Children's Home run by Cornerstone Children’s Homes Limited in Stockport

Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC394478 1 SC394478

p.1

Registered provider: Cornerstone Children’s Homes Limited

p.1

Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

This home is managed and run by a private company. The home is registered to provide care for up to three children who may have social and/or emotional difficulties.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

At the time of this inspection, two children were living at the home. During the inspection, one child spoke to the inspector. The other child chose not to speak to the inspector.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in December 2024.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

p.1

Information about this children’s home

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

p.1

Information about this inspection

At this inspection, the inspector evaluated:

p.1

Information about this inspection

 the care of children  the safety of children  the effectiveness of leaders and managers. The inspector has looked closely at the experiences and progress of children, using the social care common inspection framework. This assurance 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’. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC394478 2

p.1

Findings from the inspection

We did not identify any serious or widespread concerns in relation to the care or protection of children at this assurance inspection.

p.2

Findings from the inspection

The children present in the home during the last inspection remain living in the home. One child has moved out since the last inspection. There has been some progress in children forming positive relationships with each other and with staff.

p.2

Findings from the inspection

There has been a decrease in incidents involving the children. When these have occurred, they have been better managed and de-escalated by staff. However, on one occasion, a staff member and the manager physically intervened and guided a child; this has not been recorded in line with regulation. Children have received education on the dangers of fire-setting from the fire service and there have been no further incidents involving fires.

p.2

Findings from the inspection

Missing-from-home episodes are managed effectively. Staff actively search for children and collect them when they are ready to return home. There is strong working with safeguarding partners to ensure that children are found quickly. One child has had a significant reduction in the number of times they have been missing from home. However, return home interviews are not always completed by the placing authority in a timely manner and the manager has not challenged this.

p.2

Findings from the inspection

Staff support children’s health and well-being. Referrals are made to specialist services when required, such as drug and alcohol services. Staff ensure that they seek medical advice after any incidents of substance misuse. Children have been educated on the dangers of vaping. However, they have still been able to use their vapes in the garden.

p.2

Findings from the inspection

Staff have a good understanding of therapeutic practices and how to respond to children’s emotional needs. Staff seek support from other professionals when necessary to support children with their emotional health.

p.2

Findings from the inspection

Children have access to education in the home. The manager has ensured that children are provided with a tutor to support their learning. However, neither of the children are accessing education provision outside the home. While the manager has attempted to work with education professionals to identify suitable provision, she has not robustly challenged delays in responses from other professionals.

p.2

Findings from the inspection

The manager has good oversight of the home. She is supported by a confident responsible individual. There are systems in place for monitoring the quality of care given to children. The manager has ensured independent scrutiny of the home and welcomes feedback. There are a variety of ways in which children are able to express their views.

p.2

Findings from the inspection

There is a stable staff team. Staff have access to training and the manager ensures that they are equipped to meet any emerging needs of children. Staff have regular, Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC394478 3 supportive supervision sessions. Team meetings are held in which staff are able to reflect on successes and challenges in their roles. These are also used to embed learning and practice.

p.2

Findings from the inspection

The home is a safe environment for children and is maintained to a high standard. Children are able to access all communal areas of their home. There are several spaces that can be adapted according to children’s wishes and feelings.

p.3

Findings from the inspection

Some of the requirements and recommendations raised at the last inspection have been met. One new requirement and a new recommendation have been made. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC394478 4

p.3

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

23/04/2025 Full Requires improvement to be good 13/08/2024 Full Good 29/11/2023 Full Requires improvement to be good 11/01/2023 Full Good Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC394478 5

p.4

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.

p.5

Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children—

p.5

Requirement Due date

receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home; and

p.5

Requirement Due date

have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home.

p.5

Requirement Due date

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

p.5

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. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a))

p.5

Requirement Due date

This relates specifically to the registered manager ensuring that she can meet children’s needs before children move into the home. This further relates to the registered manager understanding the impact of moves on children, including those who remain living at the home.

p.5

Requirement Due date

This requirement was not reviewed and is restated. 4 October 2025

p.5

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—

p.5

Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

p.5

Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to— 4 October 2025 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC394478 6 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. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a))

p.5

Requirement Due date

This relates specifically to the registered manager ensuring that she does not allow children to vape on the home’s premises.

p.6

Requirement Due date

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

p.6

Requirement Due date

In meeting the quality standards, the registered person must, and must ensure that staff—

p.6

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;

p.6

Requirement Due date

seek to secure the input and services required to meet each child’s needs;

p.6

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. (Regulation 5 (a)(b)(c))

p.6

Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that they work effectively with other agencies to secure suitable education provision for children.

p.6

Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that independent return home interviews are completed after a child has been missing. If the local authority does not provide this in a timely manner, the registered person must escalate this. 4 October 2025

p.6

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—

p.6

Requirement Due date

a description of the measure and its duration; 4 October 2025 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC394478 7 the name of the person who used the measure (“the user”), and of any other person present when the measure was used;

p.6

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”)—

p.7

Requirement Due date

has signed the record to confirm it is accurate. (Regulation 35 (3)(a)(iv)(vi)(b))

p.7

Requirement Due date

This relates specifically to records of restraint being clear with regard to where staff have held children and the duration.

p.7

Requirement Due date

This additionally refers to the registered manager ensuring there is independent oversight when they have been involved in a restraint.

p.7

Requirement Due date

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

p.7

Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that management presence at the home and manager’s working hours are clearly recorded on the staffing rota. Regulations 35 to 39 detail the records that must be kept in children’s homes. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.3) Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC394478 8

p.7

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Cornerstone Children’s Homes Limited

p.8

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 4th Floor, Centenary House, Centenary Way, Manchester M50 1RF

p.8

Inspector

Eve Ostridge, Social Care Inspector Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC394478 9 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

p.8

Inspector

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.9

Inspector

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.9

Inspector

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.9

Inspector

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.9