Children's home run by Social Care Services (Clayton) Limited

Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2597738 1 Registered provider: Social Care Services Limited

p.1

Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The home is owned by a private company. It provides care for one child who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, one child was living in the home.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The post for a registered manager is vacant. An acting manager has been overseeing the management of the home. They have applied to register with Ofsted.

p.1

Inspection date: 11 March 2025

Date of last inspection: 21 October 2024

p.1

Inspection date: 11 March 2025

Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

p.1

Inspection date: 11 March 2025

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

p.1

Information about this inspection

At this inspection, the inspector evaluated:

p.1

Information about this inspection

 the care of children  the safety of children  the effectiveness of leaders and managers. The inspector has looked closely at the experiences and progress of children, using the social care common inspection framework. This assurance 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’. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2597738 2

p.1

Findings from the inspection

We did not identify any serious or widespread concerns in relation to the care or protection of children at this assurance inspection.

p.2

Findings from the inspection

Since the last inspection, one child has moved out of the home, and one child has moved in.

p.2

Findings from the inspection

The child is developing trusting relationships with staff and said they feel safe. The child knows how to make a complaint. There have been no serious incidents during this inspection period. The child is safeguarded effectively.

p.2

Findings from the inspection

Staff support the child with their education. The child is attending school and making progress. There is good communication between the home and the school staff. This ensures that the child is equipped with the skills to make good progress.

p.2

Findings from the inspection

Staff support the child to spend time with people who are important to them. Staff regularly communicate with the child’s family and help the child to develop positive relationships and have support outside of the home. This has enabled the child to feel valued and settled.

p.2

Findings from the inspection

The home is a safe environment that has sufficient space for the child. However, the child does not have sufficient storage for their personal belongings in their bedroom.

p.2

Findings from the inspection

The necessary information from the child’s placing authority is largely contained in the child’s records. However, the child’s risk management plan does not reflect their care plan and lacks guidance for staff on how to keep the child safe. Not all documents and records are written in a non-stigmatising way that is helpful to the child.

p.2

Findings from the inspection

Staff have meaningful conversations with children around risk and their emotional well-being. However, discussions on how to keep safe online have not been carried out. This is a missed opportunity to ensure that the child is aware of the risks they may be exposed to online.

p.2

Findings from the inspection

The acting manager and staff know the child well. The child’s social worker said, ‘The home are strong advocates for [name of child].’

p.2

Findings from the inspection

Staff are positive about working in the home and say they are well supported. However, some staff are yet to complete training that is relevant to the child’s needs.

p.2

Findings from the inspection

Staff do not receive formal reflective supervision of their practice, which does not enable them to reflect on their practice. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2597738 3 The home has not been visited each month by an independent person who scrutinises the care provided to children. This limits independent oversight of practice in the home.

p.2

Findings from the inspection

The home’s statement of purpose has been updated to reflect staffing changes and caring for a child who has a court order in place, which restricts some of the child’s liberties. However, the home has not sent this to Ofsted as required by regulation. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2597738 4

p.3

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

21/10/2024 Full Requires improvement to be good 16/05/2023 Full Good 21/06/2022 Full Good 17/02/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2597738 5

p.4

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.

p.5

Requirement Due date

The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

p.5

Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

p.5

Requirement Due date

assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the child’s relevant plans, and, if necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child;

p.5

Requirement Due date

help each child to understand how to keep safe;

p.5

Requirement Due date

have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm;

p.5

Requirement Due date

understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person;

p.5

Requirement Due date

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare; and

p.5

Requirement Due date

that the home’s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(v)(vi)(b))

p.5

Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring that risk management plans are regularly reviewed and include clear guidance and strategies for staff to follow to keep children safe. 9 April 2025

p.5

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— 9 April 2025 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2597738 6 helps children aspire to fulfil their potential;

p.5

Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

p.6

Requirement Due date

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child;

p.6

Requirement Due date

ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child;

p.6

Requirement Due date

understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home;

p.6

Requirement Due date

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(c)(e)(f)(h))

p.6

Requirement Due date

keep the statement of purpose under review and, where appropriate, revise it; and

p.6

Requirement Due date

notify HMCI of any revisions and send HMCI a copy of the revised statement within 28 days of the revision. (Regulation 16 (3)(a)(b)) 9 April 2025

p.6

Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees—

p.6

Requirement Due date

undertake appropriate continuing professional development;

p.6

Requirement Due date

receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience. (Regulation 33 (4)(a)(b))

p.6

Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person should ensure that supervision allows staff to reflect on their practice and that these discussions are documented in supervision records. 9 April 2025

p.6

Requirement Due date

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

p.6

Requirement Due date

The independent person must provide a copy of the independent person’s report to— 9 April 2025 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2597738 7 HMCI. (Regulation 44 (1) (7)(a))

p.6

Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that children’s documents are recorded in a non-stigmatising way that is helpful to children. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4)  The registered person should ensure that children have enough storage for personal items in the home. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9)  The registered person should ensure that staff help children to understand how to keep themselves safe online. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 43, paragraph 9.9) Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2597738 8

p.7

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Social Care Services Limited

p.8

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Social Care Services Group, 31 Shaw Road, Stockport SK4 4AG

p.8

Inspector

Michelle Snape, Social Care Inspector Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2597738 9 to 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.

p.8

Inspector

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.9

Inspector

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.9

Inspector

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.9

Inspector

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.9