Children's home run by Invigor Adolescent Care Limited

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2680860 1 Registered provider: Invigor Adolescent Care Limited

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is privately operated and provides 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 this visit, the home’s registration was suspended, and no children were living there.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in April 2025.

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This monitoring visit

A full inspection was carried out on 6 and 7 August 2025. Inspectors identified serious concerns in relation to staff safeguarding practices and poor and ineffective leadership and management arrangements. Following the inspection, a notice to suspend the home’s registration was issued.

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This monitoring visit

The purpose of this visit was to monitor and review the actions taken by the provider to consider lifting the suspension notice. Although the provider has complied with the suspension notice, Ofsted determined that not enough action has been taken for the notice to be lifted.

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This monitoring visit

Following the inspection in August 2025, leaders and managers held a meeting with staff. Shortfalls were discussed with staff, and a detailed action plan was shared and discussed. However, the actions set by leaders and managers remain unaddressed, and there are no clear plans to address previous shortfalls.

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This monitoring visit

Leaders and managers allocated additional training to staff in areas such as missing from care and safeguarding. This training remains incomplete, and some training timescales have lapsed. The manager has carried out a workshop with staff focused on reporting and recording, during which reflective practice between the staff team Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2680860 2 was reported to have taken place; however, this is not clearly documented in the records. In addition, the manager informed the inspector that some members of staff did not agree with some of the shortfalls identified at the inspection, despite the significant risks and neglect of children. The provider was unable to demonstrate the effectiveness of additional training.

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This monitoring visit

Leaders and managers have not considered any ‘lessons learned’ following significant safeguarding incidents. Staff have not received supervision since the last inspection. Staff are not provided with opportunities to reflect and improve safeguarding practices, nor is the registered manager aware of the developmental or support needs of staff to be able to safely care for children.

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This monitoring visit

The manager informed the inspector they require another member of staff to be able to care for one child. They are actively recruiting staff members for this role. The previous deputy manager is now working at another home in the organisation. The senior team members are yet to be decided and appointed.

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This monitoring visit

There has been no scrutiny of the manager’s leadership or decision-making following the suspension. There are plans to recruit a supporting manager to focus on the training and quality assurance of the home; however, this is not in place. The manager has not had formal supervision sessions to consider previous failings and whether he is equipped to safely manage the home, lead the staff and care for children.

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This monitoring visit

The manager’s action plan identified the use of weekly reporting records to ensure that he has oversight of the day-to-day running of the home. These records were in place before the full inspection; however, they were not consistently completed by staff. The manager was unable to demonstrate how he will ensure that staff undertake this task.

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This monitoring visit

The home is having ongoing maintenance work, which is yet to be completed. As a result, the home is not yet ready to admit any children.

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This monitoring visit

There is no evidence that leaders and managers have considered shortfalls in staff practice or performance issues arising from serious safeguarding incidents. The absence of individual responsibility and reflective learning continues to raise serious concerns about the provider’s capacity to protect children from harm and to lead a safe and effective service.

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This monitoring visit

It is Ofsted’s view that it is unsafe to admit any children into the home while this level of risk and instability continues. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2680860 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

06/08/2025 Full Inadequate 30/04/2024 Full Good 14/06/2023 Full Good 07/02/2023 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2680860 4

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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 with 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

help each child to understand how to keep safe;

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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

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

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;

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Requirement Due date

that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed, furnished, and maintained so as to protect each child from avoidable hazards to the child’s health. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(v)(b)(d))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, leaders and managers must ensure that staff have the appropriate training, skills, and knowledge to take effective action to safeguard children. 30 October 2025

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Requirement Due date

The leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires, and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that— 30 October 2025 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2680860 5 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 have the experience, qualifications, and skills to meet the needs of each child;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child;

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Requirement Due date

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; and

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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)(c)(d)(f)(h))

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Requirement Due date

The registered provider must ensure that monitoring systems are used to identify and address shortfalls in the quality-of- care children receive. In addition, the registered provider must ensure that staff have the relevant skills and training to care for the children living in the home.

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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 out- comes 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— 30 October 2025 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2680860 6 help each child to understand and manage the impact of any experience of abuse or neglect;

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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

enable each child to participate in the daily life of the home. (Regulation 6 (1)(a) (2)(v)(vii)(c)(i)(ii))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, leaders and managers must ensure that all areas of the home, including children’s bedrooms, are always clean and maintained to an acceptable standard.

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Requirement Due date

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

help each child to develop socially aware behaviour;

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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

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; 30 October 2025 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2680860 7 de-escalate confrontations with or between children, or potentially violent behaviour by children. (Regulation 11 (1)(b)(c) (2)(a)(ii)(iv)(v)(ix)(xi))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that staff are able to support each child’s needs without the use of police intervention, unless necessary and proportionate.

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Requirement Due date

Additionally, staff must help each child understand their behaviour and what is and is not acceptable.

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Requirement Due date

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

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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

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

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Requirement Due date

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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Requirement Due date

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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Requirement Due date

promote opportunities for each child to learn informally. (Regulation 8 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(v))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement is restated. 30 October 2025

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees—

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the manager must ensure that supervision is completed in accordance with the statement of purpose. 30 October 2025 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2680860 8 The registered person must compile in relation to the children’s home a statement (“the statement of purpose”) which covers the matters listed in Schedule 1. (Regulation 16 (1))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that the statement of purpose details the home’s ethos and the methods used to achieve that approach. In addition, the staffing structure of the home must be included. 30 October 2025

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must maintain records (“case records”) for each child which—

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Requirement Due date

are signed and dated by the author of each entry. (Regulation 36 (1)(b)(c)) 30 October 2025

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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: 2680860 9

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Invigor Adolescent Care Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Warren Bruce Court, Warren Bruce Road, Trafford Park, Manchester M17 1LB

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Inspector

Nicola Rutherford, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2680860 10 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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