Children's Home run by Infinity Care Home Ltd in Tameside

Inspection report for children’s home: 2642401 1 Registered provider: Infinity Care Home Ltd Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The children’s home is run by a private provider. The home is registered to care for up to four children who may have emotional and/or social difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The home was registered with Ofsted in November 2021 and the manager registered in May 2024.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of this inspection, four 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 good

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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: 2642401 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

16/01/2024 Full Good 19/07/2022 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2642401 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

All four children living in the home were seen during the inspection. One child has been resident since 2022, and three children have moved in since the last inspection. One child has very recently moved in and is in the process of getting to know the other children, the staff and the local area. He has a full-time school placement; staff are supporting him to engage with this and to establish a routine.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The other three children are settled. They are engaging in their daily lives and are happy living in the home. Children all have positive relationships with each other and with the staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

All children have access to full-time education reflective of their needs. Three of the children are moving into post-16 education this year. Staff explored numerous options with the children and held a careers event at the home, with providers coming along to speak to the children and with specific information available. The virtual school’s officer for all the children said, ‘The staff are such great advocates for the children, they are professional yet can challenge others to ensure the child’s voice is heard. They really act like parents for the boys, I can’t speak highly enough of the team.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have access to a variety of activities. They play football for local teams, have season tickets for their preferred football teams and are taken to the away games, play snooker and pool, go trampolining and often visit the cinema.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff demonstrate a clear understanding of the children’s individual needs. Individualised care plans reflect children’s social and emotional needs. Due to staff following these plans, children thrive, feel heard and are safe and secure in their home environment.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s health and emotional needs are prioritised. Staff support children to attend routine health appointments and specialist appointments. One child attends appointments in Great Ormond Street Hospital in London. Staff organise this and ensure it is a special occasion for the child by taking them to a restaurant in London for a meal of their choice.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff encourage the children to spend time with people who are important to them. Staff work closely with children’s families and offer them advice and support so that they are knowledgeable about their child’s current needs. One child’s parent is being supported emotionally in preparation for their child returning to their care in the next few months. The parent said, ‘The home has been great, they have sorted stuff out for me so [name of child] can come home. I speak to staff all the time, [name of child] is now doing stuff for himself, which is why he can come home.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

At the time of the inspection, the home was decorated for Ramadan to support one child’s faith. The other children had been included in the decorating, and had been given some understanding of the Muslim faith and why fasting happens at Ramadan. Inspection report for children’s home: 2642401 4

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

Staff understand their roles and responsibilities in safeguarding children. They demonstrate their knowledge of the children’s risks and vulnerabilities and how best to respond to them to ensure that children remain safe. Staff follow risk management and support plans and provide good-quality care, which has resulted in risks reducing for the children.

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

Due to the positive relationships that staff and the manager have built with the children, they are able to de-escalate incidents effectively. This has resulted in there being a clear reduction in the use of physical holds for individual children. Staff and the manager speak to the children after every incident to help them reflect and to share any worries, concerns or ideas about how the situation could have been better managed. This helps the children to manage their feelings and emotions.

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

Staff receive training in child protection and safeguarding practices. The manager has detailed oversight of incidents and acts appropriately when serious incidents occur. This enables them to make swift changes in the care provided for the children as necessary. Information is shared with family, carers, Ofsted and the relevant local authority.

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

Children are aware of how to make a complaint about things that upset or worry them. Children know that they can speak to their social workers or family and that they can ask for an advocate to support them.

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

Sensors are in use on the external doors of the home. Due to a historic incident relating to a child who has left the home, the living room/kitchen door is routinely locked at night. This is not in line with the ethos of the home. The management and staff accept that this is not appropriate and have acted swiftly to advise all staff and children that the door will not be locked going forward.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

An experienced and enthusiastic manager runs the home efficiently. The manager and staff are committed to giving children opportunities to help them to reach their full potential. Staff say they feel well supported by the manager.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff speak highly of the manager. The manager includes the staff in decision-making and supports an open culture in which staff can express their own ideas to develop the home. One member of staff said, ‘The manager is always available to listen and support me when needed.’ The manager ensures that staff complete a programme of training and learning.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff benefit from regular supervision. Annual appraisals and team meetings take place consistently and are well attended by the staff. Staff are recruited safely and follow a clear induction plan while shadowing experienced staff. Inspection report for children’s home: 2642401 5 The manager has positive relationships with other professionals involved in the children’s care. Professionals speak highly of the manager. One social worker said, ‘The manager and deputy manager are really good. The care [name of child] receives is lovely and caring. They are making progress and doing well being at the home, which is great.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is well informed about local provisions and groups, which they actively take part in to keep their knowledge updated and to ensure the children in their care have every opportunity available to them. One professional said, ‘The three older boys are on our list for the summer work experience scheme it only has eight places, which will give them first access to the apprenticeship scheme we offer. The manager and deputy manager are really proactive in our groups, so we know these children will be supported.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has a good understanding of the home’s strengths and areas for development and asks for professional feedback on a regular basis. The independent person provides the manager with feedback to improve the service; however, these reports are not always clear, correct or filed within the right reporting period. Therefore, the information is retrospectively reported and is not a true reflection of the current period. Inspection report for children’s home: 2642401 6

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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

children can access all appropriate areas of the children’s home’s premises; and

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Requirement Due date

any limitation placed on a child’s privacy or access to any area of the home’s premises—

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Requirement Due date

is intended to safeguard each child accommodated in the home;

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Requirement Due date

is kept under review and, if necessary, revised; and

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Requirement Due date

allows children as much freedom as is possible when balanced against the need to protect them and keep them safe. (Regulation 21(b)(c)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the communal living room and kitchen must be accessible to all children in the home. 1 May 2025

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure any individual appointed to carry out visits to the home as an independent person must make a rigorous and impartial assessment of the home’s arrangements for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of the children in the home’s care. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 65, paragraph 15.5)

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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 Inspection report for children’s home: 2642401 7 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: 2642401 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Infinity Care Home Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 16 The Downs, Cheadle SK8 1JL

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Inspector

Deborah Turner, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2642401 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 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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