Children's home run by The Together Trust in Stockport

Inspection report for children’s home: SC413985 1 SC413985 Registered provider: The Together Trust

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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 owned and managed by a charitable organisation. It is registered to provide 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: 23 January 2024

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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

23/01/2024 Full Good 16/11/2022 Full Good 08/03/2022 Full Good 21/10/2019 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: SC413985 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are making positive progress from their starting points. They have trusting and secure relationships with staff, who know them well and put their well-being as a priority. The staff treat the children with dignity and respect and speak fondly and positively about them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children can express their views and contribute to the day-to-day decisions in the home. They have a choice in their meals and activities and are also supported to understand key information and to prepare for significant events. Staff support children to express their views through their preferred communication methods, such as Makaton or social stories.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support children to have time with their family, in line with agreed plans. The staff work hard to maintain positive relationships with children’s family members to ensure that children can spend time with those who are important to them in ways that meet the needs of each child.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support children to attend routine health appointments. When necessary, staff collaborate with external professionals, such as the occupational therapist, speech and language therapist, and the child and adolescent mental health team to ensure that their health and well-being needs are met. However, one child’s annual health assessment has not been completed; this needs to be challenged by the provider.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff promote children’s positive behaviour, and achievements are celebrated. Staff make sure that children have access to a wide range of activities to meet their sensory needs. Children can pursue their hobbies and interests, such as shopping, visits to the park, trips to the circus and holidays to Scotland.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff ensure that children’s education needs are promoted. They support the children to attend school each day. Children appear to enjoy attending school and are doing well in line with their individual educational targets.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

When it has been necessary to make the decision to end a child’s placement, it has been done with sensitivity and in consultation with the relevant professionals. The manager and staff work with the child’s placing authority to ensure that their plans meet the needs of the child.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is warm and welcoming, with photos of the children displayed throughout. Sensory equipment is available in communal areas of the home. This helps to meet some children’s sensory needs and provides children with a safe place to relax and unwind. However, the window handles in one child’s bedroom have been removed. These need to be replaced with suitable restrictors to ensure that the child can freely open the windows. Inspection report for children’s home: SC413985 4

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

There have been no allegations since the last inspection; however, trained staff understand how and when to report any concerns. There has been one complaint from a parent, which was investigated. The manager and staff collaborated with external professionals, such as the police and placing authority, to ensure that the child’s welfare remained a priority throughout.

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

There was one significant incident where staff did not follow children’s plans. Suitable action was taken as a response to the incident. Although there were already plans in place to prevent this, these were reviewed, and additional measures put in place. However, the provider failed to notify Ofsted of the incident, which affects external monitoring.

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

Children’s plans are detailed documents that provide guidance and strategies for staff. However, they are not always updated to include current information, and some information in the plans is outdated.

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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 to keep them safe, this has been reasonable and proportionate, and staff are trained to do so safely. Children and staff are supported to reflect on the incident afterwards. The manager reviews all incidents to identify any lessons learned to support staff to develop their practice. However, some language in the reports is jargon, which makes the records of restraint unclear. This prevents the reader from understanding the method of restraint used.

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

Staff may need to use mechanical restraints to ensure children’s safety. These include harnesses for travelling or reins to keep them safe in the community. When these are needed, the manager has ensured that their use is reviewed by the OT to ensure that the fitting remains correct and that they continue to be fit for purpose.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager has an ambitious vision for what he wants to achieve for the children and the development of the team. A deputy manager supports him in the operation of the home. They are visibly present and spends time with the children. Staff say that the home is a supportive environment.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager knows the children well and advocates for what is in their best interest. The manager and staff have effective links with external agencies, such as schools, social workers, the local police community special officer and health professionals, to provide support to the home and the children. This ensures that there is a child-centred, wrap-around approach to providing the best outcomes for children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager makes use of internal and external monitoring systems. However, the quality-of-care review does not identify challenges or evaluate the impact of the care on children and does not include the feedback and opinions of children. Inspection report for children’s home: SC413985 5 Regular supervision sessions are recorded and show that staff are supported in their development. Supervision is practice related and also used as a support tool for staff. Supervisions are centred around meeting the needs of the children, including their experiences, needs and well-being.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Team meetings are held frequently and are well attended. They are an opportunity for the team to share practice, provide updates on the children and cascade information to the team. Staff have completed all training necessary to support the individual needs of the children. However, not all staff have completed the necessary qualification.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Since the last inspection, there has been some instability in the staff team, with several staff leaving and some new staff joining the team. The established staff have positive and trusting relationships with children. This has provided some stability and consistency for children and has reduced the impact of staff changes. When it is necessary to use agency staff, the manager aims to use regular staff, where possible, to ensure consistency for the children. Inspection report for children’s home: SC413985 6

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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 quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children;

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Requirement Due date

use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential.

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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 personalised care that meets each child’s needs, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans, taking account of the child’s background. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(b)(iv))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that children’s plans and risk assessments include up-to-date information, and that the latest information is added swiftly. 27 December 2024

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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

children are helped to lead healthy lifestyles.

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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. 27 December 2024 Inspection report for children’s home: SC413985 7 (Regulation 10 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that children have access to an annual health assessment.

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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

In particular, the registered person must ensure that window openings are managed using effective restrictors, rather than by removing the children’s ability to open them. 27 December 2024

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Requirement Due date

The leadership and management standard are that the registered person enables, inspires, and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that—

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Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

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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

lead and manage the home in a way that is consistent with the approach and ethos, and delivers the outcomes, set out in the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff work as a team where appropriate;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications, and skills to meet the needs of each child. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that staff complete the relevant qualification within timescales. 27 December 2024 Inspection report for children’s home: SC413985 8 The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if—

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Requirement Due date

a child is involved in or subject to or is suspected of being involved in or subject to, sexual exploitation;

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Requirement Due date

an incident requiring police involvement occurs in relation to a child which the registered person considers to be serious;

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Requirement Due date

there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there;

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Requirement Due date

a child protection enquiry involving a child—

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Requirement Due date

concludes (in which case, the notification must include the outcome of the child protection enquiry); or

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Requirement Due date

there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious.

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Requirement Due date

A notification made under this regulation—

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Requirement Due date

the other persons, bodies, or organisations (if any) who or which have been notified; and

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Requirement Due date

any actions taken by the registered person as a result of the matter;

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Requirement Due date

must be made or confirmed in writing. (Regulation 40 (4)(a)(b)(c)(d)(i)(ii)(e) (5)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(b)) 27 December 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; 27 December 2024 Inspection report for children’s home: SC413985 9 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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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that staff are familiar with the home’s policies on record-keeping and understand the importance of careful, objective and clear recording. Staff should record information on individual children in a non-stigmatising way that distinguishes between fact, opinion and third-party information, without the use of jargon. Information about the child must always be recorded in a way that will be helpful to the child. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4)

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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 10

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Children’s home details

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

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Inspector

Katie Tomlinson, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC413985 11 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

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted Inspection report for children’s home: SC413985 12

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