Children's Home run by New Horizons (Stockport) Limited in Stockport

Inspection report for children’s home: SC008600 1 SC008600 Registered provider: New Horizons (Stockport) Limited

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is owned and operated by a private provider. It is registered to provide care for up to six children with social and emotional difficulties. There were three children living at the home at the time of the inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

There is not currently a registered manager in post.

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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: requires improvement to be good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC008600 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

18/06/2024 Full Requires improvement to be good 14/11/2023 Full Requires improvement to be good 23/08/2023 Full Inadequate 24/04/2023 Full Inadequate Inspection report for children’s home: SC008600 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The inspector spoke with all the children living in the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Since the last inspection, one child has moved into the home. The impact on the children already living in the home was considered and the move was well planned and sensitively managed. The child is settling in well and is forming positive relationships with staff, having been unable to form relationships at other homes they have lived in.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

One child has lived in the home for three years. They are now approaching adulthood and staff are supporting them to prepare to move on. The leadership team is working with the child’s local authority to ensure that an appropriate home is found for the child and that the move is managed in line with the child’s feelings and wishes.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported and encouraged to spend time with those people who are important to them. Staff have worked to build relationships with children’s family members and to involve them in children’s plans when possible.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children are all enrolled at education provisions. One child is attending college and is doing well, however, the engagement of the other two children is variable. Staff and leaders are working with education professionals to try to re-engage them in education. However, while efforts have been made to ensure that there is a daily structure in the home, routines and boundaries are not always implemented.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff have a good understanding of children’s individual health needs, including their emotional health. Referrals are made to specialist services when required, such as drug and alcohol services. When accidents and injuries occur, these are dealt with swiftly by staff, who seek appropriate medical attention in a timely manner.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are able to access a variety of leisure activities and are encouraged to develop new interests. They are able to express their wishes in a variety of ways and they know how to make a complaint.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is spacious and is a welcoming environment. Children have been able to personalise their bedrooms. At the time of the inspection, there was a lot of work being done on the roof and outside of the building. Steps had been taken to minimise the impact on children and manage the works in a safe way. Some indoor areas require maintenance, such as the kitchen cupboard doors, which are scuffed and the laminate has worn away.

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

Children are kept safe by staff who are knowledgeable about their risks and vulnerabilities. When children move into the home, managers ensure that there is a Inspection report for children’s home: SC008600 4 focus on building relationships between them and staff. Staff and managers are working with a number of external professionals to ensure that children are safeguarded while also being able to build relationships in the home and in the community. One social worker said, ‘[Name of child] is more settled and seems calmer. I feel that they [staff] are doing what they need to keep them safe.’

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

Staff have moved to a more therapeutic way of working. This, coupled with an increase in staff confidence, has meant there has been a significant reduction in incidents. When incidents do happen, staff are more able to support children effectively. The home has a calm environment with a positive culture.

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

There has been a reduction in the number of missing-from-home episodes. When children have gone missing, staff have been managed this in accordance with the home’s policies and procedures. Staff search for children and ensure that they return safely to the home when they are found. However, one child does not have a robust local authority plan in place in relation to the agreed time for them to be home and a missing- from-home procedure.

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

Staff are aware of their safeguarding responsibilities and know how to escalate concerns. New staff have been recruited safely to try to ensure that only suitable individuals work with the children. When allegations have been made against members of staff, the provider has dealt with these robustly and in accordance with their policies and procedures.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

A new manager has recently been recruited who is suitably experienced and qualified. They have not yet applied to register with Ofsted. The previous manager left in February 2025. Since then, the home has been overseen by the deputy manager and the provider’s leadership team. They have ensured that the care provided to children has been consistent and their needs have been met.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There is a large staff team in place. The team has stabilised over the past few months, which has ensured consistency for children. Some members of staff are qualified in childcare and the remaining staff members are enrolled to attain the relevant qualification. There is a lot of training available for staff. However, one child has recently moved into the home who has some historical risks regarding knife crime and possible exploitation. Training to ensure that all staff have the relevant skills to meet his needs has not been scheduled in a timely manner.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff say they feel supported by the leadership team to care for the children. Supervision sessions and team meetings are held regularly and are used as forums for discussion, embedding knowledge and challenging practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Managers have a clear vision for the home and they are embedding systems to enhance the quality of care provided. Staff and managers have formed good working relationships Inspection report for children’s home: SC008600 5 with external professionals. They advocate for children and challenge when necessary to achieve good outcomes for children. Inspection report for children’s home: SC008600 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

In meeting the quality standards, the registered person must, and must ensure that staff—

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Requirement Due date

seek to involve each child’s placing authority effectively in the child’s care, in accordance with the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

seek to secure the input and services required to meet each child’s needs;

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Requirement Due date

if the registered person considers, or staff consider, a placing authority’s or a relevant person’s performance or response to be inadequate in relation to their role, challenge the placing authority or the relevant person to seek to ensure that each child’s needs are met in accordance with the child’s relevant plans; and

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Requirement Due date

seek to develop and maintain effective professional relationships with such persons, bodies or organisations as the registered person considers appropriate having regard to the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the children’s home is to provide care and accommodation. (Regulation 5 (a)(b)(c)(d))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must request a robust care plan in a timely manner from the placing authority which provides clear direction for staff and managers. 27 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

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to— 10 June 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: SC008600 7 ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that staff receive training on substance misuse, gangs and knife crime and criminal exploitation.

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that wear and tear in the home is identified and rectified in a timely manner. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9)  The registered person should ensure that the routines in the home are conducive to children being able to sleep at night and do not prevent children from learning. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 29, paragraph 5.18)

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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: SC008600 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: New Horizons (Stockport) Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 154-156 Buxton Road High Lane, Stockport, Cheshire SK6 8EA

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Inspector

Eve Ostridge, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC008600 9 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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Inspector

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Inspector

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