Children's Home run by Cheshire East Council in Cheshire East

Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2788637 1 Registered provider: Cheshire East Council

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This local authority children’s home was registered with Ofsted in May 2024.

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Information about this children’s home

The home is registered to care for up to three children who may have social and/or emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

Three children were living in the home at the time of the inspection.

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Inspection date: 4 February 2025

Date of last inspection: 19 November 2024

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Inspection date: 4 February 2025

Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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Inspection date: 4 February 2025

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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Information about this inspection

At this inspection, the inspector evaluated:

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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: 2788637 2

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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.

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Findings from the inspection

Since the last inspection, one child has moved out of the home. This move was planned in line with their needs. However, before leaving, the child raised some concerns about the care they received when they lived in the home. These concerns are currently part of an ongoing investigation by the home. Leaders and managers have taken appropriate action to address this.

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Findings from the inspection

Two siblings have moved into the home. The registered manager obtained information about the children before they moved into the home. The manager considered the needs of the children moving into the home alongside the needs of the child already living there.

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Findings from the inspection

Children’s health needs are met. Children are supported to make improvements to their hygiene. Staff support one child to maintain a clean bedroom. Staff ensure that children’s routine health needs are monitored, and any guidance from health professionals is followed.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff support children to see their family, where appropriate. This ensures that children can maintain relationships with people who are important to them. Staff have effective relationships with children’s family members.

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Findings from the inspection

The manager attends regular multi-agency meetings. She contributes to children’s care plans to ensure that children’s needs are met.

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Findings from the inspection

Although the manager and staff are committed to keeping children safe, children’s risk assessments do not provide staff with the guidance they need to follow in practice. For example, plans do not include clear strategies for staff to follow if children go missing from home. However, staff know what to do in practice to ensure that children are safe.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff receive safeguarding training to help them in their practice. Staff spoken to demonstrate an understanding of whistle-blowing procedures.

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Findings from the inspection

There have been allegations made against staff. Leaders and managers take appropriate action to address any allegations and share information with relevant professionals.

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Findings from the inspection

There are shortfalls in leaders and managers’ monitoring and review systems. The manager has monitoring tools; however, these have not been effective in identifying the shortfalls found during the inspection.

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Findings from the inspection

The manager is committed to the children in her care. This approach is also reflected within the staff team. The new manager has made some improvements to Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2788637 3 the quality of care in the home. However, three requirements have been restated from the last inspection as these have not been met. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2788637 4

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

19/11/2024 Full Requires improvement to be good Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2788637 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 protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

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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

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;

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that written plans contain all known risks to children and have clear strategies for staff to follow to keep children safe.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement is restated. 19 May 2025

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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

promotes their welfare. 19 May 2025 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2788637 6 use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(h))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must have effective monitoring and review systems in place to ensure that shortfalls in the quality of care are identified and addressed.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must maintain records (“case records”) for each child which—

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Requirement Due date

include the information and documents listed in Schedule 3 in relation to each child;

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Requirement Due date

This requirement is restated. 19 May 2025 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2788637 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Cheshire East Council

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Westfields, Middlewich Road, Sandbach CW11 1HZ

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Inspector

Rose Maddocks, Social Care Inspector Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2788637 8 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.

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Inspector

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