Children's Home run by Oakfield Psychological Services in Trafford

Inspection report for children’s home: 2799377 1 Registered provider: Oakfield Psychological Services

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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 operated by a private provider and provides care for one child who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

There was one child living at the home and they spoke with the inspector.

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Information about this children’s home

This is the home’s first inspection since registration. The home has been without a registered manager since 4 January 2025. The new manager has applied to register with Ofsted.

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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: not previously inspected

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: not applicable

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: not applicable Inspection report for children’s home: 2799377 2

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The planning for the child moving into the home was robust. The manager and the responsible individual ensured that there was a comprehensive plan in place to meet the child’s needs. The manager and staff visited the child several times, which meant that the child started to build trusting relationships with key staff before moving in. As a result, the child is settled, and their needs are being met.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

There are good arrangements in place to meet the child’s complex emotional and mental health needs. The in-house therapeutic support enables the child to begin to address past experiences and current concerns around their emotional health, relationships and behaviour. The therapist also provides support and guidance to staff, enabling them to reflect and understand the child’s needs and the reasons underpinning their behaviours.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support the child to engage in education. The child has a tutor each day and has a full timetable with a mixture of formal and informal learning opportunities. This meets the child’s need to have a clear structure and predictability in their plans for the day. The manager is working with other educational professionals to identify an appropriate school that can meet the child’s needs. The child said that they enjoy learning, spoke positively about their achievements and is looking forward to starting their new school in the future.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support the child to try new activities. Before moving into the home, the child had limited opportunities to participate in activities out in the community. The child enjoys spending time with staff and doing various activities, such as bowling, going to the cinema, walks in the park and listening to music together. These joint activities help staff to build and sustain positive relationships with the child.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff work hard to build positive relationships with the child’s family to promote and maintain positive and safe family time. Staff facilitate and support regular family time in the home, which enables the child to see their father, brothers and sisters. In between these visits, the child has daily phone calls with the people who are important to them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The manager ensures that the physical environment is maintained to a good standard and is warm and welcoming. The child has personalised their bedroom, which includes colourful artwork and photos of their family. There are photos displayed around the home and memory books that capture the child’s journey. This helps the child to have a strong sense of identity.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child is starting to develop age-appropriate life skills. These include cooking, doing their laundry, budgeting and shopping. This helps to develop the child’s independence skills for the future. Inspection report for children’s home: 2799377 3

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

Keeping the child safe is a priority and is integral to daily staff practice. The child is vulnerable and has complex needs, so requires a lot of support. A deprivation of liberty order is currently in place, which permits high levels of supervision and restrictions for the child. The manager ensures that this is kept under review.

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

The child said, ‘I am happy at the home, and I feel safe.’ They said that they know how to raise any issues or concerns, and they would be listened to. There have been no complaints made. The child’s wishes and feelings are sought regularly and are acted on, which promotes a sense of security and belonging.

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

There are in-depth risk assessments in place. These give clear guidelines to staff on how to manage and minimise risk. Staff have a good understanding of the child’s vulnerabilities and risks. This helps them to identify when the child’s behaviour changes and to spot potential new risks. However, the manager has not reviewed the daily monitoring systems in place, such as the daily room searches of the child’s bedroom, to assess whether they are appropriate to the child’s current risks.

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

Staff confidently manage complex and challenging situations and take appropriate action to keep the child safe. There have been occasions when staff needed to physically intervene to keep the child safe. After any restraint, the child is offered the opportunity to talk about how this made them feel and why the hold was necessary. There is good management oversight of each incident. This allows the manager to look at any areas where additional support or strategies can be implemented. This has helped to reduce the number of incidents.

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

The in-house therapist and staff support the child to identify situations which may lead to self-harming behaviours. The child is provided with a coping toolbox and safe, alternative strategies to manage their complex emotions. As a result, there has been a significant reduction in incidents of self-harm, and the child is able to manage their emotions in a safer way.

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

Positive behaviour is promoted by staff. There are clear incentives and rewards in place. Staff support the child to understand their risk-taking behaviour. Through this support, the number of incidents is reducing. There have been no missing-from-home incidents.

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

When an allegation was raised about a staff member’s practice, the manager took swift action to address this. A full investigation took place, and the manager informed the local authority designated officer. However, she did not notify the regulator to ensure full transparency. Inspection report for children’s home: 2799377 4

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There has been a change in the management of the home since it was registered. The new manager is child centred, caring and supportive and knows the child well. She has submitted an application to register with Ofsted.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager uses the internal and external monitoring activities effectively to understand the strengths and areas for development of the care provided. She acts promptly to tackle any shortfalls to ensure that they continually improve.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There is a committed group of staff who work well together. Staff are child centred, enthusiastic and dedicated and have a good understanding of the child’s needs. There is effective communication between staff, who share information at the daily handover effectively. This means that staff are fully informed. This is providing stability and consistency for the child. Staff are highly complimentary about the support that they receive from the manager, and staff morale is high.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive supervision from the management team. This provides opportunities for staff to reflect on their practice, share their experiences and identify any areas for further development. However, the manager has not ensured that supervision sessions are provided regularly for staff in line with the manager’s workforce development plan.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive a comprehensive training programme that is aligned with the needs of the child. The manager uses the company’s therapist to provide further training and support to give the staff confidence in their role and responsibilities to keep the child safe. Staff said that they value this training and that it equips them with the skills to meet the child’s needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager ensures that team meetings take place regularly. These give staff the opportunity to come together and share their experiences and skills. This improves consistency in how they care for the child.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is building relationships with other professionals to help meet the needs of the child. However, the manager has not challenged and escalated concerns effectively with other professionals when they have not received copies of the up-to-date plans for the child. Inspection report for children’s home: 2799377 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 must comply within the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if—

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Requirement Due date

a child is involved in or subject to, or is suspected of being involved in or subject to, sexual exploitation;

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Requirement Due date

an incident requiring police involvement occurs in relation to a child which the registered person considers to be serious;

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Requirement Due date

there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there;

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Requirement Due date

a child protection enquiry involving a child —

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Requirement Due date

concludes (in which case, the notification must include the outcome of the child protection enquiry); or

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Requirement Due date

there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40 (4)(a)(b)(c)(d)(i)(ii)(e))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that significant incidents involving an allegation against a staff member are notified to Ofsted. 24 June 2025

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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

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 24 June 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: 2799377 6 authority or the relevant person to seek to ensure that each child’s needs are met in accordance with the child’s relevant plans. (Regulation 5 (a)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that they actively challenge the local authority when they have not received an up-to-date review and annual health assessments.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person may only use devices for the monitoring or surveillance of children if—

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Requirement Due date

the monitoring or surveillance is for the purpose of safeguarding and promoting the welfare of the child concerned, or other children;

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Requirement Due date

the child’s placing authority consents in writing to the monitoring or surveillance;

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Requirement Due date

so far as reasonably practicable in the light of the child’s age and understanding, the child is informed in advance of the intention to do the monitoring or surveillance; and

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Requirement Due date

the monitoring or surveillance is no more intrusive than necessary, having regard to the child’s need for privacy. (Regulation 24 (1)(a)(b)(c)(d))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must regularly review the monitoring arrangements in place to ensure that they are not overly intrusive or restrictive, including room searches. 24 June 2025

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Recommendation

 The registered person should have systems in place so that all staff receive regular supervision of their practice that allows them to reflect on their practice and the needs of the children assigned to their care. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.2). Inspection report for children’s home: 2799377 7

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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: 2799377 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Oakfield Psychological Services

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 10 Ambassador Place, Stockport Road, Altrincham WA15 8DB

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Inspector

Simon Jones, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2799377 9 regulates and inspects 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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Inspector

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Inspector

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