Children's Home run by Social Care Services (Clayton) Limited in Stockport

Assurance inspection report for children's home: 1263425 1 Registered provider: Social 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

The home is owned by a private company. It is registered to provide care for two children who may experience social or emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children's home

At the time of the inspection, two children were living in the home. One child moved out on the day of inspection. One child spoke to the inspector about their experience of living there.

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Information about this children's home

The manager registered with Ofsted in October 2023.

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Information about this children's home

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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Information about this inspection

At this inspection, the inspector evaluated:

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Information about this inspection

 the care of children  the safety of children  the effectiveness of leaders and managers. Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children, using the social care common inspection framework. This assurance 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’. Assurance inspection report for children's home: 1263425 2

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Findings from the inspection

We identified serious and widespread concerns in relation to the care or protection of children at this assurance inspection.

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Findings from the inspection

Since the last inspection, one child has moved out of the home and one child has recently moved in. On the day of the inspection, one child was moving out as it had been identified that staff could not keep the child safe.

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Findings from the inspection

There has been an escalation in serious incidents in the home since the last inspection. This has included the police being contacted to help staff manage children’s behaviours. The incident reports lack detail, reflection and managerial oversight. The staff do not have effective behaviour support strategies in place and staff are not clear about when a bedroom search should be undertaken. Serious incidents are not always reported to Ofsted, which limits the regulator’s oversight of the home.

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Findings from the inspection

On more than one occasion, there have been incidents in the home. These include a child having access to highly sensitive information and, on another occasion, a child set fire to their important documents outside of the home.

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Findings from the inspection

Children’s risk management plans do not include all known risks or guidance for staff to follow to keep children safe. Staff do not always engage children in meaningful conversations following incidents or when risks are identified. This does not help children to understand risk and manage their emotions and behaviours safely.

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Findings from the inspection

Physical intervention has been required on one occasion. However, this has not been reviewed or overseen by leaders when the manager was involved in holding the child. This does not ensure formal opportunities for reflection and professional challenge.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff understand children’s risks relating to being missing from home and are proactive in their responses. On children’s return home, they receive support from an independent person.

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Findings from the inspection

Children are supported to express their views and feelings. When allegations have been made, the manager has notified relevant safeguarding professionals. However, the manager has not taken advice from the local authority designated officer, which could help strengthen staff practice.

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Findings from the inspection

Areas of the home are not safe. During the inspection, it was identified that hazardous items were not stored safely. Storage areas were not locked and two doors in the home are not fire compliant.

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Findings from the inspection

Management oversight of safeguarding practice in the home is poor and does not identify and address all shortfalls in practice. Due to staff shortages, the manager Assurance inspection report for children's home: 1263425 3 regularly works shifts in the home, which significantly impact his ability to have full oversight and focus on his management role. The lack of oversight means that opportunities for the leadership team to make continuous improvements are missed.

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Findings from the inspection

Following this inspection, a case review was held and the decision was made to issue compliance notices under regulation 12, the protection of children standard and 13, the leadership and management standard.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

13/05/2025 Full Good 25/06/2024 Full Good 02/05/2023 Full Requires improvement to be good 16/06/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good Assurance inspection report for children's home: 1263425 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 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

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 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 located so that children are effectively safeguarded; 14 December 2025 Assurance inspection report for children's home: 1263425 5 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; and

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Requirement Due date

that the effectiveness of the home's child protection policies is monitored regularly. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(b)(d)(e))

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Requirement Due date

Ensure that staff understand their roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children.

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Requirement Due date

Ensure that staff understand how to identify escalating or emerging risks and respond quickly to keep children safe.

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Requirement Due date

Ensure that risk assessments include children's known risks and that staff understand each child's individual needs and risks.

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Requirement Due date

Ensure that staff understand what action they are expected to take to reduce known risks.

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Requirement Due date

Ensure that staff complete regular, planned direct work with children to help them understand how to keep safe.

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Requirement Due date

Ensure that staff understand the action that they are expected to take to reduce the risk of fire setting in the home.

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Requirement Due date

Ensure that maintenance issues in the home are rectified and the home is made safe for children. In particular, repairs to the lounge door and the staff bedroom must be addressed and made fire safety compliant.

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Requirement Due date

Ensure that all hazardous materials and items are stored securely.

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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— 14 December 2025 Assurance inspection report for children's home: 1263425 6 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 work as a team where appropriate;

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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

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 and experiences 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

demonstrate that practice in the home is informed and improved by taking into account and acting on—

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Requirement Due date

research and developments in relation to the ways in which the needs of children are best met; and

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Requirement Due date

feedback on the experiences of children, including complaints received; 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)(b)(c)(e)(f)(h))

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Requirement Due date

Ensure that staff have the experience, training and skills to meet the needs of each child, particularly in respect of behaviour management.

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Requirement Due date

Ensure that staff implement consistent rules and boundaries in the home and that children receive consistent care from all staff.

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Requirement Due date

Ensure that there is management oversight of safeguarding incidents and that any shortfalls in staff practice are identified and addressed.

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Requirement Due date

Leaders and managers must ensure that they continuously monitor the care provided to children, as well as Assurance inspection report for children's home: 1263425 7 continuously reviewing the systems and procedures in place to keep the children safe.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if—

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Requirement Due date

an incident requiring police involvement occurs in relation to a child which the registered person considers to be serious;

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Requirement Due date

there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40 (4)(b)(e)) 14 December 2025

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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;

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Requirement Due date

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

supply to HMCI a copy of the quality of care review report within 28 days of the date on which the quality of care review is completed;

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Requirement Due date

and make a copy of the quality of care review report available on request to a placing authority, if the placing authority is not the parent of a child accommodated in the home. (Regulation 45 (1) (2)(a)(b)(c) (4)(a)(b)) 14 December 2025

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Requirement Due date

*These requirements are subject to a compliance notice. Assurance inspection report for children's home: 1263425 8

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Recommendations

 The registered person should have a workforce plan which should detail the processes and agreed timescales for staff to achieve induction, probation and any core training. (‘Guide to the Children's Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 53, paragraph 10.8)

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that all staff are familiar with the home's internal whistle-blowing procedures. (‘Guide to the Children's Homes Regulations, including the quality standards', page 53, paragraph 10.09)

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that all staff complete records in a way that is helpful to children and write them in a non-stigmatising way. (‘Guide to Children's Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4) Assurance inspection report for children's home: 1263425 9

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Social Care Services Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Social Care Services Group, 31 Shaw Road, Stockport SK4 4AG

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Annabella Foulkes

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Inspector

Michelle Snape, Social Care Inspector Assurance inspection report for children's home: 1263425 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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