Children's home run by The Together Trust in Stockport

Inspection report for children's home: SC025715 1 SC025715 Registered provider: Together Trust

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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 owned and managed by a charitable organisation. It is registered to care for up to three children with physical or learning disabilities.

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Information about this children’s home

Two children were living at the home at the time of the inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager has been in post since February 2020.

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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

Date of last inspection: 20 February 2025

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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: SC025715 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

20/02/2025 Full Good 30/01/2024 Full Outstanding 03/01/2023 Full Good 05/10/2021 Full Good Inspection report for children's home: SC025715 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children have lived in the home for several years. Since the last inspection, one child has moved out; this was well planned. Staff supported the child to visit their home and meet new staff before they moved in. When they moved out, the child received goodbye gifts and a memory book containing memories of their time in the home. This provides the child with valuable life-story moments.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children live in a pleasant home. However, some areas, including the flooring and windowpane in a lounge, need to be repaired. The manager has already identified the work required and has a plan for it to be completed.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s communication is supported by staff who are trained to use a variety of communication methods that are bespoke to children’s individual needs. These include picture exchange communication systems, photographs and Makaton. As a result, children can make choices and share their wishes and feelings. Staff use social stories to help one child understand their daily routines and any changes in the home. As a result, their understanding of his care has improved greatly.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s time with their family is well promoted. Staff take a flexible approach to planning family time to ensure that it enhances children’s experiences. The children have enjoyed a summer holiday, and one child’s parent joined them, which meant the child enjoyed time with people who are important to them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have access to a wide range of fun activities in the local community. These experiences are captured in photo albums and memory books. Staff know about the local offer and use this to look for any specialist activities that meet children’s specific needs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Good-quality individual sessions take place, which demonstrate that children are making progress in their independence skills. They are learning skills in baking, vegetable preparation, setting the table and washing dishes.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children's cultural needs are met. Staff ensure that food is stored and prepared in line with children’s religious requirements. They help children to celebrate and explore religious events, such as Eid and Easter.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children are making good progress in all aspects of their life, including their independence, communication and relationships with staff. This is significant from the children’s starting points. Children’s achievements are well celebrated. The children recently received awards at the provider’s awards night in recognition of the progress they have made with their communication, health and well-being. Inspection report for children's home: SC025715 4

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

Safeguarding practice is effective. Staff have a good understanding of children’s needs, vulnerabilities and the potential risks they may be exposed to. Staff know how to report and respond to concerns. Parents say that they know children are kept safe in the home.

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

The manager has ensured that fire practices in the home are safe. Each child has a personal emergency evacuation plan that provides staff with the support needs of all children in the event of a fire. All staff are suitably trained in fire safety and children regularly take part in fire evacuations.

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

Medication is suitably stored. There are robust measures in place in relation to medication, including regular medication audits. Staff are trained to administer medication and receive annual competency assessments to ensure their continued understanding of how to safely manage medications.

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

Children benefit from being supported by a skilled staff team. Recently, a positive behaviour team and occupational therapists have supported staff to further understand children’s behaviour. Children now have more-detailed behaviour support plans, which outline creative strategies to help staff be attuned to the children’s needs. As a result, children are managing their emotions better.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is qualified and has worked in the home for several years. She is motivated and enthusiastic. Staff say that she is an amazing advocate for the children and will challenge others to ensure that the children’s needs are met.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Children are supported by a nurturing and dedicated staff team who know them well. Staff have worked in the home for some time and they have a diverse mix of skills. The consistency of a skilled staff team helps to improve outcomes for children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff are complimentary about the support that they receive from leaders and managers. Staff say that they enjoy working in the home and all work well together. They demonstrate a committed and dedicated approach. For example, staff have taken part in fundraising nights to raise funds for the home’s outdoor equipment.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff practice develops because of the good-quality support and regular, reflective supervision they receive. The manager ensures that the staff receive annual appraisals. Team meetings take place regularly. They are well attended and an opportunity for staff to share information about children, which supports consistency of practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home is fully staffed. All staff have completed the relevant training to meet children’s needs, including safeguarding training. However, the safeguarding training does not include information to enhance staff’s understanding of specific safeguarding risks and vulnerabilities for disabled children. Inspection report for children's home: SC025715 5 The manager understands the home’s strengths and areas for development. She uses monitoring tools and action plans to continually improve the quality of care. However, feedback from children and families is not captured in the home’s review of care report. This is a missed opportunity to demonstrate how their views contribute to service development. A recommendation has been made to address this.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Feedback from professionals is positive. They say that there is good communication and the children have well-established routines, which mean they are thriving and achieving their goals. Inspection report for children's home: SC025715 6

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that consultations with children and stakeholders are clearly reflected in the home’s quality of care report. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards,’ page 55, paragraph 10.24)

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that the children’s home is a nurturing and supportive environment that meets the needs of the children. They will, in most cases, be homely, domestic environments. This relates to updating the second lounge flooring and windowpane and replacing the beading on the floor of the third bedroom and redecorate. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards,’ page 15 paragraph 3.9)

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that staff have safeguarding training specifically in relation to children with disabilities and provide opportunities for managers to develop leadership and management skills. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards,’ page 53, paragraph 10.12)

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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: SC025715 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Together Trust Centre, Schools Hill, Cheadle, Cheshire SK8 1JE

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Inspectors

Judith Birchall, Social Care Inspector Sonja Vega, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: SC025715 8 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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