Children's Home run by Pennine Social Care Limited in Oldham

Inspection report for children’s home: 2818955 1 Registered provider: Pennine Social Care Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is owned by a private company and provides care for one child who may have learning disabilities and experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, one child was living at the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The home and the manager registered with Ofsted on 6 June 2025. The manager also oversees another setting owned by the same provider.

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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 inadequate

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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

Date of last inspection: not previously inspected

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: not applicable

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: not applicable Inspection report for children’s home: 2818955 2

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improvement to be good

Staff know the child well. They use their knowledge and relationships with the child to support them and meet their immediate day-to-day needs. One family member described the child as ‘happy’ and ‘calm’ and said that staff know what is best for them.

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improvement to be good

The child is encouraged to participate in various activities based on their hobbies, interests and sensory needs. For example, they go for walks, visit local parks, playgrounds and trampoline parks, and go shopping.

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improvement to be good

Staff support the child in spending time with family in line with agreed plans. This means that they can maintain relationships that are important to them.

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improvement to be good

Staff use their relationships with the child to communicate with them. However, they do not work in partnership with agencies such as the child’s school to ensure that there is a consistent approach to supporting their communication needs, including the use of any communication aids. This does not support them in participating fully in their daily life or preparing for adulthood. Staff fail to capture the child’s views, wishes or feelings or how this information influences their daily care.

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improvement to be good

The child is encouraged to attend routine health appointments and specialist appointments, such as those with child and adolescent mental health services. However, these appointments are not documented. This limits the staff’s ability to share this information with relevant people, take necessary action following appointments and identify when future appointments are required.

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improvement to be good

The child is encouraged to attend school daily, and they enjoy their education. However, staff do not have access to the child’s education, health and care plan (EHC plan) or personal education plan (PEP), which limits their ability to fully understand the child’s educational needs.

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improvement to be good

There have been no safeguarding concerns since the home opened. Staff are trained in safeguarding matters, and there is a designated safeguarding lead available should support be required.

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improvement to be good

Staff have positive relationships with the child. These relationships have helped the child feel settled and safe in the home. As a result, there have been no significant incidents, missing-from-home episodes or restraints. Inspection report for children’s home: 2818955 3 There are no behaviour support plans or risk assessments. Children’s plans that are in place are not detailed documents. They lack significant information, including the restrictions outlined in the child’s deprivation of liberty order and the behaviour support strategies for staff. This means that staff cannot provide consistent support and care for the child. In addition, placing authority care plans and review meeting minutes are not available to staff, which limits their ability to implement the actions set out in these plans.

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improvement to be good

There are systems in place to gather staff recruitment information; however, these systems are not effective in ensuring that there are safer recruitment checks for all staff. Not all staff recruitment files include a full employment history. This limits the manager’s ability to ensure that all staff are safe to work with children.

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improvement to be good

Staff do not support the child through direct work or key-work sessions. This is a missed opportunity to help them understand relevant risks or prepare for significant events or appointments.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Leaders and managers have not managed the home in a manner that is consistent with the aims outlined in the home’s statement of purpose.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

There are not suitable systems in place for the oversight and monitoring of the home. This means that the manager has not been able to identify shortfalls or areas for development.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The manager does not have access to key information relating to the home or the child. In addition, there is no workforce plan or development plan to support continuous improvement.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Leaders and managers have not made sure that an independent person has visited the home each month and provided their report to Ofsted. Consequently, there has been no external scrutiny of the home, which has limited the regulator’s ability to have oversight of the child’s welfare. An independent visitor has been appointed but has yet to produce a monthly report.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Staff have received a wide variety of training. However, there are some shortfalls in training to meet the child’s specific needs, such as communication, pathological demand avoidance and a specific eating disorder.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Staff do not receive regular supervision in line with the home’s statement of purpose. When supervision sessions take place, they are not practice related and are not used to support staff development. In addition, there have been no team meetings since the home registered. This is a missed opportunity for staff to share information, reflect on recent events and provide support for staff. Inspection report for children’s home: 2818955 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 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 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

demonstrate that practice in the home is informed and improved by taking into account and acting on—

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Requirement Due date

research and developments in relation to the ways in which the needs of children are best met; and

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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)(e)(f)(g)(i)(h)) 26 September 2025

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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; 26 September 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: 2818955 5 engage with them; and

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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.

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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

ascertain and consider each child’s views, wishes and feelings, and balance these against what they judge to be in the child’s best interests when making decisions about the child’s care and welfare;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to express views, wishes and feelings;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand how the child’s views, wishes and feelings have been taken into account and give the child reasons for decisions in relation to the child;

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Requirement Due date

regularly consult children, and seek their feedback, about the quality of the home’s care;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to prepare for any review of the child’s relevant plans and to make the child’s views, wishes and feelings known for the purposes of that review. (Regulation 7 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(vi))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that there are suitable processes in place so that children can express their views, wishes and feelings and be involved in choices and decisions about their day-to-day care.

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Requirement Due date

In addition, the registered person must ensure that staff support and encourage children to communicate using relevant communication aids and resources for their ability.

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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

that staff— 26 September 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: 2818955 6 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

are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies;

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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;

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Requirement Due date

that the effectiveness of the home’s child protection policies is monitored regularly. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(v)(vii)(b)(e))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that children’s support plans include all significant and relevant information for staff to provide suitable and consistent care to children.

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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

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(c))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that staff receive training specifically to meet children’s individual needs. 26 September 2025

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety.

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Requirement Due date

employ an individual to work at the children’s home;

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Requirement Due date

if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3).

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Requirement Due date

full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2. 26 September 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: 2818955 7 (Regulation 32 (1) (2)(a) (3)(d))

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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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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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understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(v))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that staff help children understand how to keep themselves safe and identify relevant risks, and they must support them in preparing for key events. 26 September 2025

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that an independent person visits the children’s home at least once each month.

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Requirement Due date

When the independent person is carrying out a visit, the registered person must help the independent person—

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Requirement Due date

if they consent, to interview in private such of the children, their parents, relatives and persons working at the home as the independent person requires; and

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Requirement Due date

to inspect the premises of the home and such of the home’s records (except for a child’s case records unless the child and the child’s placing authority consent) as the independent person requires.

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Requirement Due date

A visit by the independent person to the home may be unannounced.

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Requirement Due date

The independent person must produce a report about a visit (“the independent person’s report”) which sets out, in particular, the independent person’s opinion as to whether— 26 September 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: 2818955 8 children are effectively safeguarded; and

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Requirement Due date

the conduct of the home promotes children’s well-being.

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Requirement Due date

The independent person’s report may recommend actions that the registered person may take in relation to the home and timescales within which the registered person must consider whether or not to take those actions.

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Requirement Due date

The independent person must provide a copy of the independent person’s report to—

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Requirement Due date

upon request, the local authority for the area in which the home is located;

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Requirement Due date

the registered provider and, if applicable, the registered manager; and

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Requirement Due date

the responsible individual (if one is nominated). (Regulation 44 (1) (2)(a)(b) (3) (4)(a)(b) (5) (7)(a)(b)(c)(d)(e))

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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. (Regulation 33 (4)(a)(b)) 26 September 2025

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Requirement Due date

The health and well-being standard is that—

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Requirement Due date

the health and well-being needs of children are met;

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Requirement Due date

children receive advice, services and support in relation to their health and well-being; and

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Requirement Due date

children are helped to lead healthy lifestyles.

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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 staff help each child to— 26 September 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: 2818955 9 achieve the health and well-being outcomes that are recorded in the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

understand the child’s health and well-being needs and the options that are available in relation to the child’s health and well-being, in a way that is appropriate to the child’s age and understanding;

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Requirement Due date

that each child has access to such dental, medical, nursing, psychiatric and psychological advice, treatment and other services as the child may require. (Regulation 10 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(c))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that there is a record of health appointments and their outcomes to ensure that staff can implement any required actions raised in health appointments and know when future appointments are needed.

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Requirement Due date

The education standard is that children make measurable progress towards achieving their educational potential and are helped to do so.

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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 achieve the child’s education and training targets, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans. (Regulation 8 (1) (2)(a)(i))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that staff have access to children’s EHC plans and PEPs. 26 September 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

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

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Requirement Due date

that each child’s relevant plans are followed. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b)(ii)(c)) 26 September 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: 2818955 10 Specifically, the registered person must ensure that they hold relevant plans and information for children, including the up-to- date placing authority care plans, meeting minutes and care orders.

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Recommendations

 The registered person should have a workforce plan that can fulfil the workforce- related requirements of Regulation 16, Schedule 1. The plan should be updated to include any new relevant information and used to record the ongoing training and continuing professional development needs of staff, including those of the home’s manager. In addition, the registered manager should have a development plan in place to identify areas for improvement. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 53, paragraph 10.8)  The registered person should be visible and accessible to staff and able to deliver their leadership and management responsibilities. The registered manager should have sufficient capacity to ensure that the quality standards are met for each child in the home. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 52, paragraph 10.7)

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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: 2818955 11

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Pennine Social Care Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Rhodes Bank Chambers, 184 to 188 Union Street, Oldham OL1 1EN

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Inspector

Katie Tomlinson, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2818955 12 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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