Children's Home run by Grace Live In Carers T/A Grace247Care Limited in Bolton

Inspection report for children’s home: 2805231 1 Registered provider: Grace Live-in Carers T/A Grace24/7 Care 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 registered to provide care for up to three children who may have social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of this inspection, there was one child living in the home. One child had recently moved out of the home.

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Information about this children’s home

This is the home’s first inspection. The home and 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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inadequate

How well children and young people are helped and protected inadequate

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inadequate

The effectiveness of leaders and managers inadequate

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inadequate

There are serious and/or widespread failures that mean that children and young people are not protected or their welfare is not promoted or safeguarded and the care and experiences of children and young people are poor and they are not making progress.

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inadequate

Date of last inspection: not previously inspected

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inadequate

Overall judgement at last inspection: not applicable

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inadequate

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2805231 2

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Children’s voices are not effectively heard and listened to. One child spoken to said that they could talk to some staff if they had a problem. However, when children have raised concerns, they have not always been explored, and when they have, children have not had the outcome of this explained to them. This means that children do not always feel that their voices are heard or valued.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

When children attend school on a part-time basis, staff do not encourage or support education and learning throughout the day. This does not support them to prepare to return to full-time education as soon as possible.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Key-worker sessions are completed regularly. However, they are not used to support children to understand how to keep themselves safe or to share their worries or concerns following significant events.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

The home shows signs of wear and tear which need repair or redecoration. It lacks a welcoming or lived-in atmosphere, with no personal touches, such as photos, pictures or soft furnishings. There are no indications that children live in the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Children’s health needs are met. When there are difficulties in accessing services, such as the dentist, the manager has reached out for support from the Specialist Nurse for Children Looked After (CLA) to ensure that children have access to the services they need.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Family time is supported in line with agreed plans. This supports children to maintain relationships that are important to them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Children are encouraged to participate in various activities based on their hobbies and interests, such as go-karting, football stadium tours, playing football and swimming. This helps children to maintain their physical health while also having fun.

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

Leaders and managers do not respond to safeguarding concerns in line with safeguarding processes and do not follow working together statutory guidance. Information is not shared between senior managers, which prevents the registered manager and responsible individual from being able to take appropriate action in response to concerns raised. In addition to this, one child was not informed of the outcome of their complaint or supported to take part in mediation or restorative work with the member of staff involved. Inspection report for children’s home: 2805231 3 When a child made a claim of being mistreated during an incident, it was not followed up or explored by the manager. This demonstrates that the child is not listened to, and possible harm has gone undetected.

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

There are risk assessments and behaviour support plans in place. However, these do not give clear strategies or guidance to staff and do not include strategies which are individual to the child. This means that staff are not prepared to support and manage challenging situations, and practice is ineffective and inconsistent.

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

When difficult situations occur, staff often use the police to manage children’s behaviour. Ineffective oversight from the manager has meant that staff practice is not reviewed and lessons learned are not identified following significant events.

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

It is rare that children go missing from the home. When they do, staff take suitable action to search for them and report them missing to relevant professionals, such as the police and placing authority. However, there is no chronology of the action taken by staff to search for the child, for example where and when they have searched. The manager does not review incidents or reflect on staff practice; this limits his ability to identify if staff take appropriate action to search for children in line with their protocols.

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

When it has been necessary to physically hold a child, it has been reasonable and proportionate. However, children and staff are not supported to debrief after the event. The manager does not provide scrutiny of the incident or the effectiveness of the measure used. The report does not always include all the necessary information. In addition to this, when consequences are imposed, they are not always documented. This limits the manager’s ability to evaluate the fairness and effectiveness of consequences.

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

When children are new to the home, leaders and managers do not consider information provided as part of children’s referrals to assess if children are suitable to live together. The manager does not look at individual areas of risk and how these may impact each child or how staff will mitigate these risks. This means that when children have been placed together, they have displayed behaviours which have influenced each other negatively without identified strategies for staff to manage this. As a result, one child’s placement ended due to staff being unable to support behaviours which were known at the time of referral.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

There is poor management oversight of significant events. There is no reflection or lessons learned identified following these events. This means that when poor practice occurs it is not challenged or changed.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The manager does not have effective systems in place to identify shortfalls and drive improvements.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Leaders and the manager notify Ofsted of significant events which occur at the home. However, these notifications do not always include all relevant information and are not Inspection report for children’s home: 2805231 4 always sent within a satisfactory timescale. This affects external monitoring of children’s safety and welfare.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Suitable checks are not in place to adhere to safer recruitment processes. Gaps in employment are not suitably explored, and references are not always gathered from the most recent employer.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Staff have completed a wide range of training to help them to meet children’s needs. However, staff have not completed training specific to children’s needs, such as exploitation, online safety, substance misuse. Furthermore, staff are not trained in the model of care detailed in the home’s statement of purpose.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Supervision sessions do not take place regularly. When they do occur, they are not practice related and are not used to reflect on significant events or to support staff development.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Team meetings are held regularly and are fairly well attended. They are used to share information about the running of the home. However, they are a missed opportunity for staff to review children’s support strategies, reflect on incidents and identify lessons learned from difficult and challenging periods.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

There is a stable and consistent staff team. This means that children are supported by staff they know. However, children would benefit from a team of staff from a variety of cultures and ethnicities. Inspection report for children’s home: 2805231 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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understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person;

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take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare; and

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are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies;

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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)(v)(vi)(vii)(b))

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Specifically, the registered person must ensure that effective action is taken in response to safeguarding concerns and allegations. 31 October 2025

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*The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

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In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

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that staff— 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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help each child to understand how to keep safe; 31 October 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: 2805231 6 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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that the effectiveness of the home’s child protection policies is monitored regularly. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(e))

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Specifically, the registered person must ensure that children’s support plans and risk assessments include detailed strategies and guidance for staff. Information within these plans must be specific to the child.

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*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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helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

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In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

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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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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)(h)) 31 October 2025

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The care planning standard is that children—

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receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home; and

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have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home.

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In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— 31 October 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: 2805231 7 that children are admitted to the home only if their needs are within the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the home is to provide care and accommodation, as set out in the home’s statement of purpose;

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ensure the effective induction of each child into the home;

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that each child’s relevant plans are followed. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(i)(c))

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Specifically, the registered person must ensure that they only agree placements for children whose needs they can suitably meet. In addition to this, the registered person must ensure that there are effective systems in place to assess whether children are suitable to live together and to identify any risks and strategies to reduce risks.

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The children’s views, wishes and feelings standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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develop positive relationships with them;

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take their views, wishes and feelings into account in relation to matters affecting the children’s care and welfare and their lives.

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In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

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ascertain and consider each child’s views, wishes and feelings, and balance these against what they judge to be in the child’s best interests when making decisions about the child’s care and welfare;

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help each child to express views, wishes and feelings;

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help each child to understand how the child’s views, wishes and feelings have been taken into account and give the child reasons for decisions in relation to the child; 31 October 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: 2805231 8 regularly consult children, and seek their feedback, about the quality of the home’s care;

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is enabled to provide feedback to, and raise issues with, a relevant person about the support and services that the child receives;

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is given appropriate advocacy support. (Regulation 7 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(b)(i)(iii))

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The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety.

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employ an individual to work at the children’s home;

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if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3).

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full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2. (Regulation 32 (1) (2)(a) (3)(d)) 31 October 2025

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The registered person must ensure that all employees—

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undertake appropriate continuing professional development;

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receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience. (Regulation 33 (4)(a)(b)) 31 October 2025

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*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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helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

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In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

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ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(c)) 31 October 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: 2805231 9 Specifically, the registered person must ensure that staff receive specific training to meet children’s individual needs and the model of care detailed in the statement of purpose.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must prepare and implement a policy ("the behaviour management policy") which sets out—

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how appropriate behaviour is to be promoted in the children’s home; and

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the measures of control, discipline and restraint which may be used in relation to children in the home.

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The registered person must keep the behaviour management policy under review and, where appropriate, revise it.

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within 24 hours of the use of a measure of control, discipline or restraint in relation to a child in the home, a record is made which includes—

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details of the child’s behaviour leading to the use of the measure;

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the date, time and location of the use of the measure;

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a description of the measure and its duration;

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details of any methods used or steps taken to avoid the need to use the measure;

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the name of the person who used the measure ("the user"), and of any other person present when the measure was used;

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the effectiveness and any consequences of the use of the measure; and

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a description of any injury to the child or any other person, and any medical treatment administered, as a result of the measure;

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within 48 hours of the use of the measure, the registered person, or a person who is authorised by the registered person to do so ("the authorised person")— 31 October 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: 2805231 10 has spoken to the user about the measure; and

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Requirement Due date

has signed the record to confirm it is accurate; and

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Requirement Due date

within 5 days of the use of the measure, the registered person or the authorised person adds to the record confirmation that they have spoken to the child about the measure. (Regulation 35 (1)(a)(b) (2) (3)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(viii)(b)(i)(ii)(c))

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The education standard is that children make measurable progress towards achieving their educational potential and are helped to do so.

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In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

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help each child to achieve the child’s education and training targets, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans;

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

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promote opportunities for each child to learn informally;

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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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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)(v)(viii)(x)) 31 October 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: 2805231 11 Specifically, the registered person must ensure that children are encouraged and supported to participate in learning throughout the period that they are not in full-time education.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if—

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a child is involved in or subject to, or is suspected of being involved in or subject to, sexual exploitation;

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an incident requiring police involvement occurs in relation to a child which the registered person considers to be serious;

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there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there;

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a child protection enquiry involving a child —

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concludes (in which case, the notification must include the outcome of the child protection enquiry); or

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there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious.

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A notification made under this regulation—

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the other persons, bodies or organisations (if any) who or which have been notified; and

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any actions taken by the registered person as a result of the matter.

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must be made or confirmed in writing. (Regulation 40 (a)(b)(c)(d)(i)(ii)(e) (5)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(b)) 31 October 2025

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Requirement Due date

* These requirements are subject to a compliance notice. Inspection report for children’s home: 2805231 12

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that the home is a nurturing and supportive environments that meet the needs of their children. The home should be a homely, domestic environments which also complies with relevant health and safety legislations (alarms, food hygiene etc.); however in doing so, homes should seek as far as possible to maintain a domestic rather than ‘institutional’ impression. (‘Guide to the Children’s Home Regulations’, page 54, paragraph 10.22)  The registered person should ensure that children receive care which meets their needs and promotes their welfare, taking account of the child’s religion, ethnicity and cultural background. Children would benefit from being supported by staff from a variety of different ethnic and cultural backgrounds. (‘Guide to the Children’s Home Regulations’, page 14, paragraph 3.2)

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Information about this inspection

The inspector has 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: 2805231 13

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Grace Live-in Carers T/A Grace24/7 Care Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Chambers Business Centre, Chapel Road, Oldham, Greater Manchester OL8 4QQ

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Inspector

Katie Tomlinson, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2805231 14 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.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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