Children's Home run by Unity Residential Care Services Limited in Cheshire East

Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: 2561970 1 Registered provider: Unity Residential Care Services Limited

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This privately owned children’s home offers care for up to three children who may have social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

There were three children living in the home at the time of the inspection. Two children spoke to the inspector.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager left their position on 2 October 2025. Two acting managers have been appointed. One manager is yet to submit her application to register with Ofsted.

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This monitoring visit

This monitoring visit took place following an increase in safeguarding notifications from the provider relating to children’s behaviour. In addition, Ofsted received an anonymous complaint.

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This monitoring visit

Management oversight and monitoring systems are ineffective. As a result, leaders and managers do not have sufficient oversight of the care provided to children.

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This monitoring visit

Staffing challenges have significantly impacted on the quality of care provided to children and at times, their safety has been compromised. This has meant that children are not always cared for by familiar staff. Additionally, staff have not always understood or felt confident in meeting the specific needs of the children they are caring for.

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This monitoring visit

Supervision sessions do not always provide staff with the opportunity to reflect and discuss serious incidents and other matters affecting the home. Supervision records Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: 2561970 2 vary in quality; actions raised during supervision are not always acted upon and work-related practice issues are not always thoroughly addressed.

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This monitoring visit

Some external professionals report that they have not always had timely updates provided by managers and the staff team. One child’s social worker had not had an outcome regarding a safeguarding concern. Leaders and managers sought clarity regarding this matter and provided the local authority with an update.

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This monitoring visit

Feedback from children’s social workers has varied. Each of the children’s social workers acknowledged that children have experienced stability in relation to their permanence. However, one child’s social worker said that staff have not always been proactive at engaging children in play and activities that encourage social development.

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This monitoring visit

Management arrangements now ensure an audit of practice-related matters. This has included a review of policies and procedures. An action plan has been put in place with review timescales agreed. These are being monitored and overseen by the responsible individual.

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This monitoring visit

De-escalation techniques and strategies have not been consistently implemented when children have had heightened behaviour. This has led to situations escalating, and other children in the home feeling frightened and isolated. This does not send a positive message to children that staff have the skills to support children when they are in crisis. The use of physical interventions has been safe or effective .

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This monitoring visit

Children and staff have not always been provided with debriefs following physical intervention and there has not been consistent management oversight and evaluation of these incidents.

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This monitoring visit

When children have made allegations and complaints to leaders and managers, they have been reassured and listened to, and their complaints have been acted upon and reported in a timely manner. One child told the inspector that they have started to see changes in the home recently and feel more confident in the management of the staff team and the changes in the home, such as new furniture and adaptations to the garden. Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: 2561970 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

17/06/2025 Full Good 05/11/2024 Full Good 04/10/2023 Full Requires improvement to be good 07/03/2023 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: 2561970 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 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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Requirement Due date

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

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

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child;

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Requirement Due date

understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress of each child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home;

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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.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(c)(d)(e)(f)(h))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring that a staff debrief and review takes place after the home’s recent turbulent period. 7 December 2025 Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: 2561970 5 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

meet each child’s behavioural and emotional needs, as set out in the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

encourage each child to take responsibility for the child’s behaviour, in accordance with the child’s age and understanding;

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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; 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;

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Requirement Due date

de-escalate confrontations with or between children, or potentially violent behaviour by children.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 11 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(i)(iii)(iv)(v)(ix)(xi))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that staff have the confidence, knowledge and skills to help children manage their behaviour in line with their care plans to prevent children’s behaviour from escalating.

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Requirement Due date

Additionally, staff must have the skills to de-escalate behaviour which is damaging or violent in a way that does 7 December 2025 Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: 2561970 6 not cause further distress or harm to the child or children living in the home.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated.

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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

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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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

that the effectiveness of the home’s child protection policies is monitored regularly.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(e))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that staff understand their roles and responsibilities in ensuring that children are safe from harm at all times. 7 December 2025 Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: 2561970 7 Additionally, that staff encourage positive interactions between children living in the home and manage these relationships in line with children’s individual risk assessments.

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Requirement Due date

*This requirement is subject to a compliance notice.

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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: 2561970 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Unity Residential Care Services Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 2 Lymevale Court, Lyme Drive, Parklands, Stoke- on-Trent ST4 6NW

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Emmaline Scoular

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Inspector

Michelle Greenhalgh, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: 2561970 9 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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