Children's home run by Kids Inc Residential Services Limited

Inspection report for children’s home: 2704185 1 Registered provider: Kids Inc Residential Services Ltd

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Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is privately owned and provides care for up to three children who may experience social and emotional difficulties. They also provide care for children who may have a learning disability.

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Information about this children’s home

There were two children living in the home at the time of the inspection. These children contributed to the inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in December 2024. This manager also manages another setting.

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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: 2704185 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

11/06/2024 Full Good 17/05/2023 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2704185 3

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improvement to be good

Overall, the experience and progress of children requires improvement due to shortfalls in the protection of children and the leadership and management of the home.

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improvement to be good

The manager does not always make child-centred decisions about children coming to live at the home. One child moved into the home before the manager had received all required information. This impacts on the manager’s understanding of the child’s needs and whether staff could meet them. There was an impact on children already living in the home with a significant increase in incidents. A social work manager commented that the placement was not well prepared, or suitable given the child’s complex needs and behaviours.

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improvement to be good

Staff do not always support children when there are difficulties within peer relationships. Although there are regular one-to-one chats held with a variety of topics discussed, there is limited evidence of one-to-one chats happening between staff and children about bullying within the home. Actions are not always set for staff following bullying incidents.

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improvement to be good

Children have formed positive relationships with some staff. One child said, ‘The staff are staff, but they are also my friends; they care about me.’ Staff support children to spend time with their family. This helps children maintain relationships with those people who are important to them. Children have access to various activities.

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improvement to be good

Staff support children to attend education. One child’s attendance and engagement with school has been consistent. There are plans in place for their future education. However, when children are struggling to attend education within the home, there is limited structure to their day.

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improvement to be good

Children’s risk assessments are updated regularly. Information about previous concerns and incidents are recorded. This helps staff understand children’s support needs. However, staff do not always follow the suggested support outlined in risk assessments. Some incidents have escalated because of this. The review of the location does not consider all potential risks within the local area. It does not consult with professionals. This impacts on how staff manage risks and support children to keep safe.

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improvement to be good

When children make allegations about staff, the manager has not always managed these effectively. They have not consistently followed safeguarding procedures. The manager does not seek local area designated officer advice when there are concerns relating to staff practice. Inspection report for children’s home: 2704185 4 Information from placing local authorities about children’s health needs are not always followed. One child was supported by staff to attend a medical appointment. Medication was prescribed to the child without consent and agreement from the placing authority or parents.

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improvement to be good

Consequences given to children by staff are sometimes disproportionate and not always restorative. For example, one child was banned from his games station for ten days. The manager agreed this was excessive. Opportunities to help children learn and develop are missed as a result.

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improvement to be good

When children go missing from care, staff take appropriate action. Staff do not always ensure that an independent return home interview is undertaken. Records indicate that staff have an understanding of why a child may have gone missing.

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improvement to be good

Children know how to make complaints. The manager responds in a timely manner. However, the responses are not always child friendly.

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

Since the last full inspection, there has been some progress in management oversight. However, reflection and learning for staff and the manager are limited and opportunities to learn from practice are missed. Personalised plans have not been created for children. This has a negative impact on the manager’s ability to provide evidence of the progress made by children.

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

The quality of professional supervision sessions and team meetings is variable. Team meetings are held regularly and there is discussion about children’s individual needs. Professional supervision sessions are not always regular. There are no clear actions set from supervisions and team meetings. This limits the professional guidance staff receive in developing their care practice.

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

Staff do not always keep records up to date or consistently provide enough detail. For example, one child sustained an injury following an incident with a peer. This incident was not recorded. Children are not consistently supported, and staff are not always able to reflect on how they could have supported children better during incidents. Some language used by staff in records is not child friendly.

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

Staff have not had some of the training needed to ensure that they have the skills needed to support the individual needs of children. Some staff have not completed training in order to help develop knowledge about one child’s specific needs, despite the child having lived in the home for over two years. There are two members of staff who have not yet completed the necessary qualifications in the required timescales.

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

Serious incidents are not always notified to Ofsted in line with regulations. This restricts the regulator’s ability to monitor and evaluate how well children are safeguarded. Inspection report for children’s home: 2704185 5 The manager is committed to improving care for children. The manager is aware of areas for development and has plans to progress these.

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

The requirements set at the last inspection were not met at this inspection and are restated. Inspection report for children’s home: 2704185 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 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 staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child;

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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)(b)(c)(d)(e)(f)(h))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must have effective oversight of the quality of care provided to children so they can identify areas of 8 August 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: 2704185 7 concern and respond with clear and measurable actions. This includes recording in children’s case records, reporting incidents and ensuring that language is child focused. This specifically relates to embedding monitoring systems, capturing children’s progress effectively and producing an ongoing review of their progress.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all staff have regular practice-related supervision where clear targets are set and reviewed. The registered person must also ensure that staff training is up-to-date and takes into consideration the individual needs of children.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that there is understanding among all involved in the care of children of the impact the quality of care has on children and their experiences. In particular, parents and/or local authorities must be informed of and provide consent prior to any medication prescribed to children.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was set at the last inspection and is restated.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must prepare and implement a policy which—

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Requirement Due date

is intended to safeguard children accommodated in the children’s home from abuse or neglect; and

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Requirement Due date

sets out the procedure to be followed in the event of an allegation of abuse or neglect.

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Requirement Due date

The procedure to be followed in the event of an allegation of abuse or neglect must, in particular—

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Requirement Due date

provide for liaison and co-operation with any local authority which are, or may be, making a child protection enquiry in relation to a child accommodated in the home;

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Requirement Due date

provide for the prompt referral of an allegation about current or ongoing abuse or neglect in relation to a child to the placing authority and, if different, the local authority in whose area the home is located;

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Requirement Due date

provide for the prompt referral of an allegation about past abuse or neglect in relation to a child to the placing authority and, if different, the local authority in whose area the alleged abuse or neglect occurred; 8 August 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: 2704185 8 provide for records to be kept of an allegation of abuse or neglect, and the action taken in response;

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Requirement Due date

describe the measures which may be necessary to protect children following an allegation of abuse or neglect; and

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Requirement Due date

describe how and to whom staff are to report, without delay, any concern about abuse or neglect of a child. (Regulation 34 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(c)(d)(e)(f))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that the policy is implemented consistently and ensure that appropriate actions are taken where there are concerns which relate to the protection of children. This requirement was set at the last 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

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

help each child to understand how to keep safe;

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Requirement Due date

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

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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

understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person;

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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. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(b))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that staff consistently follow children’s tailored individual risk assessments. 8 August 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: 2704185 9 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.

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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

ensure the effective induction of each child into the home;

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Requirement Due date

manage and review the placement of each child in the home; and

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Requirement Due date

plan for, and help, each child to prepare to leave the home or to move into adult care in a way that is consistent with arrangements agreed with the child’s placing authority;

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Requirement Due date

that each child’s relevant plans are followed. (Regulation 14 (1)(a) (2)(b)(i)(ii)(iii)(c))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all relevant information is sought prior to agreement for a child to move in.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, they must ensure that all risks are known and understood. Consideration must be given to the needs of other children and the skills of the staff. 8 August 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

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

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Requirement Due date

help each child to develop socially aware behaviour; 8 August 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: 2704185 10 encourage each child to take responsibility for the child’s behaviour, in accordance with the child’s age and understanding;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to develop and practise skills to resolve conflicts positively and without harm to anyone;

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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

help each child to understand, in a way that is appropriate according to the child’s age and understanding, personal, sexual and social relationships, and how those relationships can be supportive or harmful;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to develop the understanding and skills to recognise or withdraw from a damaging, exploitative or harmful relationship;

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Requirement Due date

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

de-escalate confrontations with or between children, or potentially violent behaviour by children;

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Requirement Due date

understand and communicate to children that bullying is unacceptable; and

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Requirement Due date

that each child is encouraged to build and maintain positive relationships with others. (Regulation 11 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(ix)(x)(xi)(xii)(b))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that each child is supported through one-to-one discussions, and that these discussions are planned on children’s presenting needs and feelings. The registered person must also ensure that any incidents of bullying are followed up with targeted work. 8 August 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: 2704185 11 The registered person must ensure that—

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Requirement Due date

within 24 hours of the use of a measure of control, discipline or restraint in relation to a child in the home, a record is made which includes—

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Requirement Due date

details of the child’s behaviour leading to the use of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

details of any methods used or steps taken to avoid the need to use the measure;

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Requirement Due date

the effectiveness and any consequences of the use of the measure; and

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Requirement Due date

within 48 hours of the use of the measure, the registered person, or a person who is authorised by the registered person to do so (“the authorised person”)—

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Requirement Due date

has spoken to the user about the measure; and

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Requirement Due date

has signed the record to confirm it is accurate; and

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Requirement Due date

within 5 days of the use of the measure, the registered person or the authorised person adds to the record confirmation that they have spoken to the child about the measure. (Regulation 35 (3)(a)(ii)(v)(vii)(b)(i)(ii)(c))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that any consequences used to address poor behaviour are restorative in nature. The registered person must ensure that staff support children to recognise the impact of their behaviour in themselves, other children, the staff caring for them and the wider community. This was set as a recommendation at the last inspection. The recommendation was not met.

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Requirement Due date

the individual has the appropriate experience, qualification and skills for the work that the individual is to perform.

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Requirement Due date

For the purposes of paragraph (3)(b), an individual who works in the home in a care role has the appropriate qualification if, by the relevant date, the individual has attained—

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Requirement Due date

the Level 3 Diploma for Residential Childcare (England) (“the Level 3 Diploma”); or 8 August 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: 2704185 12 a qualification which the registered person considers to be equivalent to the Level 3 Diploma.

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Requirement Due date

in the case of an individual who starts working in a care role in a home after 1st April 2014, the date which falls 2 years after the date on which the individual started working in a care role in a home; or

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Requirement Due date

in the case of an individual who was working in a care role in a home on 1st April 2014, 1st April 2016. (Regulation 32 (4)(a)(b) (5)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all staff are registered on the diploma and that they complete this within the set 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

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

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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(c)(e)) 8 August 2025

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure the location risk assessment considers known risks within the area and how to keep children safe from these risks. They should also ensure that they consult with local professionals. (‘Guide to Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 64, paragraph 15.1)

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Information about this inspection

The inspector has 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: 2704185 13

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Kids Inc Residential Services Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 201i 5300 Lakeside, 225 5300 Lakeside, Cheadle SK8 3GP

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Inspector

Kathryn Hurley, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2704185 14 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 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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