Children's Home run by The Together Trust in Bolton

Inspection report for children’s home: SC057718 1 SC057718 Registered provider: The Together Trust

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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 private children’s home registered for up to five children who may experience social and emotional difficulties, physical and/or learning disabilities.

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Information about this children’s home

The home specialises in caring for children with autism spectrum conditions and additional complex needs.

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Information about this children’s home

The home registered with Ofsted in June 2004, and the manager registered with Ofsted in June 2021.

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Information about this children’s home

There were four children living in the home at the time of the inspection. The inspector spoke to or spent time observing all the children 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 requires improvement to be good

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good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

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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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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC057718 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

09/10/2024 Full Good 01/08/2023 Full Good 09/06/2022 Full Good 24/03/2022 Interim Improved effectiveness Inspection report for children’s home: SC057718 3

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improvement to be good

The overall experience and progress of children is compromised by shortfalls identified in safeguarding practice and the leadership and management of the home. However, most children have made progress.

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improvement to be good

Children’s engagement in education and learning is good. All children have increased their education attendance. This supports children to have a better opportunity to succeed in their lives.

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improvement to be good

Staff support children to see their families and people who are close to them. The staff maintain regular communication with most parents and keep most of them up to date about children’s progress. This helps children to see people who are important to them.

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improvement to be good

Staff ensure that children have access to relevant healthcare services and support them to develop healthy lifestyles. An in-house therapist works closely with children and with staff to support their understanding of children’s emotional well-being.

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improvement to be good

Children’s religious and cultural needs are understood and met. Staff ensure that children are supported to observe their religion. For example, two children who celebrate the Sikh religion are supported to celebrate this within the home. Both children attend a local temple with staff.

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improvement to be good

The home is a warm environment. Children have access to a wide range of activities. This includes a multi-use sensory garden in the home.

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improvement to be good

Safeguarding processes are not always followed correctly. On one occasion, a safeguarding incident was not sufficiently escalated to ensure that a full and thorough investigation was carried out. This compromises safeguarding practice.

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improvement to be good

Some children have experienced physical restrictions, which is not in line with their care plan. One child experienced a deprivation of their liberty as they struggled to manage their behaviour. This meant that they did not receive appropriate and safe support. In addition, physical restraint practice has not always been safe or in line with prescribed holds. This led to one child being physically held in a hold that is known to be unsafe.

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improvement to be good

Concerns relating to staff practice are not consistently evaluated or acted on. When issues are identified, the manager does not routinely use these instances as Inspection report for children’s home: SC057718 4 opportunities to reflect on the wider team’s approach or initiate discussions around necessary changes to care practices. Furthermore, there is a lack of transparency regarding the actions taken to address poor practice by specific individuals, as supervision records were not available to confirm any follow up or accountability.

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improvement to be good

Record-keeping for restraint is not robust and identifies shortfalls in practice for children. There is a limited description of the holds used, and staff directly involved with the restraint then conduct the debrief with the child. This does not ensure that children are able to share any concerns with an independent person.

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improvement to be good

Most professionals report that staff do communicate and advocate for the children. However, one placing authority raised concerns in relation to the support needs of one child. As a result, a decision was made to end the placement for the child. This does not support all children to have a positive lived experience.

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improvement to be good

Safer recruitment processes are followed, which means that staff are recruited safely. Safer recruitment checks ensure that only suitable staff are employed to work with children in the home.

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good

Leaders and managers do not identify and act on issues relating to practice. For example, poor restrictive practice is recorded and reviewed by the manager but remains unchallenged. This means poor practice can continue and children do not experience a consistent level of care.

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good

Paperwork is not always available to staff. Leaders and managers have contacted the placing authority, but it is not consistently escalated. This means that staff are not working to the most up-to-date care plan for each child.

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good

Supervisions are held regularly, but their quality varies. This limits staff’s ability to reflect on their own practice and consider any wider safeguarding needs. Appraisals take place and include feedback from the children and professionals. This enables staff to acknowledge and celebrate their achievements over the past year.

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good

The manager demonstrates a clear understanding of areas needing improvement. She is receptive to constructive feedback and actively seeks opportunities for professional growth. She maintains a strong awareness of each child’s individual needs and closely monitors their progress.

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good

Staff know the children well and work hard to create a warm and homely environment for them to stay in. Staff say that they enjoy working in the home. One member of staff said that it was a pleasure working here and that they enjoy coming to work each day. Inspection report for children’s home: SC057718 5

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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 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

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

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare; and

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Requirement Due date

are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(v)(vi)(vii))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that all staff are trained and skilled to manage the behaviours of children without resulting in restrictions of their liberty.

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Requirement Due date

Additionally, the registered person must ensure that any concerns raised relating to staff practice are recorded, evaluated and addressed effectively. 1 October 2025

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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; 1 October 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: SC057718 6 the date, time and location of the use of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

a description of the measure and its duration;

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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 name of the person who used the measure (“the user”), and of any other person present when the measure was used;

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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

a description of any injury to the child or any other person, and any medical treatment administered, as a result of the measure;

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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)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(viii)(b)(i)(ii)(c)(iv))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that debriefs with children are completed by persons not involved in the restraint.

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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 1 October 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: SC057718 7 home’s statement of purpose;

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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)(f)(h))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that they are able to act on safeguarding concerns. Information must be assessed and evaluated to ensure that children are not left at risk of further harm.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must maintain records (“case records”) for each child which—

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Requirement Due date

include the information and documents listed in Schedule 3 in relation to each child;

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Requirement Due date

are signed and dated by the author of each entry. (Regulation 36 (1)(a)(b)(c))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person should ensure that they escalate concerns to social workers when key documents are not available.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person should ensure that children’s local authority plans and personal education plans are on file. 1 October 2025

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that staff have an opportunity to reflect on their practice during individual supervision sessions. This should be recorded, as appropriate, on the staff supervision record. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 39, paragraph 8.15)

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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 Inspection report for children’s home: SC057718 8 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: SC057718 9

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Together Trust Centre, Schools Hill, Cheadle, Cheshire SK8 1JE

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Inspector

James Meeks, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC057718 10 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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