Children's Home run by Care Today (Childrens Services) Ltd in Manchester

Inspection report for children’s home: 2711785 1 Registered provider: Care Today (Children’s Services) Ltd

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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 private provider. 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 June 2023.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, two 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 outstanding

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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 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: 2711785 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

16/01/2024 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2711785 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Since the last inspection, one child has moved on from the home and one child has moved in. When moving on, children are supported to visit their new home and staff work with external agencies to ensure that their needs are consistently met. When children move into the home, staff work with and include family members to ensure that children are safe and welcomed into the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children share caring, trusting relationships with staff who know them well. Staff promote positivity in the home and are aspirational for children’s futures. Children enjoy a range of activities with staff in the home and local community. Both children say that they are happy living in the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff ensure that children’s health needs are met. Staff support children to attend health appointments, including therapeutic work. Staff encourage children to lead a healthy lifestyle and take part in physical activities. Staff work in partnership with external agencies to provide and review relevant medical provision.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s educational needs are well understood and supported by staff. Where barriers to attending education have been identified, the registered manager works with external agencies to find a solution that works best for the individual children. For one child, this included a revised timetable to include education in the home delivered by staff to support the child to transition into a classroom environment. Consequently, the child now attends school each day.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff recognise and understand the importance of children spending time with people who are important to them. Staff support, and where appropriate, supervise family time. As a result, children enjoy regular time with their family and friends. This supports their sense of self and identity.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported to meet their cultural needs and express their individuality. One family member said: ‘Staff are brilliant. They let [my child] express themselves and this is the most comfortable I have seen them in a long time.’

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

Children receive help and support from a nurturing, knowledgeable staff team. The well- being of children is at the forefront of staff’s practice. Staff have well-established relationships with external professionals and safeguarding agencies, which promote children’s safety.

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

Children’s individual risk assessments are clear and safety plans are detailed with guidance for staff to follow. Children’s plans are regularly reviewed and updated to reflect any changes or emerging risks with clear strategies in place for staff to use. Staff Inspection report for children’s home: 2711785 4 undertake direct work with the children to develop their knowledge and understanding of how to keep themselves safe.

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

Since the last inspection, there have been four occasions when children have been missing from the home. During these incidents, staff immediately follow the children’s individual missing-from-home assessments. Children are supported to safely return home, and work is then completed with them to help identify and create strategies to resolve any issues. Consequently, incidents of children being missing from the home have ceased.

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

Children know how to complain. When complaints have arisen, these have been managed efficiently and appropriately. Recordings of complaints demonstrate actions taken by the manager to resolve issues and evidence clear rationale for decision-making. As a result, children say that they are listened to and know that they will be supported.

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

Staff regularly use praise, rewards, de-escalation techniques and consequences to manage the children’s behaviour. Any behavioural incidents in the home are well managed by staff. There have been no physical interventions used by staff since the last inspection.

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

Room searches are appropriately undertaken when necessary. However, it is not always clear where any items found are safely stored or disposed of and how this has been communicated to children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The home is led by a dedicated and resourceful registered manager. She has high aspirations for the children and is a strong advocate for them. The registered manager ensures that the children’s voices are heard and she knows the children well.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered manager is supported by a staff team whose members are equally dedicated and share the same values. Staff are knowledgeable and determined to make a positive difference with the children and work consistently to do so. Staff say that they are well supported by the registered manager and that there is an open and caring culture in the home. Staff say that they love working in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered manager ensures staff have access to relevant training and development opportunities. Staff training covers mandatory topics in addition to specific training based on the presenting needs of the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff receive regular, reflective supervision which is child-focused. Annual performance appraisals reflect the commitment to the future development of staff.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The staff work in partnership with wider agencies and have positive working relationships. Professionals speak highly of the team and describe excellent care of the children. One social worker said: ‘Staff are very committed and ensure [name of child] has everything that they need.’ Inspection report for children’s home: 2711785 5 Leaders and managers know the strengths of the home as well as areas for development. Records are clear and informative and management oversight is strong. The registered manager continuously reviews how the home is operating and uses regular feedback from a range of stakeholders to drive and improve practice in the home. Inspection report for children’s home: 2711785 6

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that room searches are completed with consent from the child where appropriate and that any items removed are safely stored or disposed of and clearly recorded in the child’s relevant documents. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 16, paragraph 3.20)

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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: 2711785 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Care Today (Children’s Services) Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 2nd Floor Lansdowne House, 85 Buxton Road, Stockport SK2 6LR

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Inspector

Justina Henry, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2711785 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 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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