Children's home run by WS Project Ltd

Inspection report for children’s home: 2810766 1 Registered provider: WS Project 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 March 2025 and is owned by a private organisation. It provides care for up to two children who experience social and emotional difficulties and children with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of this inspection, one child was living at the home. No other children have moved in or out.

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Information about this children’s home

An experienced and qualified registered manager and a responsible individual are in post.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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outstanding

How well children and young people are helped and protected outstanding

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outstanding

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

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outstanding

The children’s home provides highly effective services that consistently exceed the standards of good. The actions of the children’s home contribute to significantly improved outcomes and positive experiences for children and young people who need help, protection and care.

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outstanding

Date of last inspection: not previously inspected

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outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: not applicable

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outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: not applicable Inspection report for children’s home: 2810766 2

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The child receives loving, nurturing care from dedicated staff. There is an unwavering commitment to inclusion, diversity and acceptance. Staff are persistent and committed to providing individualised care that is tailored to the child’s specific needs. The child has made significant progress across all areas of their life since moving into the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff demonstrated warmth and empathy when welcoming the child into the home. When the child arrived, they received a personalised, child-friendly book about the home, narrated by a teddy bear. The child spoke positively about the care they receive from staff, reflecting the nurturing relationships and emotionally stable environment they have created for them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff are attuned to the child’s emotional well-being and additional needs, and they implement innovative and effective strategies that empower the child to express their worries and share their views. This helps the child to confidently navigate avenues to raise concerns. For example, writing to the Prime Minister and receiving a response. For which further validated their voice and advocacy. Staff encourage the child to actively contribute to setting their own goals. This inclusive approach helps the child feel valued, heard, and involved in decisions that affect their life.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff have a strong understanding of the child’s health needs and actively promote a healthy lifestyle. They encourage physical activity, support healthy routines, and encourage age-appropriate independence, resulting in noticeable improvements in the child’s overall well-being. Child centred approaches to care and collaborative clinical input enables staff to provide responsive and emotionally attuned care.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff have high aspirations for children and actively support their education. Close collaboration with education professionals ensures that the child is making continuous progress. Staff provide encouragement and structure that promote a positive attitude towards learning. Education professionals recognise the positive impact this has on engagement in education.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Managers and staff create a positive and playful atmosphere in the home, with strong relationships between staff and the child. The child’s bedroom is personalised to reflect their interests, helping them to develop their sense of identity and belonging.

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

Staff demonstrate a strong understanding of the child’s individual needs and associated risks. By spending meaningful time with the child, staff help them to recognise risks and develop strategies to promote their safety and wellbeing. Inspection report for children’s home: 2810766 3 The consistent use of interactive incentives and rewards promotes positive behaviours and is highly effective. Staff consistently implement daily routines and structures. As a result, the child can predict what happens next, which gives them a strong sense of stability and helps them build trusting relationships, understand expectations, and develop essential life skills.

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

Safeguarding practice is strong and child focused. Incidents are rare because staff build such positive relationships with the child and intuitively know how to respond to their needs. Restraint has occurred on two occasions as a last resort. Following these, manager spoke to the child seeking their views and the involved staff reflected on their practice.

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

The manager maintains a proactive approach to managing location-specific risk by continually assessing information and ensuring that updated guidance is readily accessible to staff. This enables those caring for the child to respond effectively. The approach reflects good practice in safeguarding and reinforces the home’s strong commitment to keeping children safe and well supported.

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

Safe recruitment procedures are thorough and consistently applied to reduce the risk of unsuitable individuals working in the home. This reflects the home’s strong commitment to safeguarding and maintaining a safe, nurturing environment for children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Inspection report for children’s home: 2810766 4 Leaders are extremely present, role modelling their expected ethos and culture, and they inspire a shared vision focused on children’s positive experiences. The home is managed by a suitably qualified manager who strives for high-quality care for children. He is supported by an experienced and dedicated responsible individual.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There have been several staff who have left. Through the manager’s commitment and dedication, they have lessened the impact on children, and a newly consistent and stable team is now in place. Leaders and managers have responded well when there have been staffing challenges to ensure that the child benefits from continuity of care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff attend training that is tailored to the child’s needs, which helps them develop a deeper understanding of the child and enables them to provide responsive care. Regular supervision supports staff development and reflective practice. Team meetings are child centred and used effectively as a learning tool, particularly to educate new staff on legislation and guidance relevant to the care they provide. This contributes to a knowledgeable and confident staff team.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager regularly seeks feedback from others to review and evaluate the quality of care, using this information to make ongoing improvements. This reflective approach contributes to the home’s positive development. However, the independent visitor does not consistently seek the child’s views during monthly visits. This limits opportunities for the child to share their experiences with someone independent of the home, which could further enhance the home’s child-centred practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager works effectively with other professionals involved in the child’s care. For example, working collaboratively with health professionals in response to the child’s views and preferences. All professionals acknowledge how well the staff care for the child and how much progress the child has been able to make while living at the home. All professionals spoken to compliment the effectiveness of the manager’s communication.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Monitoring systems help leaders to evaluate the quality of care the child receives. Identified learning is used to develop practice and improve children’s experiences. Inspection report for children’s home: 2810766 5

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that the independent person actively seeks the views of the children during visits and makes the best use of information to ensure continuous improvement. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 55, paragraph 10.24)

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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 children’s home: 2810766 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 11 Gatley Road, Cheadle SK8 1LY

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Inspector

Joanne Humphreys, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2810766 7 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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