Children's home run by The Together Trust in Stockport

Inspection report for children’s home: SC025714 1 SC025714 Registered provider: The 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

This home is operated by a charity. It offers care for up to five children who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of this inspection, four children were living in the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in June 2017.

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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: 15 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: SC025714 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

15/10/2024 Full Good 06/02/2024 Full Good 04/01/2023 Full Good 08/03/2022 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: SC025714 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Two children have lived at the home for several years, providing them with stability and a sense of belonging. Two children moved to the home in emergency situations and were welcomed sensitively by staff. One child has lived at the home for a short period of time. Staff are supporting them to adjust to this move.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

One child moved on from the home in an unplanned way. This decision was agreed with agencies involved with the child, taking account of the feelings of other children living at the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children take part in a range of positive activities. Staff encourage children to try new things and develop their individual interests. This includes competitive bike riding, horse riding and joining youth organisations. Children enjoy visiting local attractions and holidays abroad together.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s education is a priority for everyone at the home. Staff supported two children to sit their GCSE exams, and they are attending post-16 education regularly. Managers work closely with education professionals, who say that staff maintain regular communication. This helps children to achieve their educational outcomes and aspirations for the future.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s health needs are understood by staff. Staff support children to attend routine health appointments and talk to children about why they are important. Children access specialist health support when this is necessary.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children spend time with people who are important to them. One child spends time with family members who live some distance away. Staff support children to understand their complex family dynamics.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are helped to develop their independence skills. For example, children use public transport safely and are learning how to manage their money. These informal learning opportunities help children prepare to live independently in the future.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children live in a safe, welcoming home. Staff support children to personalise their bedrooms. However, written consent for the use of bedroom door alarms is not obtained from placing authorities when children move to live at the home.

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

The safety and welfare of children are at the centre of staff practice. Risk assessments and support plans address children’s needs and vulnerabilities. Plans provide clear guidance to staff about how children need to be supported and are regularly reviewed. Inspection report for children’s home: SC025714 4 Staff understand their responsibilities in keeping children safe and know how to respond to safeguarding concerns. Allegations of harm are treated seriously and investigated thoroughly. Staff carry out room searches when necessary to ensure children’s safety. However, records do not consistently demonstrate that children are told about the room search, or what items that may impact on children’s safety are removed.

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

Records of incidents are detailed, with clear oversight from managers. Staff are supported to reflect on their practice and identify any learning. Key work sessions support children to learn about issues that may impact on their safety. For example, children learn about healthy relationships and staying safe online. Children say that staff help them to stay safe.

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

Children rarely go missing from home. When children are missing, staff follow missing from home protocols, maintain contact with children and go out looking for them. Professionals and family members are informed, and independent return home interviews take place.

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

Staff support children to take their prescribed medication. Records demonstrate suitable arrangements for the safe recording and administration of medication.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home is led by an experienced and suitably qualified manager. She is supported by an experienced assistant manager and together they provide strong leadership to staff. They are knowledgeable about how children need to be supported and their nurturing approach is embedded with the staff team.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Managers understand the homes strengths and areas for development. They have robust oversight of the work staff do. Monitoring systems support managers to identify any shortfalls in staff practice quickly, track patterns or trends and improve staff practice. However, managers do not consistently submit notifications of serious incidents to Ofsted without delay. This reduces the level of external oversight to ensure that children are safe and well cared for.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

A core team of staff provide consistent care to children. Agency staff have not been used. All staff receive regular supervision that enables them to reflect on their practice. Staff say that they are supported to learn and develop. Good communication and teamwork ensure that children receive safe, consistent care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff complete mandatory training as set out in the homes statement of purpose. Training to help staff respond to children’s individual needs is provided and help build staffs confidence in caring for children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Team meetings take place regularly. They provide an opportunity for manager sot share important messages about the organisation and how the home operates. Staff say that they contribute to these meetings and have open discussions with managers. Inspection report for children’s home: SC025714 5 External professionals shared positive feedback about the home and the care that children receive. Inspection report for children’s home: SC025714 6

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered person 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 must comply within the given timescales.

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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)) 28 January 2026

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that room search records clearly demonstrate the grounds for the room search and whether the child has been asked for their permission. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’ page 16, paragraph 3.20)  The registered person should ensure that consent for the use of bedroom door alarms is gained in writing from the placing authority when a child moves to live at the home. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’ page 16, paragraph 3.16)

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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: SC025714 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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Inspector

Anna Belshaw, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC025714 8 and inspects 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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