Children's Home run by Unity Residential Care Services Limited in Staffordshire

Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: 2562531 1 Registered provider: Unity Residential Care Services Limited

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Inspected under the common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

A private provider operates this home. It provides care for up to four children who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager left the organisation in May 2025. A new manager was recruited and has been in post since 2 June 2025. The manager has applied to register with Ofsted.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, two children were living at the home. Both were present during the inspection, with one child taking the opportunity to speak with the inspector.

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This monitoring visit

This children’s home was judged inadequate at the full inspection on 23 and 24 June 2025, following significant shortfalls identified in leadership and management that impacted the quality of care for children. As a result of that inspection, six requirements were made.

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This monitoring visit

The purpose of this monitoring visit was to review the provider’s progress in meeting the requirements and to ensure the safety and well-being of the children. As a result of this inspection, five requirements have been met, with one restated.

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This monitoring visit

Children benefit from regular, meaningful conversations with staff that help them understand risk and acceptable behaviour. These discussions include the consequences of risky actions, alternative choices and opportunities for reflection. Children engage well in these conversations, which supports their learning and personal development. However, the language used by staff in written records is not always helpful and, at times, appears institutional. This detracts from the otherwise child-centred approach and may impact how children perceive their care experience. Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: 2562531 2 Progress has been made in ensuring that children have access to appropriate education. Both children currently living in the home are enrolled in education, with plans in place to support their attendance in the new academic term. This reflects a clear commitment to promoting educational engagement and continuity.

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This monitoring visit

Children are supported to understand risks through ongoing education and guidance. Updated procedures for children who go missing from the home are now clear and easy to follow, offering step-by-step instructions for staff under various circumstances. These improvements help ensure children’s safety and staff confidence in responding to incidents.

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This monitoring visit

Safeguarding practice has been strengthened through updated guidance that is clear and accessible for staff. Children are educated about risks and supported to make informed decisions through continuous dialogue with staff. This proactive approach contributes to a safer environment and promotes children’s understanding of personal safety.

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This monitoring visit

Despite the manager’s efforts to ensure that advocacy support is provided by placing authorities, one child currently does not have access to this service. This limits the availability of independent representation and advice, which is essential for ensuring that children’s rights and voices are heard.

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This monitoring visit

There are systems in place to support the manager’s oversight of the home. However, limitations in the electronic recording system hinder the manager’s ability to demonstrate all reviews effectively. Audits have been completed but were not shared with the manager. Nevertheless, the manager is aware of the resulting actions and is actively prioritising and addressing them to support ongoing improvement.

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This monitoring visit

There is currently insufficient evidence to show that improvements have been made to the admission process when children are referred and move into the home. While the manager has proposed a new system, it has not yet been formalised or agreed with senior leaders and is not in practice. Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: 2562531 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

23/06/2025 Full Inadequate 28/10/2024 Full Good 20/03/2024 Full Good 02/11/2022 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: 2562531 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 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

that children are admitted to the home only if their needs are within the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the home is to provide care and accommodation, as set out in the home’s statement of purpose.

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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, subject to regulation 22 (contact and access to communications), contact between each child and the child’s parents, relatives and friends, is promoted in accordance with the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

that the child’s placing authority is contacted, and a review of that child’s relevant plans is requested, if—

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Requirement Due date

the registered person considers that the child is at risk of harm or has concerns that the care provided for the child is inadequate to meet the child’s needs.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 14 (1)(a) (2)(a)(b)(ii)(iii)(d)(e)(i)) 19 September Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: 2562531 5 In particular, the registered person should ensure that when children are placed at the home, leaders carry out robust assessments that take into account the home’s location and the needs of the children already living there.

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Requirement Due date

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

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that all children have access to appropriate advocacy support and have an independent advocate to advise them and ensure that they have the support needed to express their views, wishes and feelings about their care and lives. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 23, paragraph 4.16)  The registered person should ensure that staff are familiar with the home’s policies on record-keeping and language. Staff should record information on individual children in a non-stigmatising way that distinguishes between fact, opinion and third-party information. Information about the child must always be recorded in a way that will be helpful to the child. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4)

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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: 2562531 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Unity Residential Care Services Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 2 Lymevale Court, Lyme Drive, Parklands, Stoke- on-Trent ST4 6NW

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Inspector

Kev Brammer, Regulatory Inspection Manager Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: 2562531 7 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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Inspector

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