Children's Home run by Social Care Services (Clayton) Limited in Salford

Inspection report for the children’s home: 2608484 1 Registered provider: Social Care Services Limited

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Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is owned by a private provider. It can provide care for up to two children who may have social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted on 18 April 2024.

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Information about this children’s home

There were two children living in the home at the time of the inspection. Both children spoke to the inspector about their experiences of living in the home.

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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 requires improvement to be good

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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: 17 December 2024

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for the children’s home: 2608484 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

17/12/2024 Full Good 11/07/2023 Full Good 23/08/2022 Full Good 23/11/2021 Full Good Inspection report for the children’s home: 2608484 3

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improvement to be good

Children say that they like living in the home and have formed meaningful relationships with most of the staff. Both children have made individual progress and have developed a positive relationship with each other. However, the poor practice and actions of some staff members have negatively impacted on aspects of the children’s care. Leaders and managers have taken steps to address this issue, and the two members of staff concerned no longer work at the home.

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improvement to be good

Children’s engagement in formal education is varied. One child was supported by staff to successfully complete some of their exams and has progressed to college. However, another child has not been able to attend school for over a year. Although staff attempt to support them with alternative learning in the home, this is not well planned or led by the needs of the child. Consequently, the child is missing out on vital skills and their confidence in their abilities is low.

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improvement to be good

Feedback from external professionals is positive. The social worker for one child said that despite the negative actions of some previous staff members, ‘The staff really know [Name of child] and I have no doubt it is the right place for them.’ The social worker for another child said, ‘It is clear there is a lot of trust there, and they care about [Name of child] a lot.’

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improvement to be good

Most of the staff have positive relationships with the children. They have identified staff members who they can talk to about problems affecting them. However, staff do not consistently talk with children in ways that promote equality and demonstrates an understanding of their cultural needs. This reduces the opportunities to ensure that children feel empowered to achieve their future ambitions.

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improvement to be good

Overall, the home is in good condition. The hallway, stairs and landing have recently been recarpeted, although this took some time to be completed. Children are encouraged to personalise their bedrooms, and one child in particular takes great pride in their room.

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improvement to be good

Since the last inspection, one member of staff has been dismissed due to concerns relating to their conduct. This included purchasing vapes for both children and facilitating one child to travel to a family member’s address on several occasions, which was not in line with their care plan. Another member of staff also purchased vaping paraphernalia for a child on one occasion. Although the provider acted to address these incidents, the actions of the staff did, at times, compromise the safety of the children. Inspection report for the children’s home: 2608484 4 Staff speak with children following an incident to clearly explain the risks that they are vulnerable to. However, staff do not always provide children with space to explore what happened and why. This limits the opportunities for staff to identify important information and gain a greater understanding of the children’s risks.

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improvement to be good

When children go missing from the home, staff take the necessary action. They search the local area and notify the relevant professionals. They ensure that children return home safely and that return to home discussions are completed with them. As a result, the number of missing-from-home incidents has reduced for both children.

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improvement to be good

Managers and staff use the expertise of external professionals. When children require specific help from services, such as substance misuse or mental health support, they make the relevant referrals and encourage children to attend their appointments. Children are offered the specialised help they need to address their vulnerabilities.

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improvement to be good

Staff follow children’s individual risk plans to help to keep them safe. However, some risk plans lack clarity on the actions that staff need to take when a risk occurs. Although this has not impacted on the staff’s skills to safeguard children, it does not ensure that staff have a clear understanding of their safeguarding responsibilities.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The registered manager is experienced in residential childcare and is committed to the children in his care. Staff speak positively about the support he provides to them. Despite the recent shortfalls in staff practice, he is committed to working with senior leaders to make the improvements needed.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Leaders and managers have not fully embedded a robust safeguarding culture. There is a lack of professional curiosity and clarity for staff on professional boundaries. This led to occasions where children’s progress and safety were compromised. Although leaders and managers have taken action to address this with individual staff members, they have not always identified ways to ensure that there is a positive approach to safeguarding across the team.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Management oversight of staff practice is not consistently effective. Leaders and managers do not always identify and respond to shortfalls in staff practice at the earliest opportunity. Managers are aware of this issue and are taking action to make the necessary changes.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Leaders and managers do not use supervisions as an opportunity to develop staff skills effectively. Although supervisions are held regularly, they lack the necessary reflection and curiosity by managers. This means that staff lack clarity on how they can improve their practice. This issue was raised at the last inspection, and the requirement is restated. Inspection report for the children’s home: 2608484 5 Staff appraisals do not gather and use feedback from other professionals in the home. This is a missed opportunity to gain additional perspectives on the standard of care being provided by staff.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Leaders and managers ensure that they notify Ofsted of serious incidents. This ensures that there is external scrutiny of the actions taken to safeguard children. However, leaders and managers do not always ensure that Ofsted is provided with the home’s current statement of purpose. This limits the regulator’s oversight of the home to ensure that it is providing care that meets the needs of the children who live there. Inspection report for the children’s home: 2608484 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 Home’s 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 staff work as a team where appropriate;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child;

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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

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)(b)(c)(e)(h))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that staff have a clear understanding of professional boundaries, and a culture of professional curiosity is embedded in the home.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that management oversight of staff practice is robust and that any shortfalls in staff practice are identified at the earliest opportunity and addressed effectively. 31 October 2025 Inspection report for the children’s home: 2608484 7 The registered person must ensure that staff supervisions and appraisals challenge poor practice and provide staff with a clear plan to improve.

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Requirement Due date

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

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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— that staff—

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Requirement Due date

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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Requirement Due date

have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm;

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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;

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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. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that staff provide care for the children in line with their respective plans, and that staff actions do not put children at risk of harm.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that staff conversations with children about risks are trauma informed and encourage children to share important information about their risks.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that staff are provided with clear guidance to follow to keep children safe. This includes 31 October 2025 Inspection report for the children’s home: 2608484 8 ensuring that provider policies are up to date and contain the relevant information for staff.

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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— that staff—

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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;

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Requirement Due date

support each child’s learning and development, including helping the child to develop independent study skills and, where appropriate, helping the child to complete independent study;

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Requirement Due date

understand the barriers to learning that each child may face and take appropriate action to help the child to overcome any such barriers;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand the importance and value of education, learning, training and employment;

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Requirement Due date

promote opportunities for each child to learn informally;

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Requirement Due date

raise any need for further assessment or specialist provision in relation to a child with the child’s education or training provider and the child’s placing authority;

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Requirement Due date

help a child who is excluded from school, or who is of compulsory school age but not attending school, to access educational and training support throughout the period of exclusion or non-attendance and to return to school as soon as possible;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to attend education or training in accordance with the expectations in the child’s relevant plans. (Regulation 8 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vii)(viii)(x))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that children who are not attending formal education are supported by staff to engage in alternative learning opportunities that are well structured and led by the needs of the child. 31 October 2025 Inspection report for the children’s home: 2608484 9 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

understand and apply the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

understand and apply the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

protect and promote each child’s welfare;

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Requirement Due date

treat each child with dignity and respect;

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Requirement Due date

provide personalised care that meets each child’s needs, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans, taking account of the child’s background;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand and manage the impact of any experience of abuse or neglect;

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Requirement Due date

make decisions about the day-to-day arrangements for each child, in accordance with the child’s relevant plans, which give the child an appropriate degree of freedom and choice. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(ix))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that staff have a sound understanding of children’s needs relating to their culture and identity, and that key conversations do not limit children’s ability to achieve their potential. 31 October 2025 Inspection report for the children’s home: 2608484 10

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that staff appraisals take into account, where reasonable and practical, the views of other professionals who have worked with the staff member over the year and children in the home’s care. (‘Guide to The Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.5)

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that the home’s statement of purpose is kept under regular review and an up-to-date copy is submitted to Ofsted. (‘Guide to The Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 14, paragraph 3.5)

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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 the children’s home: 2608484 11

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Social Care Services Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Social Care Services Group, 31 Shaw Road, Stockport SK4 4AG

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Annabella Foulkes

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Inspector

Sarah Gilbert, Social Care Regulatory Inspector Inspection report for the children’s home: 2608484 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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