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

Inspection report for children's home: 2608484 1 Registered provider: Social Care Services 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

The home is owned by a private provider and is registered to care for up to two children who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

There were two children living in the home at the time of the inspection. The inspectors spoke to both children about their experiences of living in the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has been registered with Ofsted since February 2024.

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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: 2608484 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

11/07/2023 Full Good 23/08/2022 Full Good 23/11/2021 Full Good Inspection report for children's home: 2608484 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children say that they are happy living in the home. They build trusting relationships with the managers and staff. As a result, the children are confident that they have people to talk to about issues that are important to them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Since the last inspection, one child has moved out and one child has moved into the home. Managers ensure that planning for the children who move into the home is effective. They consult with the relevant professionals to make sure that children can live together safely. When a child moved out of the home, staff ensured that they were supported in a safe and sensitive way. This means that children’s experiences of moving in and out of the home are positive.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff implement clear routines for the children. This helps the children to feel settled and secure in their home. However, the rules around the use of e-cigarettes are not clear, and staff do not have a consistent approach to challenging their use by the children. Also, staff do not hold regular conversations with children about the risks of using e- cigarettes. This does not promote healthy lifestyles for the children and is not in line with the provider’s policies on e-cigarette use.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff promote the importance of children’s education effectively. Children have made significant progress in their educational attendance since living in the home. Educational professionals say that the staff have built strong communication links with them, and that children are encouraged to attend school successfully. This means that children view education positively and have clear goals for their future.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is comfortable and is generally well maintained. One child told the inspectors that they ‘loved’ their bedroom and took great pride in it. However, the other child’s bedroom had holes in the walls and bathroom door. Attempts had been made to repair the damage; however, managers and staff had not clearly discussed this with the child before needing to access their room. The carpet on the stairs is worn and the manager advised that a new one was ordered during the inspection. Also, the plug is missing in the sink of the downstairs bathroom. This means that children’s experiences of living in a nurturing and homely environment are not always consistent.

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

Staff keep children safe. Managers ensure that staff are provided with clear guidance to follow to keep children safe. Risk management plans reflect the children’s individual vulnerabilities. As a result, staff are confident in their responses when children are at risk.

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

Staff explore alternative ways of helping children to communicate their feelings. One member of staff shared some key phrases in British Sign Language with one of the Inspection report for children's home: 2608484 4 children. When the child became extremely upset, they were able to use the sign language to communicate their feelings, and their distress reduced. This ensures that there is a trauma-informed approach to helping children communicate when they feel unsafe or worried.

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

When children go missing, staff respond effectively. They go out to look for the child and are persistent in contacting them. Managers and staff ensure that the children can talk to an independent person when they return. This means that the number of missing- from-home episodes has reduced for both the children living in the home.

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

Children are rarely restrained by staff. When children are held by staff, managers ensure that all incidents are reviewed to identify any shortfalls in staff practice. However, some records of restraint do not contain the necessary detail to describe the actions taken by staff. This does not enable managers to ensure that staff are following the approved methods of restraint.

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

There have been a number of new staff who have begun working in the home since the last inspection. Leaders and managers ensure that safer recruitment practices are followed, and that all members of staff have completed the induction and probation period outlined in the provider’s statement of purpose. Consequently, staff have a clear understanding of their roles and responsibilities in caring for the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff say that they feel well supported by the registered manager and he provides them with positive leadership in the home. Children seek him out for reassurance and regular conversations, and have a strong relationship with him. Consequently, children feel that their voices are heard and their views are important.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager is highly visible in the home. This enables him to observe staff interacting with the children and to support staff to develop their practice. As a result, there is a strong culture of seeking to improve the care of the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Managers ensure that there are strong communication links with professionals and family members who are important to the children. Significant information is shared to keep the children safe, and family members feel involved in the care of the children. This means that there is a strong network of support around the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive regular supervisions with managers. However, supervisions do not contain robust plans to address shortfalls in staff performance. This is a missed opportunity to ensure that there is a high level of accountability and structured support in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Managers evaluate all incidents to ensure that staff take appropriate action. However, managers do not consistently submit notifications of serious incidents to Ofsted in line with regulation. This reduces the level of external oversight to ensure that children are safe and well cared for. This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated. Inspection report for children's home: 2608484 5 Managers say that they find the recommendations and guidance made by the independent person useful in improving their care of the children. However, the reports lack evaluation of practice and do not regularly review all areas of the home, including the children’s bedrooms. This limits the impact of the external scrutiny to ensure that a high level of care is being provided for the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Team meetings are held regularly and are used by the manager to develop staff skills in specific areas. However, staff have not undertaken training that is specific to the needs of the children. Although this has not compromised the safety of the children, it does not ensure that staff are confident in their skills in addressing children’s individual vulnerabilities. This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated. Inspection report for children's home: 2608484 6

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered persons 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 persons 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;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child Regulation 13 (2) (a)(b)(c)(e))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that all staff are provided with supervision and appraisals that support improvements in staff practice effectively.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that all staff have access to training which relates to the specific vulnerabilities of the children.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated. 6 February 2025

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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. 6 February 2025 Inspection report for children's home: 2608484 7 In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

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Requirement Due date

achieve the health and well-being outcomes that are recorded in the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

understand the child’s health and well-being needs and the options that are available in relation to the child’s health and well-being, in a way that is appropriate to the child’s age and understanding;

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Requirement Due date

take part in activities, and attend any appointments, for the purpose of meeting the child’s health and well-being needs; and

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Requirement Due date

understand and develop skills to promote the child’s well-being (Regulation 10 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that staff implement clear and consistent rules for children to follow in relation to children’s use of e-cigarettes that are in line with the provider’s policies.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that children are provided with support to understand the risks of using e- cigarettes.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that an independent person visits the children's home at least once each month.

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Requirement Due date

When the independent person is carrying out a visit, the registered person must help the independent person—

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Requirement Due date

if they consent, to interview in private such of the children, their parents, relatives and persons working at the home as the independent person requires; and

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Requirement Due date

to inspect the premises of the home and such of the home’s records (except for a child’s case records, unless the child and the child’s placing authority consent) as the independent person requires.

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Requirement Due date

The independent person must produce a report about a visit (“the independent person’s report”) which sets out, in particular, the independent person’s opinion as to whether—

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Requirement Due date

children are effectively safeguarded; and 6 February 2025 Inspection report for children's home: 2608484 8 the conduct of the home promotes children’s well-being.

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Requirement Due date

The independent person’s report may recommend actions that the registered person may take in relation to the home and timescales within which the registered person must consider whether or not to take those actions. (Regulation 44 (1) (2)(a)(b) (3) (4)(a)(b)(5))

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Requirement Due date

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

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

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Requirement Due date

there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation (40) (4)(a)(c)(e))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that Ofsted is notified without delay of all incidents that are deemed to be serious.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was given at the last inspection and is restated. 6 February 2025

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that records of restraint include adequate details to enable them to evaluate the use of restraint and respond promptly where any issues or trends of concern emerge. (‘Guide to the Children's Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 49, paragraph 9.59)  The registered person should ensure that a homely environment is maintained, and that repairs that are needed in the home, in particular in children’s bedrooms, are completed promptly. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’ page 15, paragraph 3.9) Inspection report for children's home: 2608484 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: 2608484 10

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Social Care Services Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 31 Shaw Road, Stockport SK4 4AG

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Annabella Foulkes

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Inspectors

Sarah Gilbert, Social Care Regulator Inspector Anna Belshaw, Social Care Regulatory Inspector Inspection report for children's home: 2608484 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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