Children's Home run by Choices Home for Children Limited in Stockport

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2724171 1 Registered provider: Choice Home for Children 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 operated by a private company. It is registered to care for up to four children who may experience social or emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

There were three children living at the home at the time of inspection. All three children spoke to the inspectors.

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Information about this children’s home

An interim manager has been appointed to manage the home. He has not submitted his application to register with Ofsted.

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This monitoring visit

Serious concerns were identified at the assurance inspection completed on 6 March 2025. A compliance notice relating to regulation 11, the positive relationships standard, and a restriction of accommodation notice were issued under section 22A of the Care Standards Act 2000.

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This monitoring visit

On 29 April 2025, a monitoring visit took place to monitor the compliance notice relating to regulation 11, the positive relationships standard. It was decided at a case review following the visit that the compliance notice had not been met. A further compliance notice under regulation 11, the positive relationships standard was issued.

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This monitoring visit

The purpose of this visit was to review if leaders and managers have met the steps required within the compliance notice and assess whether action taken means that the restriction of accommodation can be lifted or not.

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This monitoring visit

Staff checked the identity of the inspectors when they entered the home. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2724171 2 Children are provided with regular opportunities to share their views, wishes and feelings with staff and the in-house therapist. The children say that they feel listened to and are developing trusted relationships.

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This monitoring visit

Staff offer a variety of activities and outings. There are now plans in place for children and staff to spend time together on a more regular basis. This develops positive shared memories.

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This monitoring visit

There is now a stable staff team, and staff say that they feel supported by the managers.

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This monitoring visit

Staff are calm in their approach with children and use preventative behaviour support techniques. When a consequence was given to a child, it was appropriate and fair. However, children’s records are not always written in ways that are helpful to children.

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This monitoring visit

Staff have attended team meetings with leaders and managers. This enables staff the opportunity to reflect on practice and share their skills and knowledge. This improves consistency in staff practice.

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This monitoring visit

Staff are receiving regular supervision sessions. However, not all supervisions are reflective, which does not help staff to carry out their roles effectively or provide opportunity for professional challenge.

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This monitoring visit

Staff have completed further training on the home’s therapeutic model. This will help to equip the staff with the knowledge and skills to meet the children’s individual needs.

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This monitoring visit

The other requirements raised at the assurance inspection have not been considered during this visit. They remain in place and will be reviewed at the next full inspection.

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This monitoring visit

A case review was held on 30 May 2025. It was deemed that sufficient action has been taken to meet both the compliance and restriction notice. A requirement was issued under regulation 11. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2724171 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

01/10/2024 Full Requires improvement to be good 19/06/2024 Full Inadequate 21/11/2023 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2724171 4

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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 with the given timescales.

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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

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

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Requirement Due date

meet each child’s behavioural and emotional needs, as set out in the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

communicate to each child expectations about the child’s behaviour and ensure that the child understands those expectations in accordance with the child’s age and understanding;

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Requirement Due date

strive to gain each child’s respect and trust; and

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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. (Regulation 11 (1)(a) (2)(a)(i)(v)(viii)(x)(xi))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, leaders and managers must ensure that staff provide nurturing, loving and respectful care. This includes ensuring that staff are provided with individual reflective supervision, and that children feel listened to and their views, wishes and feelings are accurately recorded and responded to. 25 July 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 25 July 2025 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2724171 5 promotes their welfare.

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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

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;

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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)(f)(h))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, ensure that leaders and managers have oversight of all work undertaken in the home. This includes reviewing and evaluating all incidents and key-work sessions to identify any learning and support and develop practice in the home.

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Requirement Due date

This was not reviewed at this inspection and is restated.

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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

help each child to understand how to keep safe; and

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Requirement Due date

manage relationships between children to prevent them from harming each other;

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Requirement Due date

that the home’s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm; and

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Requirement Due date

that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed, furnished and maintained so as to protect each 25 July 2025 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2724171 6 child from avoidable hazards to the child’s health. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(ii)(iv)(b)(d))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, ensure that staff help children to manage relationships safely and prevent children from vaping in the home. In addition, ensure that the home does not present any hazards to children and is maintained to a high standard.

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Requirement Due date

This was not reviewed at this inspection and is restated.

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Requirement Due date

The children’s views, wishes and feelings standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

develop positive relationships with them;

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Requirement Due date

take their views, wishes and feelings into account in relation to matters affecting the children’s care and welfare and their lives. (Regulation 7 (1)(a)(b)(c)) 25 July 2025

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Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children—

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Requirement Due date

receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home; and

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Requirement Due date

have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b)) 25 July 2025

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must complete a review of the quality of care provided for children ("a quality of care review") at least once every 6 months.

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Requirement Due date

After completing a quality of care review, the registered person must produce a written report about the quality of care review and the actions which the registered person intends to take as a result of the quality of care review ("the quality of care review report").

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Requirement Due date

supply to HMCI a copy of the quality of care review report within 28 days of the date on which the quality of care review is completed. (Regulation 45 (1) (3)(a) (4)(i)) 25 July 2025

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees— 25 July 2025 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2724171 7 receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience. (Regulation 33 (4)(b))

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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

there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40 (4)(e)) 25 July 2025

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Information about this inspection

The purpose of this visit was to monitor the action taken and the progress made by the children’s home since its last Ofsted inspection.

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Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2724171 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Choice Home for Children Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 31 Wellington Road, Nantwich, Cheshire CW5 7ED

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Inspectors

Michelle Snape, Social Care Inspector Caroline Bertram, Regulatory Inspection Manager Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2724171 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 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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