Children's home run by Halliwell Homes Limited in Staffordshire Moorlands

Inspection report for children’s home: SC470224 1 SC470224 Registered provider: Halliwell Homes Limited

p.1

Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

This is a private children’s home. It provides care for up to 10 children who may have a range of social and emotional difficulties.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, there were nine children living in the home.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The manager is suitably qualified and experienced. The manager registered in May 2025.

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

p.1

good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

p.1

good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

p.1

good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

p.1

good

Date of last inspection: 3 December 2024

p.1

good

Overall judgement at last inspection: outstanding

p.1

good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC470224 2

p.1

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

03/12/2024 Full Outstanding 12/09/2023 Full Good 03/10/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good 21/06/2022 Full Inadequate Inspection report for children’s home: SC470224 3

p.2

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

At the time of this inspection, nine children were living at the home. Since the last inspection, four children had moved into the home, and five children had moved out. Children who left the home did so in a structured way in line with their plans.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s moves into the home are well planned. Managers and staff warmly welcome children, supporting them to settle. Children are also encouraged to welcome new children who move in and have helped staff to prepare their bedrooms for arrival.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff use a variety of ways to sustain and promote family time in accordance with the children’s plans, regardless of distance. They support outings and activities locally and arrange quality time with children’s families. Children are also able to maintain friendships with other children who have previously lived in the home. This helps the children to preserve a sense of belonging and identity.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children enjoy a wide range of activities in the home and local community. Staff encourage and support their personal interests, such as gymnastics and football. Staff arrange activities in the home based on the children’s suggestions, and all children enjoyed a summer holiday.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children make progress with their education and attend educational settings that are tailored to their specific needs. Some children attend the on-site school, which means they have consistent access to education and support suited to their needs. Managers and staff have strong collaborative relationships with school professionals.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are happy living at the home and there is a busy but happy environment in the home. One child said, ‘I love living here.’

p.3

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

Children are supported by staff to raise concerns or make complaints and feel confident that they will be listened to. When complaints are made, managers respond promptly and appropriately, with clear records being kept.

p.3

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

Safeguarding procedures are followed, and staff have a good understanding of what to do in these instances. Managers liaise with safeguarding partners, which reflects a transparent response and supports leaders’ ability to keep children safe.

p.3

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

Children rarely go missing, but when they do, staff act quickly and follow the children’s missing-from-home protocols. They search for children and communicate well with the police and professionals until the child is found. When children return, staff offer a warm welcome and support them to speak to an independent person. This helps children to discuss the reason they went missing and share any concerns. Inspection report for children’s home: SC470224 4 The registered manager has implemented clear safety plans when required. This includes important and necessary information to guide and signpost staff when managing specific risks. This plan has been shared with the child’s allocated social worker, school staff and clinical support services. This collaborative approach means that children’s risks are explored and reviewed, and strategies are agreed by all supporting professionals.

p.3

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

Door alarms are risk assessed, and permission is requested from relevant professionals. However, alarms are applied as a blanket measure when there are no safeguarding concerns. This does not sufficiently consider the individual circumstances or needs of each child.

p.4

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

Rotas are planned to ensure that sufficient staff are available. However, the rota does not record the full names of the staff working in the home each day.

p.4

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

Staff carry out regular health and safety checks. The building is safe and there are suitable arrangements for fire prevention, such as the regular servicing of fire equipment. However, a concern noted by external fire safety professionals about fire doors has not been addressed.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager is enthusiastic and child focused. She has a good understanding of the progress that children make and celebrates children’s achievements. She is supported by two equally motivated deputy managers. They all have high aspirations for the children and staff. This enthusiasm and genuine care for children is seen throughout the staff team.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff say they are well supported by the management team and receive regular supervision. Staff and managers reflect on their practice and look at ways of developing their relationship with each child. However, supervision records are sometimes repetitive, which makes it unclear whether discussions about children consistently take place.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

When the manager identifies a specific developmental need for a child that cannot be sufficiently met through the home’s planned training programme, specialist training is sourced for all staff to attend. This ensures that the care provided meets each child’s individual needs.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Managers demonstrate effective oversight of all incidents, ensuring that they are thoroughly reviewed. There is a clear process for staff debriefs and reflection. This enables staff to learn from incidents and adjust their practice if needed. This creates a culture of improvement and accountability. As a result, staff are better equipped to manage challenging situations, meaning children are fully supported.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Managers have established good relationships with professionals and keep them regularly updated. Professionals say that they are well informed and that children are Inspection report for children’s home: SC470224 5 making significant progress living in the home. One social worker said, ‘The only thing I would change is to bring it [home] closer to me.’

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Some staff, who have worked in the home for over a year, have had an annual appraisal. These appraisals are detailed accounts of how their practice and learning have developed over the year. They are positive and set further targets for staff. However, appraisals do not contain feedback from children or other professionals. Inspection report for children’s home: SC470224 6

p.5

Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered person 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 must comply within the given timescales.

p.6

Requirement Due date

After consultation with the fire and rescue authority, the registered person must—

p.6

Requirement Due date

take adequate precautions against the risk of fire, including the provision of suitable fire equipment in the children’s home.

p.6

Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that fire doors are suitable. 31 October 2025

p.6

Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person should ensure that staff are aware of the proper channels to follow when raising concerns.

p.6

Requirement Due date

In addition, the statement of purpose is to be sent to the regulator when changes are made.

p.6

Requirement Due date

Schedule 4 sets out the other information that the registered person must keep in relation to a children’s home.

p.6

Requirement Due date

maintain in the home the records in Schedule 4. (Regulation 37 (1) (2)(a))

p.6

Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person should ensure that the rotas contain a record of full staff names on shift. 31 October 2025

p.6

Requirement Due date

The registered person may only use devices for the monitoring or surveillance of children if—

p.6

Requirement Due date

the monitoring or surveillance is no more intrusive than necessary, having regard to the child’s need for privacy.

p.6

Requirement Due date

(Regulation 24 (1)(d)) 31 October 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: SC470224 7 In particular, the use of door alarms must be the least intrusive possible.

p.6

Recommendations

 The registered person should include the views of the children and other professionals when completing appraisals with staff. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.5)  The registered person must have systems in place so that all staff receive supervision of their practice which allows them to reflect on their practice and the needs of the children assigned to their care. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.2)

p.7

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: SC470224 8

p.7

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Halliwell Homes Limited

p.8

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Pearce House, 80 Cawdor Street, Eccles M30 0QF

p.8

Inspectors

Sally Mitchell, Social Care Inspector Gareth Dakin, His Majesty’s Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC470224 9 regulates and inspects 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.

p.8

Inspectors

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 . 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

Inspectors

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

p.9

Inspectors

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

p.9