Children's home run by Care Today (Childrens Services) Ltd

Inspection report for children’s home: SC005589 1 SC005589 Registered provider: Care Today Children’s Services Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home registered with Ofsted in 2001 and is operated by a private provider. It offers care for up to two children who experience social and emotional difficulties and/or have learning disabilities.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of this inspection, two children were living at the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in August 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 requires improvement to be 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: 22 October 2024

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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: SC005589 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

22/10/2024 Full Good 29/08/2023 Full Good 30/08/2022 Full Good 28/04/2021 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: SC005589 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Both children spoke with the inspectors as part of the inspection. Both children have remained in the home since the last inspection and continue to make good progress. This is supported by staff who understand their needs and care about them. The children benefit from clear boundaries and consistent rules, which provide a strong sense of security. They report that staff listen to them and help them access the services they need.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported and encouraged to engage in education, and both children have good attendance. Staff attend important meetings with education professionals to ensure that children are meeting developmental milestones, which has encouraged children’s future aspirations.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have clear health plans and are registered with the relevant primary healthcare services. Staff receive guidance from relevant health professionals to support their work with individual children and to implement agreed strategies and support. This provides continuity for each child. Medication is stored safely, and records are maintained on the administration of medication.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children benefit from contributing positively to their home through regular key-work sessions and consultation. These sessions provide children with the opportunity to reflect on their behaviour and discuss any worries they have.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support children in spending time with their families. This ensures that children remain close to the people who are important to them and benefit from being involved in a wider support network outside of the home.

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

Staff understand children’s vulnerabilities and the risks that some behaviours may pose to their welfare and safety. Good levels of supervision and support, along with good- quality risk assessments, help protect children and minimise the risk of harm.

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

Staff receive regular safeguarding training and have a good understanding of their duties in promoting children’s welfare. Staff are confident in the procedures to follow should any concerns arise.

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

The manager ensures that staff follow locally agreed protocols when children go missing from care. In such instances, staff liaise with the police and maintain detailed records of the actions taken. Children have access to an independent person to speak to on their return home. This supports staff in gathering information to help prevent future incidents. Inspection report for children’s home: SC005589 4 Physical interventions are relatively infrequent due to the positive relationships between children and staff. When incidents occur, they are monitored and evaluated effectively by the manager. Debriefs routinely take place with children and staff to provide opportunities to reflect on each incident and learn from the experiences.

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

Staff carry out regular health and safety checks and follow a range of safety procedures to protect children from potential hazards. However, staff do not secure the front door after entering or leaving the premises. For example, inspectors were able to enter the home unchallenged until calling out for staff. This poses a potential risk to children and staff.

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

When appointing staff, the manager follows safer recruitment practice guidelines. As a result, only individuals deemed suitable to work with vulnerable children work at the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The manager has had to take some time away from the home, and other managers have provided cover. This has affected the review and monitoring systems in place. For example, not all care planning information is included in children’s individual plans. Furthermore, inaccurate information is included in each child’s file. As a result, there has been inconsistent oversight of children’s records.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Children’s care planning documents are generally available to staff. However, when key documents are missing, managers have not always escalated such issues with the local authority within appropriate time frames. As a result, staff do not always have access to the most recent documentation regarding children’s reviews of care, care plans and education.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The quality of care review lacks sufficient detail regarding the quality of the care children receive, as well as the leadership and management of the home. As a result, there has been no systematic monitoring, identification of patterns and trends, or evaluation of the effectiveness of the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Although there have been some recent changes in the staff team, a core group of experienced staff remain, providing continuity of care for children. New staff are supported to become familiar with their roles and to develop the required skills and competencies through effective induction and training.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Staff receive a wide range of relevant training that supports their practice and enables them to understand and meet children’s needs. Staff are up to date with training. Communication between team members is good. Handovers are child focused and detailed and provide each staff member with clear guidance on the work that they are to carry out with children. Inspection report for children’s home: SC005589 5 The manager ensures that staff receive regular, good-quality supervision, training and team meetings. These provide opportunities for staff to reflect on their practice, develop their skills and enhance the quality of care they provide to children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Managers and staff have developed positive working relationships with a range of external agencies, including placing social workers and education departments. This collaborative approach ensures that children’s needs are met in a coordinated and effective manner. Social workers speak highly of the care provided, with one commenting, ‘In my opinion, the care and attention they receive from the staff is excellent, and all staff members understand each child individually. I have no concerns.’ Inspection report for children’s home: SC005589 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

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)(d))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that the external front door of the home cannot be accessed from outside. 10 January 2026

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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

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(h))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that monitoring systems are in place so that swift and effective action can be taken to address any shortfalls in the recording of children’s paperwork. 10 January 2026

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must maintain records (“case records”) for each child which— 10 January 2026 Inspection report for children’s home: SC005589 7 include the information and documents listed in Schedule 3 in relation to each child;

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that they have all relevant local authority documentation for the children living at the home.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must complete a review of the quality of care provided for children (“a quality of care review”) at least once every 6 months.

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Requirement Due date

In order to complete a quality of care review the registered person must establish and maintain a system for monitoring, reviewing and evaluating—

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Requirement Due date

the quality of care provided for children;

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Requirement Due date

the feedback and opinions of children about the children’s home, its facilities and the quality of care they receive in it; and any actions that the registered person considers necessary in order to improve or maintain the quality of care provided for children.

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Requirement Due date

After completing a quality of care review, the registered person must produce a written report about the quality of care review and the actions which the registered person intends to take as a result of the quality of care review (“the quality of care review report”).

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Requirement Due date

The system referred to in paragraph (2) must provide for ascertaining and considering the opinions of children, their parents, placing authorities and staff. (Regulation 45 (1) (2)(a)(b)(c) (3) (4) (5))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that the quality of care review report includes evaluation and analysis of specific areas, including staffing information and the views of children and stakeholders. 10 January 2026 Inspection report for children’s home: SC005589 8

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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: SC005589 9

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Care Today Children’s Services

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 2nd Floor, Lansdowne House, 85 Buxton Road, Stockport, Cheshire SK2 6LR

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Inspectors

Dave Carrigan, Social Care Inspector Michelle Mcgrath, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC005589 10 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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