Children's home run by Ironstone Care Limited

Inspection report for children’s home: 2826022 1 Registered provider: Ironstone Care 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

This is a privately owned children’s home that provides care for up to two children who may be experiencing social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

This is the home’s first inspection since registration with Ofsted in April 2025.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, two children were living in the home. Both children were spoken to during the inspection.

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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: 2826022 2

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children consistently report having strong, trusting relationships with staff. They describe the registered manager as ‘approachable and supportive’. This reflects a culture where children feel safe, valued and listened to. One child said that the moment they walked into the house they ‘loved it and knew it was going to be a good place to live.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff provide a warm, nurturing environment where children feel safe and valued. Staff actively support children in personalising their bedrooms with meaningful items such as pictures and photos, promoting a strong sense of identity and belonging.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff prioritise building nurturing relationships and proactively respond to children’s requests, such as supporting family time. This empowers children and affirms their voice in decision-making.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Leaders and managers ensure that records are reviewed. However, children’s care plans do not include the most up to date information. Leaders and managers had taken action to address this.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff work with children in a way that supports children’s development and independence. This work is tailored to children’s individual needs. However, further work is needed to educate children on health-related issues such as vaping, which is a known health issue for one child.

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

Staff complete risk management plans for each child. This helps staff to recognise and understand children’s risks. Staff review these plans regularly and the manager provides useful oversight. This helps staff to provide a consistent approach to children’s safety.

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

Staff use therapeutic and child-centred behaviour support strategies. These strategies emphasise respect, trust and positive reinforcement. This means that punitive measures are not used. This approach supports children with their emotional regulation and resilience.

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

Each child has a well-defined missing-from-home plan tailored to their risks and history. Staff follow these consistently, which has led to a notable reduction in incidents of going missing and improved safety outcomes.

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

Recruitment procedures and practices are safe and effective. All staff are checked and vetted before starting to work at the home. These checks ensure that only suitable adults are employed to work with children in the home. Inspection report for children’s home: 2826022 3

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff say that leaders and managers are approachable and inclusive, and actively involve them in decision-making. This collaborative approach fosters ownership and commitment, contributing to a positive team culture.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager shows strong oversight of staff practice and the management of incidents. This is supported by clear monitoring and review systems. The manager’s openness to feedback and professional growth enhances the home’s reflective culture.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager collaborates with families and external professionals, creating a joined-up approach to children’s care. This partnership enhances children’s outcomes and supports multi-agency planning.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Training is routinely delivered and adapted to meet staff and children’s evolving needs. While this strengthens practice, the absence of a research-informed framework limits opportunities to embed evidence-based approaches into care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff benefit from structured supervision and annual appraisals that support reflective practice. However, supervision is not consistently delivered as outlined in the home’s statement of purpose. This limits managerial oversight of staff performance and does not ensure that staff are consistently supported in their roles. Inspection report for children’s home: 2826022 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 within the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees—

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Requirement Due date

undertake appropriate continuing professional development;

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Requirement Due date

receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience; and

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Requirement Due date

have their performance and fitness to perform their roles appraised at least once every year. (Regulation 33 (4)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that staff supervision is conducted consistently and in full alignment with the home’s statement of purpose. This includes maintaining the frequency, content and quality of supervision outlined in the document. 23 September 2025

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that they use research in practice to keep the practice reviewed in line with up-to-date guidance and good practice. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards,’ page 52, paragraph 10.4)  The registered person should ensure that they have the most up-to-date care plans for children from placing authorities. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards,’ page 56, paragraph 11.4)  The registered person should ensure that staff are able to meet the children’s individual needs through key work, such as the risk of vaping to a child’s health. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards,’ page 52, paragraph 10.5) Inspection report for children’s home: 2826022 5

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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: 2826022 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Ironstone Care Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 1st Floor International House, Kingsfield Court, Chester Business Park, Chester CH4 9RF

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Inspector

James Meeks, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2826022 7 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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Inspector

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