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

Inspection report for children’s home: SC043697 1 SC043697 Registered provider: Halliwell Homes Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is privately owned and provides care for up to four children who may experience a range of social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in April 2023.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

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good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

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good

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

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC043697 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

08/05/2024 Full Good 18/07/2023 Full Good 07/12/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good 15/08/2022 Full Inadequate Inspection report for children’s home: SC043697 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s moves both into and out of the home are managed in a child-focused way. When children’s moves from the home are unplanned, staff work hard to ensure that children experience positive moves out of the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support children to develop a sense of belonging and stability. However, children are aware that their stays are not long term, which affects their ability to properly settle and have certainty about where they live.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children receive good-quality care from a staff team that knows them well. Staff take the time to develop positive and trusting relationships with children. As a result, staff have a clear understanding of children’s needs and respond to children’s behaviours in a supportive manner.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support children’s health and well-being effectively, ensuring they have access to appropriate health services. Medication is administered by staff and this is generally well documented.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff promote positive relationships with children’s families. Staff support family time in line with children’s plans, which, at times, includes staff taking children a considerable distance. This has enabled children to maintain relationships with their families.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children attend school regularly and are making progress in accordance with their individual plans. Staff at both the home and school collaborate effectively to support children’s educational development. After school, staff spend time with children discussing their day, demonstrating genuine interest in their experiences, views and feelings.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children actively participate in charity work to deepen their understanding of community issues and to help build their self-esteem and sense of personal value. Children are encouraged to choose their own activities, promoting autonomy and engagement. However, there is further work required to introduce more structured and planned group activities.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Some communal areas of the home have door locks that prevent children from accessing these rooms. Also, door alarms are used as a blanket approach and are not in line with children’s individual needs and safety.

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

Staff support children to learn how to keep themselves safe, delivering guidance both proactively and in response to incidents. This approach helps children develop awareness and strategies to manage risks in their daily lives. Inspection report for children’s home: SC043697 4 Each child has individual risk assessments and care plans. However, there are weaknesses in the documentation that underpins individualised care. Placement plans, behaviour support assessments and individual plans are not consistently updated, and they lack clarity regarding children’s progress and outcomes. The use of a RAG (red, amber and green) rating system does not accurately reflect risks or responses, and therapeutic support identified as necessary is not in place. These gaps undermine the home’s ability to fully demonstrate high standards of personalised care.

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

Targeted workshops have been delivered to raise awareness and equip children with appropriate strategies to manage and talk about bullying. This helps children to talk about any concerns they may have.

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

Physical interventions are managed well, and these incidents are clearly documented. Staff conduct debriefs with children following each intervention, and discussions include why this happened and any learning. This is then shared with the staff team.

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

Consequences are not always appropriate and fair. On occasion, the consequences given are excessive and do not consistently support children to learn from their behaviours. Not all consequences are reviewed by managers, which is a missed opportunity to review and evaluate care practices in the home and any changes required.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

An experienced and qualified registered manager manages the home. The manager has an ambitious vision of the developments he wants to achieve. He has good relationships with children and staff, who all talk about his positivity.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers demonstrate a commitment to promoting positive outcomes for children. Staff report feeling supported and valued in the workplace, with opportunities for professional development and training that enhance their ability to deliver individualised care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Feedback from professionals and parents is positive, highlighting the quality of relationships and the care provided. However, there are weaknesses in the documentation that underpins individualised care. This is a missed opportunity to capture all the work undertaken to support each child’s progress and experiences.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Team meetings are held regularly and used as an opportunity to discuss the children and pick up on staff practice. Supervision is also used as an opportunity to reflect on practice and identify any areas for development.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers appear to understand the home’s strengths, particularly in relation to staff commitment and external relationships. However, there are several operational shortfalls that have not been addressed in a timely manner. These include unresolved maintenance issues, such as a broken dryer, unfixed children’s bikes and a TV Inspection report for children’s home: SC043697 5 not replaced for a child. The magnetic lock on the main gate also remains non- functional, despite this being raised in team meetings.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The statement of purpose and children’s guide require amendments to ensure that they accurately reflect the current service and expectations. These issues suggest that while strengths are recognised, weaknesses are not consistently identified or acted on with sufficient urgency. However, this has not impacted on the quality of care for children. Inspection report for children’s home: SC043697 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 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. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that children’s plans include all known risks and vulnerabilities, with clear strategies for staff to manage these in practice. 8 December 2025

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Requirement Due date

the privacy of children is appropriately protected;

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Requirement Due date

any limitation placed on a child’s privacy or access to any area of the home’s premises—

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Requirement Due date

is intended to safeguard each child accommodated in the home;

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Requirement Due date

is kept under review and, if necessary, revised; and

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Requirement Due date

allows children as much freedom as is possible when balanced against the need to protect them and keep them safe. (Regulation 21 (a)(c)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)) 8 December 2025

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Requirement Due date

The quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who— 8 December 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: SC043697 7 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 to children personal items that are appropriate for their age and understanding; and

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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)(viii)(c)(i))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that the home environment is clean and any damage is repaired as quickly as possible.

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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: SC043697 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Halliwell Homes Limited

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Children’s home details

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

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Inspector

Deborah Turner, Social Care Inspector Gareth Dakin, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC043697 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.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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