Children's Home run by Icare Solutions Stockport Limited in Warrington

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2779064 1 Registered provider: Icare Solutions Stockport Limited

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is owned and managed by a private provider. It offers care for up to three children who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of the visit, no children were living at the home.

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Information about this children’s home

There is no registered manager in post. The manager left in June 2025.

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This monitoring visit

The purpose of this visit was to ensure that the provider has complied with the steps outlined in the suspension notice. The inspectors also considered the provider’s response to serious concerns previously identified, specifically regarding the safety and welfare of children, the effectiveness of leadership and management arrangements, and the competence of staff in fulfilling their roles.

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This monitoring visit

No children have lived at the home since the suspension notice was issued.

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This monitoring visit

Following a serious safeguarding incident identified during the full inspection, a referral was made to the local authority designated officer concerning a staff member’s failure to take appropriate safeguarding action. However, the information that the manager provided in the referral did not accurately or comprehensively reflect the full scope of the safeguarding concerns. As a result, safeguarding professionals were not afforded the opportunity to consider all relevant information necessary to inform a robust and appropriate response.

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This monitoring visit

Furthermore, leaders and managers have not sufficiently addressed the broader failure of the staff team to respond appropriately. This highlights persistent Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2779064 2 weaknesses in safeguarding oversight and a lack of accountability in the leadership and management structure.

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This monitoring visit

Since the last inspection, staff have been given the opportunity to review their induction and training programme. However, concerns remain regarding the reliability of training records. In addition, some staff continue to demonstrate only a limited understanding of safeguarding, restricted to basic principles. This lack of depth does not provide sufficient assurance that children’s safety and welfare needs will be met effectively.

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This monitoring visit

Recruitment practices are inadequate. One staff member’s reference raised safeguarding concerns, but no further investigation took place. Leaders and managers have not taken appropriate steps to assess or address these concerns to ensure that staff are safe and suitable to work with children. This failure places children at potential risk of harm.

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This monitoring visit

Recruitment practices remain insufficiently robust. A reference for one staff member highlighted safeguarding concerns. However, leaders and managers did not carry out any further investigation to ensure that the individual is safe and suitable to work with children. This oversight presents a potential risk to children’s safety and well- being.

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This monitoring visit

The provider initially recruited several staff members for roles that did not involve direct work with vulnerable children. However, leaders and managers have subsequently reassigned these individuals to positions in the home. There is insufficient evidence to demonstrate that leaders and managers have carried out robust assessments to ensure that these staff members possess the required skills and experience to support vulnerable children in a residential care setting. As a result, it remains unclear how leaders and managers have assured themselves that staff are appropriately qualified and competent to carry out their roles effectively.

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This monitoring visit

Although staff are enrolled on programmes to obtain the relevant qualifications, the external assessor was unable to confirm that the submitted work was completed by the individual staff members and could not confirm that it met the required standards. Leaders and managers were aware of these issues but failed to disclose this concerning information during the inspection. This omission raises significant concerns regarding the transparency of leadership and the integrity of internal oversight processes.

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This monitoring visit

The home environment has been improved. However, systemic weaknesses in leadership, management, recruitment and safeguarding continue to undermine the safe operation of the home. These issues present clear risks to children’s safety and welfare.

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This monitoring visit

The provider has failed to take adequate measures to ensure that any children placed in this home will receive safe and appropriate care. Leadership and management arrangements continue to be ineffective, safeguarding oversight Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2779064 3 remains weak, and recruitment practices lack the necessary rigour. Consequently, the suspension of the home’s registration remains in effect. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2779064 4

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

24/06/2025 Full Inadequate 30/10/2024 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2779064 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

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

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

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Requirement Due date

manage relationships between children to prevent them from harming each other;

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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

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)(c)(d)(e))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that children do not have access to hazardous items; risk assessments for children are accurately followed to prevent risk of fire; and any searches of children’s bedrooms are carried out when there is a suspicion of harm or actual harm. 2 November 2025 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2779064 6 *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

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)(b)(c)(d)(e)(f)(g)(i)(ii)(h))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that there is clear oversight of incidents and children’s records to review the quality of care. Leaders and managers must ensure that staff receive training that is specific to children’s needs and evaluate its effectiveness on staff practice. 2 November 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. 2 November 2025 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2779064 7 In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

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Requirement Due date

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

understand and develop skills to promote the child’s well- being. (Regulation 10 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iv))

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Requirement Due date

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

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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;

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Requirement Due date

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

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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; and

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Requirement Due date

seek to develop and maintain effective professional relationships with such persons, bodies or organisations as the registered person considers appropriate having regard to the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the children’s home is to provide care and accommodation. (Regulation 5 (a)(b)(c)(d))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all incidents involving children are reported to the appropriate social workers from the placing authority. All information and decisions relating to children’s risks must be clearly documented. Children must be seen by placing authority social workers as agreed in their risk management plans. 2 November 2025 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2779064 8 The positive relationships standard is that children are helped to develop, and to benefit from, relationships based on—

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Requirement Due date

an understanding about acceptable behaviour; and

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Requirement Due date

positive responses to other children and adults.

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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

meet each child’s behavioural and emotional needs, as set out in the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to develop socially aware behaviour;

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Requirement Due date

encourage each child to take responsibility for the child’s behaviour, in accordance with the child’s age and understanding;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to develop and practise skills to resolve conflicts positively and without harm to anyone;

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Requirement Due date

communicate to each child expectations about the child’s behaviour and ensure that the child understands those expectations in accordance with the child’s age and understanding;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand, in a way that is appropriate according to the child’s age and understanding, personal, sexual and social relationships, and how those relationships can be supportive or harmful;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to develop the understanding and skills to recognise or withdraw from a damaging, exploitative or harmful relationship;

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Requirement Due date

strive to gain each child’s respect and trust;

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Requirement Due date

understand how children’s previous experiences and present emotions can be communicated through behaviour and have the competence and skills to interpret these and develop positive relationships with children; 2 November 2025 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2779064 9 are provided with supervision and support to enable them to understand and manage their own feelings and responses to the behaviour and emotions of children, and to help children to do the same;

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Requirement Due date

de-escalate confrontations with or between children, or potentially violent behaviour by children;

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Requirement Due date

understand and communicate to children that bullying is unacceptable; and

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Requirement Due date

have the skills to recognise incidents or indications of bullying and how to deal with them; and

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Requirement Due date

that each child is encouraged to build and maintain positive relationships with others. (Regulation 11 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(ix)(xi)(xii)(xiii)(b))

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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 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

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

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)(iv)(vii)(c)(i)) 2 November 2025 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2779064 10 Specifically, leaders and managers must ensure that the home environment is designed and furnished to represent a home for children and all repairs are completed without delay so that the home is free of hazards. Children’s bedrooms should be clean and tidy.

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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))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that practice is reviewed to confirm that staff are qualified, experienced and have the skills to provide consistent care. 2 November 2025

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Requirement Due date

*These requirements are subject to a compliance notice.

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Information about this inspection

The purpose of this visit was to monitor the action taken and the progress made by the children’s home since its last Ofsted inspection.

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Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2779064 11

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Icare Solutions Stockport Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 101 Wellington Road North, Stockport SK4 2LP

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Inspectors

Nicola Forrester, Social Care Inspector Sarah Jackson, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2779064 12 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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