Children's home run by The Together Trust in Stockport

Assurance inspection report for children's home: SC025740 1 SC025740

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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 six children who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of this inspection, two children were living at the home. All the children were seen and spoken to by the inspector.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in May 2019.

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Information about this children’s home

Date of last inspection: 10 September 2025

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Information about this children’s home

Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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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: SC025740 2

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Findings from the inspection

We did not identify any serious or 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 on from the home in a planned way. Managers and staff worked with parents and professionals to ensure that the child was supported with this move. Staff remain in contact with the child, in line with placing authority plans.

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Findings from the inspection

Two children have lived at the home for several years. Children are cared for by a stable staff team, who know them well. Children benefit from these trusted relationships, and they are provided with stability and a sense of permanence.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff talk to children about matters that are important to them and help them to stay safe. This includes helping children to understand risks when using the internet and healthy relationships.

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Findings from the inspection

Children’s health and educational needs are understood by managers and staff. Children attend education regularly and they are supported to attend routine health appointments. Staff support children to access specialist support in relation to their physical health and emotional wellbeing when this is necessary.

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Findings from the inspection

The home environment is clean. The living room has been refurbished and provides children with a comfortable space to spend time. Plans for other areas of the home to be refurbished have progressed but are not complete.

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Findings from the inspection

Risk assessments and plans are individual to each child. However, one child’s plan does not contain adequate detail about how staff should respond when concerns about self-harm arise. This does not support staff to ensure that the child is safe.

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Findings from the inspection

Children rarely go missing from home. On one occasion when a child could not be located, staff followed missing from home procedures and searched for the child. The child was welcomed home sensitively by staff. The manager evaluated this incident however the record remained incomplete for several weeks after the incident.

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Findings from the inspection

The manager understands the teams strengths and areas for development. The manager has provided staff with training to help them to understand the importance of accurate recording and reporting. As a result, record-keeping has improved. Incidents of self-harm are recorded in a consistent way. Managers evaluate these incidents in a timely way which helps them to monitor practice and identify patterns and trends. A shortfall in staff practice following an incident of self-harm was identified and addressed promptly. Assurance inspection report for children's home: SC025740 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

10/09/2025 Full Requires improvement to be good 17/09/2024 Full Good 05/03/2024 Full Good 22/03/2023 Full Good Assurance inspection report for children's home: SC025740 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, 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. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure that staff—

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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

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 effectiveness of the home’s child protection policies is monitored regularly. (Regulation 12 (2)(a)(i)(vi)(e))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that all risk assessments contain clear steps for staff to follow should an incident arise. 27 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 promotes their welfare.

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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

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; 27 January 2026 Assurance inspection report for children's home: SC025740 5 use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(f)(h))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that incidents are recorded and evaluated in a timely way to establish patterns and trends and identify areas of learning in order to make continuous improvements.

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Requirement Due date

The quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children;

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Requirement Due date

use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential.

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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

ensure that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed and furnished so as to—

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Requirement Due date

enable each child to participate in the daily life of the home. (Regulation 6 (1) (2)(i)(ii))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that the home is well maintained to a high standard and any damage or maintenance issues are rectified in a timely manner.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated. 10 March 2026

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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 an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there; or 27 January 2026 Assurance inspection report for children's home: SC025740 6 there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40 (4)(b)(c)(e))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated.

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that children’s records are kept up to date and that recording is accurate, including dates and times. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’ page 62, paragraph 14.4). Assurance inspection report for children's home: SC025740 7

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Inspector

Anna Belshaw, Social Care Inspector Assurance inspection report for children's home: SC025740 8 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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Inspector

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