are in line with their needs. Inspection report for children’s home: SC008608 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 ensure that all employees—

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Requirement Due date

receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience; and

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Requirement Due date

have their performance and fitness to perform their roles appraised at least once every year. (Regulation 33 (4)(b)(c))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring that the manager receives appropriate one-to-one supervision. 23 November 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: SC008608 6

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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

Dave Carrigan, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC008608 7 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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