Children's Home run by Infinity Care Home Ltd in Tameside

Inspection report for children’s home: 2642401 1 Registered provider: Infinity Care Home Ltd Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home registered with Ofsted in November 2021 and is operated by a private provider. It offers care for up to four children who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of this inspection, four children were living at the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in May 2024.

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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

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2642401 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

18/03/2025 Full Good 16/01/2024 Full Good 19/07/2022 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2642401 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Three of the children living at the home spoke with the inspectors. The children are comfortable and relaxed in their home and have built positive relationships with the adults who care for them. One child’s artwork is displayed on their bedroom wall, and the child was happy to talk to the inspector about their photos and drawings. Another child spoke about their love of football and going to the gym on a regular basis.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is well furnished, but it lacks warmth in some areas, such as the hallway, stairs and landing. Children’s bedrooms are personalised according to their specific tastes. However, one child’s bedroom was unclean, and they had no duvet cover or pillowcases on their bed. Staff had not encouraged another child to clean their bedroom, nor had they assisted them in removing items from the bedroom that had been there for several days. The manager took action to address these issues during the inspection.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff ensure that children are involved in decisions about their lives. When their participation is not possible, the manager and staff team represent the child’s views and advocate on their behalf. This helps children feel heard and encourages trusting relationships between children and staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s health needs are met, and staff encourage them to attend routine health appointments. When children’s mental health is fragile, staff seek immediate advice to address emerging needs and liaise effectively with professionals to ensure that the child receives needs-led support.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children attend education based on their individual needs. One child requested tutoring during the school holidays, which was arranged for them. Another child is excited to start college after having their application accepted.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

When children have made derogatory remarks to their peers regarding their race or culture, staff have taken a zero-tolerance approach to address these views in a way that enables children to understand other cultures and religions sensitively and informatively.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff are flexible in planning family time activities and have built effective working relationships with family members to ensure that children spend quality time with the people who matter most to them and maintain vital support networks for the future. One parent commented about their family time arrangements, stating, ‘They are really positive, and staff support with transport.’

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

Staff work well with partner agencies to reduce risks for children. When children are at risk of harm, staff know how to respond and take the necessary actions. Risk Inspection report for children’s home: 2642401 4 management plans are in place to ensure that staff take a consistent approach in safely caring for children.

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

There has been one incident of fire-setting in the home. Staff managed the situation quickly and effectively to prevent the risk of harm to others or damage to the home. The manager followed the correct reporting procedures, informing the child’s placing authority, Ofsted and the fire department in a timely manner.

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

The home has since been visited by the fire safety team, and plans are underway to carry out group work with the children around the dangers of fires and to increase general knowledge. During the inspection, one child confidently explained to the inspector what to do in the event the fire alarm sounds.

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

Staff use de-escalation strategies effectively to help children when they are feeling frustrated and upset. Children are receptive to staff having conversations with them about making positive choices, and staff use professional curiosity as a strategy when engaging in these conversations. When physical intervention is necessary to safeguard the children or others, incidents are clearly recorded, and children are provided with a full debrief.

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

Children have not always felt safe due to other children’s presenting behaviour. During these times, staff have acted appropriately, reporting concerns to the child’s placing authority and acting as a mediator for children to resolve difficulties and restore healthy relationships.

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

Staff carry out regular direct-work sessions with children on a range of topics. These sessions are meaningful, and they provide children with education and guidance, enabling them to learn how to stay safe in the community and online, understand the consequences of their behaviour, and take ownership of their lives.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home is led by an ambitious and caring manager who works proactively with a range of external agencies and professionals. The manager’s knowledge, experience and passion for promoting children’s development fully equip her to advocate for children’s outcomes when plans are delayed.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Internal monitoring and review systems are fully embedded and include critical oversight and evaluation. When incidents occur, including shortfalls in staff practice, leaders and managers ensure that learning is taken forward to improve children’s experiences. They also encourage staff to enhance their knowledge through training.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff speak positively of the manager. They are confident in her ability to lead and manage the home as well as being able to rely on her for advice and support. Staff who are new to the home are supported by experienced staff members who are confident in their roles and daily duties and provide effective mentoring. Inspection report for children’s home: 2642401 5 Staff receive regular supervision, which provides a good balance between focusing on children’s risks and needs and staff well-being. Staff feel confident reporting concerns to leaders and managers, whom they state are available and present in the home. Staff are aware of the whistle-blowing procedure, and they feel confident that any concerns raised will be dealt with appropriately, confidentially, and in a timely manner.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Team meetings take place regularly, and a range of agenda items are discussed. Furthermore, these meetings serve as a forum for staff to collectively consider new approaches to working with children, promoting their participation and engagement. Staff benefit from a new rota system that has recently been implemented across the company, which is easy to read and follow. Inspection report for children’s home: 2642401 6

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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 quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children;

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Requirement Due date

use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential.

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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

provide to children living in the home the physical necessities they need in order to live there comfortably;

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Requirement Due date

provide to children personal items that are appropriate for their age and understanding; and

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed and furnished so as to—

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Requirement Due date

meet the needs of each child. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(b)(vii)(viii)(c)(i))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that all children’s bedrooms are maintained and decorated to an acceptable standard. This includes ensuring that any damages are promptly repaired. 25 September 2025

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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 Inspection report for children’s home: 2642401 7 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: 2642401 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Infinity Care Home Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 16 The Downs, Cheadle SK8 1JL

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Inspectors

Michelle Greenhalgh, Social Care Inspector Kimberley Feeley, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2642401 9 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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