Children's Home run by Grace Live In Carers T/A Grace247Care Limited in Bolton

Inspection report children's home: 2805231 1 Registered provider: Grace Live In Carers T/A Grace247Care Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is registered to provide care for up to 3 children who may have social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of this inspection, one child was living at the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The home and the manager registered with Ofsted in May 2025.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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requires improvement to be good

How well children and young people are helped and protected requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The children’s home is not yet delivering good help and care for children and young people. However, there are no serious or widespread failures that result in their welfare not being safeguarded or promoted.

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requires improvement to be good

Date of last inspection: 16 September 2025

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: inadequate

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Enforcement action since last inspection:

This home was judged inadequate at the full inspection on 16 and 17 September 2025. Following this inspection, Ofsted issued two compliance notices under section 22A of the Care Standards Act 2000. These related to Regulation 12, ‘The protection of children standard’, and Regulation 13, ‘The leadership and management standard’.

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Enforcement action since last inspection:

A monitoring visit was carried out on 27 October 2025. Following this visit, a case review was held where the compliance notices were deemed to have been met. Inspection report children's home: 2805231 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

16/09/2025 Full Inadequate Inspection report children's home: 2805231 3

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improvement to be good

Staff build positive relationships with the child. They know the child well and treat them with dignity and respect. The child said that they enjoy living at the home and feel respected and listened to. They also said that if they have any worries or concerns, staff will help.

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improvement to be good

There is an education plan in place for the child. However, this is not meeting their needs. The manager attends education reviews with all professionals involved to discuss future plans. However, there is not sufficient challenge of relevant professionals to ensure that the child has access to suitable education arrangements.

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improvement to be good

Plans and risk assessments are in place to support staff to understand the child’s needs and provide consistent care. They are detailed and updated regularly. They provide strategies and guidance to staff. However, some strategies are not routinely applied by all staff, and this leads to confusion and inconsistency for the child. In addition, placing authority care plans are not always received following reviews and updates.

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improvement to be good

The child is supported to take part in a variety of activities that they are interested in, such as bowling, playing pool, playing football and spending time gaming. They are also supported to spend time with their friends. However, this is always in the community, and their friends do not visit the home. This is a missed opportunity to promote experiences that reflect typical family and social experiences and to encourage positive friendships.

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improvement to be good

Staff complete individual direct work sessions with the child. These cover a variety of topics relevant to the child’s aims and goals. However, this responsibility often falls solely on the key worker, which means there is no consistency or whole-team approach when tackling sensitive topics or providing information and guidance to the child, specifically around education and personal hygiene needs.

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improvement to be good

There have been improvements to the home environment since the last inspection, and the home is now much more homely. It is clean and tidy and there are soft furnishings and pictures throughout.

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improvement to be good

When the child raises safeguarding concerns, these are listened to and swift action is taken. The child’s welfare is a priority throughout, and the manager ensures that all relevant professionals are notified. Following one incident, the member of staff and the child were supported to rebuild their relationship positively. Inspection report children's home: 2805231 4 When incidents take place in the home, staff support the child and follow the strategies detailed in the child’s behaviour support plans. The positive relationships that staff have with the child help them to manage incidents effectively. These strategies are effective in de-escalating incidents and ensuring that physical intervention is not required. Following significant events, the child and staff are supported to reflect and learn from times when things do not go to plan.

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improvement to be good

Positive behaviour is suitably rewarded and celebrated to support and encourage the child to develop good character. When it is necessary to impose a consequence because of negative behaviour, this is reasonable and proportionate. However, this is not always recorded and reviewed to ensure that the measure is effective.

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improvement to be good

There have been no complaints raised about the home. When a complaint was raised by a child about external factors, staff listened to the child and ensured that they reported this to the relevant professionals. However, staff did not take swift action to alter arrangements in response to complaints when other professionals were unavailable to make decisions.

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

The manager has good oversight of the home. The monitoring systems in place ensure that internal and external monitoring is effective. The manager is supported by senior leaders and managers alongside an external consultant. However, the manager does not receive regular supervision. This is a missed opportunity to support his professional development and drive improvements at the home.

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

Safer recruitment processes have improved since the last inspection. However, these could be strengthened further by ensuring that references include confirmation of employment dates and that there is a full and detailed employment history.

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

There is a stable and consistent staff team, which ensures that the child is supported by staff they know well. The positive relationships between the staff and child support the child to feel settled and safe at the home. However, staff understanding of their roles and responsibilities is not yet fully embedded in the team, which limits shared ownership of significant tasks.

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

Staff have completed a wide range of training and refresher sessions to meet children’s needs. However, staff have not completed relevant training specific to the child’s individual needs, such as online safety, trauma and attachment and the principles of practice detailed in the home’s statement of purpose .

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

Staff take part in regular practice-based supervision. These sessions are used to reflect on recent events, share information and support staff welfare. In addition to this, staff also receive reflective debriefs following any significant events. Inspection report children's home: 2805231 5 Team meetings are held regularly and are well attended. The team understands their importance. They are used to share information, reflect on recent events and as an opportunity to improve practice. Inspection report children's home: 2805231 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 education standard is that children make measurable progress towards achieving their educational potential and are helped to do so.

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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

help each child to achieve the child's education and training targets, as recorded in the child's relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

support each child's learning and development, including helping the child to develop independent study skills and, where appropriate, helping the child to complete independent study;

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Requirement Due date

understand the barriers to learning that each child may face and take appropriate action to help the child to overcome any such barriers;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand the importance and value of education, learning, training and employment;

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Requirement Due date

promote opportunities for each child to learn informally;

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Requirement Due date

maintain regular contact with each child's education and training provider, including engaging with the provider and the placing authority to support the child's education and training and to maximise the child's achievement;

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Requirement Due date

raise any need for further assessment or specialist provision in relation to a child with the child's education or training provider and the child's placing authority;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to attend education or training in accordance with the expectations in the child's relevant plans 27 February 2026 Inspection report children's home: 2805231 7 (Regulation 8 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(x))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that all staff support the child to understand the importance of engaging in education and that they challenge the relevant professionals if the child's education provision is not meeting their needs.

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Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children—

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Requirement Due date

receive effectively planned care in or through the children's home; and

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Requirement Due date

have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home.

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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 children are admitted to the home only if their needs are within the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the home is to provide care and accommodation, as set out in the home's statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

ensure the effective induction of each child into the home;

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Requirement Due date

manage and review the placement of each child in the home; and

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Requirement Due date

plan for, and help, each child to prepare to leave the home or to move into adult care in a way that is consistent with arrangements agreed with the child's placing authority;

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Requirement Due date

that each child's relevant plans are followed. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(i)(ii)(iii)(c))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered provider must ensure that all staff consistently follow the strategies and guidance detailed in children's support plans. 27 February 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 27 February 2026 Inspection report children's home: 2805231 8 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

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. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that all staff work together as a team and share responsibilities regarding direct-work sessions with the child, rather than rely on one individual.

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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

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(c))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that staff receive training relevant to their role and to meeting children's individual needs. 27 February 2026

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Requirement Due date

The children's views, wishes and feelings standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

develop positive relationships with them;

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Requirement Due date

take their views, wishes and feelings into account in relation to matters affecting the children's care and welfare and their lives. 27 February 2026 Inspection report children's home: 2805231 9 In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

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Requirement Due date

ascertain and consider each child's views, wishes and feelings, and balance these against what they judge to be in the child's best interests when making decisions about the child's care and welfare. (Regulation 7 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(i))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that when children raise concerns about external factors, swift action is taken in the child's best interest in response to these concerns.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees—

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Requirement Due date

undertake appropriate continuing professional development;

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Requirement Due date

receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience. (Regulation 33 (4)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that the registered manager receives sufficient supervision in line with their development needs. 27 February 2026

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must prepare and implement a policy ("the behaviour management policy") which sets out—

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Requirement Due date

how appropriate behaviour is to be promoted in the children's home; and

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Requirement Due date

the measures of control, discipline and restraint which may be used in relation to children in the home.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must keep the behaviour management policy under review and, where appropriate, revise it.

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Requirement Due date

within 24 hours of the use of a measure of control, discipline or restraint in relation to a child in the home, a record is made which includes—

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Requirement Due date

the name of the child; 27 February 2026 Inspection report children's home: 2805231 10 details of the child's behaviour leading to the use of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

the date, time and location of the use of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

a description of the measure and its duration;

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Requirement Due date

details of any methods used or steps taken to avoid the need to use the measure;

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Requirement Due date

the name of the person who used the measure ("the user"), and of any other person present when the measure was used;

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Requirement Due date

the effectiveness and any consequences of the use of the measure; and

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Requirement Due date

a description of any injury to the child or any other person, and any medical treatment administered, as a result of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

within 48 hours of the use of the measure, the registered person, or a person who is authorised by the registered person to do so ("the authorised person")—

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Requirement Due date

has spoken to the user about the measure; and

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Requirement Due date

has signed the record to confirm it is accurate; and

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Requirement Due date

within 5 days of the use of the measure, the registered person or the authorised person adds to the record confirmation that they have spoken to the child about the measure. (Regulation 35 (1)(a)(b) (2) (3)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(viii)(b)(i)(ii)(c))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that imposed consequences are suitably recorded and their effectiveness evaluated.

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that children are supported to understand how to build friendships with other children. They should be able to spend time with their friends in the local community, in their home area and by having friends visit them at the home, in line with the child’s plans, age and understanding. (‘Guide to the Children’s Home Regulations’, page 38, paragraph 8.7) Inspection report children's home: 2805231 11  The registered person should ensure that they maintain good employment and recruitment practice by ensuring that recruitment checks include all necessary details to enable the provider to confirm previous employment history. (‘Guide to the Children’s Home Regulations’, page 61, paragraph 13.1)

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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 children's home: 2805231 12

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Grace Live In Carers T/A Grace247Care Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Chambers Business Centre, Chapel Road, Oldham, Greater Manchester OL8 4QQ

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Inspector

Katie Tomlinson, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children's home: 2805231 13 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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