Children's Home run by Kingsway Children’s Home Limited in Manchester

Inspection report for children’s home: 2742235 1 Registered provider: Kingsway Children’s Home Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is owned by a private provider. It offers care for one child who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of this inspection, one child was living at the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The home and manager registered with Ofsted in October 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: 2742235 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

19/06/2024 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2742235 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Since the last inspection, one child has moved out of the home and another child has moved in. The child’s ending was planned when it was apparent that their needs could not be met at the home. The child currently living at the home has made good progress since moving in.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Before a new child moves into the home, the manager liaises with relevant professionals to assess the home’s suitability for the child’s needs. Children are offered the opportunity to visit beforehand and are welcomed sensitively on arrival. When children move on from the home, practice is reviewed to identify and share any learning.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

When children’s educational needs are not met, the manager collaborates with external agencies to tackle barriers to learning. The manager advocates well for children and raises concerns with the right people. This includes securing specialist help and after- school tutoring. The child living at the home has been supported to return to full-time education after a long period of absence, and the child is being supported to achieve their full potential in education.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff work closely with the child to raise their aspirations for the future. Consequently, the child can explore opportunities that reflect their interest in football. Work is underway to secure sports-based educational placements for the child when they finish full-time education.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child is helped to express their individuality. Staff listen to the child about the way they want to live their life, and they support them in doing so safely. The child can access an array of activities in the community, such as training for a local football team, going to the cinema, bowling, and visiting virtual reality hubs. Staff also support the child’s interest in online gaming and often spend time playing interactively with them. This helps the child feel valued and builds their confidence and self-esteem.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child is encouraged and rewarded for developing life skills that promote independence, including contributing to meal planning and leading meal preparation.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child finds it difficult to express their wishes and feelings to staff and other professionals, which has at times led to a breakdown in relationships with staff. To support the child in overcoming this, the manager has arranged for a children’s advocate to help the child have their voice heard. Restorative approaches to repairing relationships have been explored; however, this remains an ongoing area for development for the manager and staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child’s cultural background is understood and respected. Staff support the child in identifying specialist stores where they can obtain ingredients that reflect their culture, helping them to maintain a strong sense of identity. Children are also encouraged to Inspection report for children’s home: 2742235 4 celebrate cultural festivals of interest, promoting social connection and shared experiences with staff in the home.

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

Staff and managers respond promptly and effectively to safeguarding incidents. Following an incident, children and staff receive debriefs, and the manager reviews and evaluates each situation thoroughly. These processes inform an ongoing review of risk assessments and behaviour support plans, ensuring that staff have clear guidance about how to care for children safely and effectively.

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

Positive behaviour is consistently reinforced through rewards, while consequences are used sparingly. Physical intervention is rare and only occurs when necessary to ensure children’s safety.

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

When the child goes missing from home, staff respond swiftly and follow the protocols to locate them in a timely manner, often without the need for police involvement. When police assistance is required, staff work collaboratively to ensure the child’s safe return home. Missing-from-home risk assessments are regularly reviewed and consider the underlying reasons for the child’s absence, helping to reduce the frequency of missing- from-home incidents.

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

Regular multi-agency meetings are held to ensure that the child’s complex needs are fully understood and met. The placing authority works closely with managers to agree on clear objectives. However, there have been gaps in information-sharing regarding the child’s future care arrangements. The manager continues to work with the local authority to address this, ensuring that future planning for the child is cohesive and consistent.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is suitably experienced and leads by example. He is enthusiastic about his role and has high aspirations for children’s outcomes. He knows the child well. Staff speak highly of the support the manager provides to them and compliment his ability to create opportunities for individual growth.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive regular supervision and meaningful appraisals. New staff follow a gradual induction plan that focuses on developing their skills. The manager is committed to supporting all staff in their career progression.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive training tailored to the child’s needs. Training covers topics such as trauma, emotional well-being, and safeguarding. The manager works with partners to commission therapeutic support for children and explores creative opportunities to secure the best outcomes. The manager has effective oversight of staff practice and carries out regular audits of records. The manager also uses the information from the independent person’s monthly reports to develop the home. Inspection report for children’s home: 2742235 5 The manager takes complaints made by children seriously and responds promptly. Investigations are carried out in collaboration with the local authority designated officer, staff and the child. Disciplinary action is taken where appropriate, and staff are supported in understanding their roles and responsibilities to children. However, there has been an instance where agreed time frames with the placing authority were not

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

communicated effectively, which has affected the relationship between the registered manager and the local authority. Inspection report for children’s home: 2742235 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

In meeting the quality standards, the registered person must, and must ensure that staff—

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Requirement Due date

seek to involve each child’s placing authority effectively in the child’s care, in accordance with the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

seek to secure the input and services required to meet each child’s needs;

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Requirement Due date

if the registered person considers, or staff consider, a placing authority’s or a relevant person’s performance or response to be inadequate in relation to their role, challenge the placing authority or the relevant person to seek to ensure that each child’s needs are met in accordance with the child’s relevant plans; and

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Requirement Due date

seek to develop and maintain effective professional relationships with such persons, bodies or organisations as the registered person considers appropriate having regard to the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the children’s home is to provide care and accommodation. (Regulation 5 (a)(b)(c)(d))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must maintain consistent communication with the local authority. 19 December 2025

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

develop positive relationships with them;

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Requirement Due date

take their views, wishes and feelings into account in relation to matters affecting the children’s care and welfare and their lives. (Regulation 7 (1)(a)(b)(c)) 19 December 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: 2742235 7 Specifically, the registered person must explore creative opportunities to support the voice of the child.

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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: 2742235 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Kingsway Children’s Home Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 163 Kingsway, Manchester M19 2ND

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Inspector

Jon Dutton, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2742235 9 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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