Children's home run by Proactive Care (Manchester) Limited

Inspection report for children’s home: 2542024 1 Registered provider: Proactive Care (Manchester) Limited

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Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is operated by a private company. It provides care for up to two children who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in August 2023.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of this inspection, two children were living at the home. They spoke to the inspector about their experiences of living there.

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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

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2542024 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

04/03/2024 Full Good 28/02/2023 Full Good 01/03/2022 Full Good 19/02/2020 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2542024 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children receive consistent nurturing and loving care from a stable staff team. They say that they are happy and settled. One child said they love living at the home. The other child described it as ‘very good’. Children are treated with dignity and respect and know that staff care about them. They are making progress in all areas of their lives.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Relationships between children and staff are overwhelmingly positive. Children enjoy spending time with staff both inside and outside of the home. Staff use a variety of ways to capture children’s views. Children feel listened to and valued. Staff are focused on the children and know their needs exceptionally well.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children routinely attend school and are thriving. Staff support and encourage the children with their education and are ambitious for them to do well. Staff worked tirelessly to secure alternative education for one child who could not attend school, which has significantly improved the child’s attendance and attainment.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff offer children a range of fun activities and nurture children’s individual interests. One child enjoys attending weekly horse-riding lessons. Children are encouraged to take part in charitable activities, such as creating ‘blessing bags’ full of toiletries for the homeless. Children enjoyed their first holiday abroad in the summer, which they helped to choose and plan.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff help children to spend time with people who are important to them. They have built positive and trusted relationships with family members for the benefit of the children. One family member described the home as ‘amazing’ and considers the staff to be like ‘extended family’. Another described the staff at the home as going ‘above and beyond’ in everything they do.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children live in a cosy and calm home. Their bedrooms are well decorated, personalised and furnished to meet their needs. Communal areas are comfortable and homely. There is a ‘chill out’ room for children to relax and play games. Children have a strong sense of belonging to the home.

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

Children say they feel safe living at the home. Their risks and vulnerabilities are well understood, and their risk plans are individualised. Clear advice and guidance are provided for staff so they know how to respond should risks arise. However, on one occasion staff did not seek medical advice or make sufficient checks on a child. This was a missed opportunity to reduce the risk of harm to a child. Inspection report for children’s home: 2542024 4 Staff are trained in a therapeutic model that helps them to understand and manage children’s behaviours and experiences. They are supported by an experienced therapist who meets with them regularly to discuss and review practice.

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

Positive behaviour is consistently promoted, and clear and appropriate boundaries are in place, which children respond well to. Staff have regular conversations with children about topics relevant to the children’s safety and well-being. Children are helped to understand and manage their behaviours and feelings safely.

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

Children are supported to take risks appropriate to their age and understanding. One child who was fearful of using public transport now uses the bus to get to and from school each day, which has improved their confidence and self-esteem.

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

Children rarely go missing from home or need to be held to keep them safe. This indicates that children feel safe and secure living at the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home is managed effectively by a committed and child-centred manager. She is accessible to staff and fully involved in the children’s lives. She has high expectations of the staff and is committed to improving outcomes for children. The manager is a strong and proactive advocate for the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff love working at the home. They are happy and satisfied in their roles and feel valued. Staff feel fully supported by the manager and hold her in high regard. One staff member said, ‘It’s a fantastic place to work, we’re like one big family.’ Staff work well together to provide the children with high-quality and consistent care. However, on one occasion there were not enough staff available to meet the needs of the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff benefit from regular supervision and team meetings. This provides them with opportunities to reflect on their practice and improve their knowledge and skills.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff have access to a range of online and face-to-face training that equips them with the knowledge and skills to meet the needs of the children in their care. However, a new member of staff has not yet received all the necessary training to meet the needs of the children in their care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager regularly monitors the quality of care provided to the children. She has systems in place to track progress, which enables her to identify and address any shortfalls and to ensure the children’s needs are being met. However, the latest six- monthly review of the quality of care report was not shared with Ofsted in line with regulation. This limits the regulator’s oversight of practice at the home. Inspection report for children’s home: 2542024 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 leadership and management standard is 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

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 manager must ensure that all staff are trained in how use restraint in relation to a child prior to lone working. 12 March 2025

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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

After completing a quality of care review, the registered person must produce a written report about the quality of care review and the actions which the registered person intends to take as a result of the quality of care review ("the quality of care review report").

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Requirement Due date

supply to HMCI a copy of the quality of care review report within 28 days of the date on which the quality of care review is completed. (Regulation 45 (1) (3) (4)(a)) 12 March 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: 2542024 6

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that there is sufficient staffing on shift and that contingency plans are in place for any shortfalls in staffing levels. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 54, paragraph 10.8)  The registered person should ensure that medical advice is sought when needed and frequent checks are carried out to verify the health and safety of a child. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 42, paragraph 9.7)

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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: 2542024 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Proactive Care (Manchester) Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Houldsworth Business & Arts Centre, Houldsworth Street, Stockport SK5 6DA

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Inspector

Zillah Brooks, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2542024 8 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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