Children's Home run by Orchid Care Ltd in Bury

Inspection report for children's home: 2741493 1 Registered provider: Orchid Care Ltd

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This children’s home is operated by a private organisation. The home provides care for up to three children who may have social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The home was registered with Ofsted in October 2023 and the manager in September 2024.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of this inspection, three children were living at the home and were spoken to by the inspector.

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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: 2741493 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

14/05/2024 Full Requires improvement to be good 20/02/2024 Full Good Inspection report for children's home: 2741493 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The management team makes careful decisions when considering new children moving into the home. Leaders and managers also consider the needs and vulnerabilities of the children already living at the home. This ensures that children are safe to live together.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s cultural needs are supported by staff from diverse backgrounds who speak several languages. One child’s spoken English has progressed significantly, due to staff speaking their first language and being able to have conversations and translate. The child has progressed at school due to these language barriers being broken down. This means the child now feels more included. Their social worker said, ‘[Name of child] has really settled. They are happy and enjoy that staff can support them with their education, to understand the English culture more. They support their need to pray five times a day and can communicate to their family who do not live in the United Kingdom.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are making progress in their education from their starting points. Children who have previously been disengaged from education now attend full time and are working towards their targets. One child has completed more than seven GCSEs with predicted grades of level 7 or higher, with two college places secured for their chosen subject. One child has their post-16 education in place for the next academic year and says they are looking forward to this new chapter.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s health and emotional needs are prioritised. Staff support children to attend routine and specialist health appointments. Therefore, children remain in good health and their well-being is promoted.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Family time is well supported and recognised as important by the management and staff team. The manager and staff have positive relationships with family members and carers. Staff actively support children in speaking to, reconnecting with and visiting family members regularly. This supports children to stay connected with people who are important to them and supports their sense of identity and belonging.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is warm and welcoming. It is furnished to a good standard, however, some of the decor needs refreshing and the bathrooms need some maintenance and reflooring due to broken tiles. The manager has plans to address these issues.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

One child is due to move to semi-independent living and college, without much notification from the placing authority. The move has generated some anxieties for this child. The manager and staff need to be more proactive in supporting the children with their moves from the home and preparing them for independence. Inspection report for children's home: 2741493 4

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

Staff understand their roles and responsibilities in safeguarding children. They are aware of the children’s individual risks and vulnerabilities and know how best to manage and respond to these to ensure that the children remain safe. Staff follow robust risk management and support plans, and provide good-quality and safe care, which has resulted in risks reducing for the children.

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

Due to the positive relationships that the manager and staff have built with the children, they are able to de-escalate incidents effectively, to prevent having to physically hold a child to keep them safe. Children are spoken to following all incidents to enable them to reflect and to share any worries or concerns they have about the incident. Additionally, children are given the opportunity to share their views about how the situation could have been managed differently. This helps the children to manage their feelings and emotions more effectively.

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

The risks for the children have reduced since they moved into the home. Incidents of children going missing from the home have reduced and are managed well. Staff are proactive in searching for children when they are missing to ensure their prompt return home, which makes children feel well cared for.

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

The children have a monetary incentive and reward system to promote positive behaviour. They enjoy making plans with staff about how they will spend their additional money appropriately. This demonstrates that the children are motivated to achieve and are listened to.

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

Bedroom door sensors are in use. The manager accepts the monitoring of children’s movements should only be used in line with individual risk assessments, a clear rationale and timely reviews. The manager turned off the bedroom door sensors during the inspection and is implementing a new procedure and training for staff if they are to be used in the future.

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

Staff receive training in child protection and safeguarding practices. They also receive tailored training on topics such as internet safety and self-harmful behaviours. One parent feels their child has settled and likes the staff and they are making progress in their self-care and emotional well-being.

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

The manager has good oversight of incidents and acts appropriately when serious incidents occur. Information about the child’s development is shared with their family members and professionals, and notifications are made to Ofsted in a timely and effective manner.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager demonstrates effective leadership of the home. He is confident and advocates for the children in his care. He leads an enthusiastic, motivated and committed staff team. Inspection report for children's home: 2741493 5 The manager is child focused and ensures that children receive a model of care that meets their individual needs. The manager and responsible individual recognise the importance of staff needing to feel valued, trusted and listened to. This approach helps to ensure that staff are happy in their roles and provide good-quality care to the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There is a strong managerial presence in the home. Children and staff benefit from this supportive day-to-day oversight. The manager leads by example, takes on tasks and works directly with the children. Due to this proactive approach, staff feel supported and valued and have confidence in the manager.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Complaints about staff are thoroughly investigated and outcomes shared with relevant professionals. However, the leadership and management team need to work in closer collaboration with external agencies to ensure a multi-agency agreed outcome, to give staff and children clarity and reassurance.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive regular supervision sessions, team meetings, training and a planned yearly assessment of their performance. This provides the manager with information for him to remain confident in the abilities of the staff team to meet the needs of the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager contributes to multi-agency planning meetings. This informs decisions about the children’s care. The leadership and management team recognises the value of effective working relationships with placing authorities and external professionals. However, at times, these relationships have not been effective, or child focused and resulted in children’s care being inconsistent. Inspection report for children's home: 2741493 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

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

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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;

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Requirement Due date

feedback on the experiences of children, including complaints received. (Regulation 13 (1)(b)(c) (2)(b)(e)(ii))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, ensure that internal investigations into allegations made against staff are not pre-determined before the relevant local authority investigation is conducted. 4 August 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 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 4 August 2025 Inspection report for children's home: 2741493 7 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)(c)(d))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, ensure issues are escalated to the child’s placing authority and they are challenged and held accountable.

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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

Specifically, ensure that bedroom door sensors are not used to deprive a child of their freedom of movement and privacy. 4 August 2025

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure staff have an important role in supporting each child who is due to leave the home in the period immediately before their departure. The registered person should work with the placing authority to ensure that each child’s transition is planned and help each child to prepare for leaving, both practically and emotionally. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 57, paragraph 11.9)  The registered person should ensure children have a safe environment to live in and maintenance issues are escalated appropriately. This relates to bathroom sanitary fittings and flooring and the decor throughout the home. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 33, paragraph 7.3) Inspection report for children's home: 2741493 8

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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: 2741493 9

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 168 Seymour Grove, Manchester M16 9GR

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Inspector

Deborah Turner, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: 2741493 10 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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