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

Inspection report for children’s home: 1261138 1 Registered provider: New Horizons (Stockport) Limited

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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 children’s home is operated by a private organisation. The home provides care for up to six children who may experience social and emotional difficulties. There were five children living in the home at the time of the inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in August 2023.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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requires improvement to be good

How well children and young people are helped and protected requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The children’s home is not yet delivering good help and care for children and young people. However, there are no serious or widespread failures that result in their welfare not being safeguarded or promoted.

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 1261138 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

24/07/2024 Full Good 25/07/2023 Full Good 15/11/2022 Full Good 18/01/2022 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 1261138 3

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improvement to be good

This inspection was brought forward in order to address specific concerns or allegations received by Ofsted. The inspectors spoke with all five children living at the home.

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improvement to be good

Since the last inspection, two children have moved into the home and two children have moved out. The manager felt that the team could no longer meet one of the child’s needs and this was the reason for their move. However, despite this, all moves for children have been well planned and sensitive to their needs.

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improvement to be good

The home is a large, detached house with an enclosed garden. It is nicely decorated and has plenty of communal areas for children to enjoy including a games room and a music studio. Children’s bedrooms are personalised and they have lots of toys and belongings. However, bedrooms are untidy and it is unclear what support children receive to manage this.

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improvement to be good

All children have school places or appropriate education provisions and, overall, education is well attended by the children. However, when children are not attending education, staff do not ensure that a consistent routine is maintained for children. Instead, they allow children to rise late in the day, often with little encouragement to have a productive day.

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improvement to be good

Children enjoy good health. The manager ensures that children attend routine appointments, that any necessary referrals are made and that children are encouraged to attend these. However, children who are prescribed glasses are not consistently encouraged to wear these.

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improvement to be good

Children enjoy different activities in and out of the home, including football training, theme parks and bike rides. Children enjoyed a holiday in the summer and there was an opportunity during this time for all the staff and children to be together for a fun day. The staff and children also put on a Mad Hatter’s Tea Party-themed summer party that was also attended by members of the children’s families. However, some children are left alone for prolonged periods of time, although the manager has taken some steps to address this.

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improvement to be good

Children raised that bullying is an issue in the home. This has included physical and emotional bullying. Despite this being challenged by the staff as it happens, there is a lack of urgency to address this as a wider safeguarding concern for the children. The staff have not received appropriate training around bullying, which would allow them to develop their skills in addressing this issue and understanding the impact that bullying has on children. Additionally, the management oversight of the issues has been lacking. Inspection report for children’s home: 1261138 4 Children are consulted with regularly about their care and are involved in decision- making. Their views, wishes and feelings are considered and actioned appropriately. This ensures that children feel listened to.

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improvement to be good

Since the last inspection, there have been several safeguarding incidents involving the children that have occurred due to shortfalls in staff practice. These incidents have been well recorded and shared with the relevant people in a timely manner. However, these incidents have occurred due to the staff not ensuring that the children are appropriately supervised in line with their plans. This leaves children at risk of harm from each other.

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improvement to be good

The children who live at the home do not typically leave and not return. However, when children have been reported missing from home, the staff response has been appropriate. Additionally, any allegations against staff are investigated appropriately and shared with the local authority designated officer.

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improvement to be good

The manager has followed safer recruitment processes to reduce the risk of unsuitable people working with the children. There has been the need to use agency staff since the last inspection to cover gaps in the rota. The manager ensures that the agency staff used are appropriately trained and the required recruitment checks are in place.

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improvement to be good

When staff have used restraint, this has been appropriate and in the best interest of the children to prevent both injury to themselves and others.

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improvement to be good

The staff ensure that they obtain medical advice whenever there are health concerns for children. These include if children are under the influence of substances or have self- injured. This ensures that the children receive the care they need. However, one child was able to obtain alcohol due to a lack of staff supervision.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The manager is suitably experienced and qualified and is supported by a deputy and a team leader. The management team of the home is consistent and it is aware of and addressing the current shortfalls.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

There have been a lot of changes to the staff team and experienced staff have moved on. This has affected the consistency of care provided to children. However, the manager has recruited to vacancies and is working on developing the new staff members’ skills and knowledge.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Staff understand the importance of the children’s relationships with their families and they support and encourage these. When children experience bereavements, the manager ensures that the staff have the necessary training to help them support the children sensitively. Inspection report for children’s home: 1261138 5 Staff say that they feel supported by the manager, and new staff have said that their induction has been a positive experience. The staff receive regular supervision sessions with time to discuss the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Team meetings take place regularly. However, there are comments made by staff in these meetings around children’s personalities, and difficulties that are concerning and were not addressed by the manager.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The independent person visits monthly and sets out actions to drive improvement. However, feedback from parents is not obtained. Additionally, the manager’s recent review of the quality of care does not include a plan for development. Both are missed opportunities to make further improvements. Inspection report for children’s home: 1261138 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

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

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

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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. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(iii)(v))

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Requirement Due date

This relates specifically to ensuring that the children are appropriately supervised as per their plans to prevent incidents of the children causing harm to each other. 11 July 2025

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Requirement Due date

The positive relationships standard is that children are helped to develop, and to benefit from, relationships based on—

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Requirement Due date

an understanding about acceptable behaviour; and

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Requirement Due date

positive responses to other children and adults.

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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

that staff— 11 July 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: 1261138 7 understand how children’s previous experiences and present emotions can be communicated through behaviour and have the competence and skills to interpret these and develop positive relationships with children;

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Requirement Due date

are provided with supervision and support to enable them to understand and manage their own feelings and responses to the behaviour and emotions of children, and to help children to do the same;

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Requirement Due date

understand and communicate to children that bullying is unacceptable; and

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Requirement Due date

have the skills to recognise incidents or indications of bullying and how to deal with them. (Regulation 11 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(ix)(x)(xii)(xiii))

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Requirement Due date

This relates specifically to the staff ensuring that bullying between the children is stopped, and that staff have the appropriate skills and knowledge to tackle this and understand the impact that bullying can have on children.

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Requirement Due date

This further relates to the manager ensuring that the staff are supported to understand children and their difficulties and to ensure that negative comments are challenged.

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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—

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Requirement Due date

lead and manage the home in a way that is consistent with the approach and ethos, and delivers the outcomes, set out in the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff work as a team where appropriate;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child; 11 July 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: 1261138 8 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; and

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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)(a)(e)(f)(h)

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Requirement Due date

This relates specifically to the manager ensuring that the staff consistently work together to follow children’s plans, and do not allow children to remain in their rooms alone for prolonged period.

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Requirement Due date

This further relates to the manager devising a plan for how they intend to improve the quality of care provided to the children.

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Requirement Due date

When the independent person is carrying out a visit, the registered person must help the independent person—

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Requirement Due date

if they consent, to interview in private such of the children, their parents, relatives and persons working at the home as the independent person requires. (Regulation 44 (2)(a)) 11 July 2025

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that children maintain an appropriate routine when not attending school. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 28, paragraph 5.15)  The registered person should ensure that the staff support and encourage children to wear glasses that are prescribed for them. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 34, paragraph 7.10)  The registered person should ensure that children are supported to keep their bedrooms tidy. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 16, paragraph 3.20) Inspection report for children’s home: 1261138 9

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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: 1261138 10

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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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Inspectors

Kerri Lynch, Social Care Inspector Anthony Kyem, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 1261138 11 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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