Children's home run by Exertive Care Group Limited

Inspection report for children’s home: 2843374 1 Registered provider: Exertive Care Group Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

This home is privately owned. It is registered to provide care for up to 2 children who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

At the time of this inspection, 2 children were living at the home. The inspector spoke to both children about their experiences of living at the home.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in September 2025.

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

p.1

inadequate

How well children and young people are helped and protected inadequate

p.1

inadequate

The effectiveness of leaders and managers inadequate

p.1

inadequate

There are serious and widespread failures that mean children are not protected and their welfare is not promoted or safeguarded. The care and experiences of children are poor, and they are not making progress.

p.1

inadequate

Date of last inspection: not previously inspected

p.1

inadequate

Overall judgement at last inspection: not applicable

p.1

inadequate

Enforcement action since last inspection: not applicable Inspection report for children’s home: 2843374 2

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

There have been serious shortfalls in the care planning and safeguarding of children due to ineffective leadership and management at the home. Children’s risks are poorly understood by leaders, managers and staff, resulting in ineffective safeguarding practice that does not reduce risks for children.

p.2

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Children’s transitions into the home have not been well planned. One child arrived in an emergency, and another followed shortly afterward. Leaders and managers did not give sufficient consideration to each child’s individual needs and risks, or whether they could safely live alongside one another. As a result, physical altercations have occurred, and on one occasion a child required hospital treatment. Leaders and managers also failed to assess whether staff had the necessary skills, knowledge and experience to meet both children’s needs and keep them safe.

p.2

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Children live in a home that lacks warmth and personalisation. The sofas are worn and there are scuff marks on the walls. Despite the lounge rug being damaged by paint, it has not been replaced. The veneer on the kitchen worktop is melted in one area, and there are holes in several cupboard doors. One child’s bedroom had not been recently cleaned. Illicit substance related items, a butter knife and what appeared to be illicit substance residue were observed on the child’s desk. The home does not provide children with a safe and nurturing environment.

p.2

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Children’s progress in education is inconsistent. One child attends informal education each day with an alternative provider. However, another child is not engaging in education and staff do not provide them with any learning opportunities during the day. This limits the child’s opportunities to develop essential skills and reduce their exposure to risks associated with criminal exploitation.

p.2

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Despite the serious safeguarding concerns, children say they have opportunities to take part in activities they enjoy including go karting and golf. This supports them to develop their interests.

p.2

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

Staff lack the skills, knowledge and experience required to meet the children’s complex support needs. They do not understand or respond to risk effectively and have been exposed to behaviour they have regarded as intimidating and includes physical assault. Staff also fail to follow children’s plans consistently. For example, one child is supported by only one staff member, despite their plan clearly stating that two staff should be present. This practice increases the level of risk for both the children and the staff team.

p.2

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

Staff do not implement clear routines and boundaries for children. One child told the inspector that staff know they frequently go outside to smoke drugs, but staff take no Inspection report for children’s home: 2843374 3 action. The child also stated that staff are aware they have drug paraphernalia and drugs in their bedroom. There is also a lack of professional curiosity when there are potential indicators of criminal exploitation. This increases the risk that children will be harmed or exploited.

p.2

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

The children’s plans do not provide clear actions for staff to follow to keep them safe, and staff do not follow them consistently. When children go missing from the home, staff do not always search for them. Staff do not seek medical advice when children return home under the influence of unknown substances. These shortfalls in safeguarding practice place children at significant risk of harm.

p.3

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

Staff do not record when physical interventions are used with children. This means there is no assurance that practice is safe, and children do not have the opportunity to discuss these incidents with an independent person. The lack of recording also prevents leaders and managers from monitoring children’s safety and increases safeguarding risks. In addition, there is no evaluation of physical intervention practice to ensure that it is proportionate and only used when necessary to protect the child or others.

p.3

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

The children’s records do not accurately reflect their daily experiences. Key information is frequently missing from incident records, including occasions when children return to the home under the influence of unknown substances. These gaps limit the manager’s oversight of safeguarding practice and prevent them from identifying shortfalls in staff practice.

p.3

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The leadership and management of the home is ineffective. Leaders and managers lack the skills and knowledge to ensure that staff take appropriate action to consistently keep children safe and meet their individual needs.

p.3

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Staff are not trained in de-escalation and physical intervention, and leaders and managers do not ensure that staff complete training specific to children’s individual needs. This means children are at increased risk of harm because staff lack the necessary skills to manage their behaviour safely.

p.3

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Leaders and managers do not ensure that there is a safe working environment for staff or miminise the risks for children. Staff who are in experienced and have been verbal and physical abused by children have been left alone in the home with children. on shift. This includes staff sleeping alone in the house with no clear plan to ensure the children’s or staff safety.

p.3

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

There has been a high staff turnover since the home was registered in September 2025. Many of the staff are new to children’s residential care and they do not always have opportunities to work alongside more experience staff. Not all staff feel adequately supported to fulfil their roles. The lack of experience and support places children at increased risk of harm. Inspection report for children’s home: 2843374 4 Management oversight is poor. Incidents are not always evaluated by managers, and when they are, they fail to identify shortfalls in staff practice. This means that unsafe practice is not addressed. It also limits the opportunities to improve and develop staff practice to ensure that children are safe. Leaders and managers do not consistently model safe safeguarding practice. This leaves staff without clear guidance and increases the risk of unsafe practice continuing.

p.3

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Safe recruitment processes are not consistently followed, and some checks lack independent oversight. For example, the registered manager has completed the checks for the proposed responsible individual despite knowing them personally. There is no professional curiosity when applicants have changed jobs several times in a short period. This does not ensure that children are cared for by safe adults.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The home’s statement of purpose is not up to date. The staff list does not reflect those working at the home which limits the regulators oversight of who is caring for the children. Inspection report for children’s home: 2843374 5

p.4

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.

p.5

Requirement Due date

The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

p.5

Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

p.5

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;

p.5

Requirement Due date

help each child to understand how to keep safe;

p.5

Requirement Due date

have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm;

p.5

Requirement Due date

manage relationships between children to prevent them from harming each other;

p.5

Requirement Due date

understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person;

p.5

Requirement Due date

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare; and

p.5

Requirement Due date

are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies.

p.5

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. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(b))

p.5

Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that they evaluate all known risks for children and provide staff with clear guidance to follow to reduce the risks. This includes consulting with medical professionals when required. 18 March 2026 Inspection report for children’s home: 2843374 6 The registered person must ensure that staff have the skills to de-escalate situations effectively, preventing children from causing harm to each other or staff.

p.5

Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that managers and staff have the skills to identify risks for children and take immediate action to address the risks. This includes continuously assessing and mitigating any risks in the children’s home.

p.6

Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that managers and staff have the skills to implement clear routines and boundaries for children to ensure they are safe. Specifically, that staff set clear expectations on the use of illegal substances by children, including keeping substances and related paraphernalia in their room. Additionally, that staff have the skills to identify when bedroom searches need to be carried out, and how to do this.

p.6

Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that managers staff clearly understand and are able to implement professional boundaries and professional curiosity with children.

p.6

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—

p.6

Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

p.6

Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

p.6

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;

p.6

Requirement Due date

ensure that staff work as a team where appropriate;

p.6

Requirement Due date

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child;

p.6

Requirement Due date

ensure that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child;

p.6

Requirement Due date

ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child; 18 March 2026 Inspection report for children’s home: 2843374 7 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;

p.6

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)(d)(e)(f)(h))

p.7

Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that the senior manager and managers have robust oversight of the home, and they identify and address shortfalls in staff practice effectively.

p.7

Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that have the opportunity to access training essential to their roles without delay. This includes physical intervention and de-escalation training.

p.7

Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that managers carry out effective risk assessments and planning to ensure the safety of all staff. This relates to staff sleep arrangements in particular.

p.7

Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that staff members who are new to residential care are provided with sufficient development opportunities and supported by more experienced staff.

p.7

Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children—

p.7

Requirement Due date

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

p.7

Requirement Due date

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

p.7

Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

p.7

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;

p.7

Requirement Due date

that each child’s relevant plans are followed. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(c))

p.7

Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must thoroughly evaluate children’s risks before they move into the home to ensure that 18 March 2026 Inspection report for children’s home: 2843374 8 staff have the necessary skills to care for the children, and that children can live together safely.

p.7

Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that the number of staff caring for each child consistently reflects what is detailed in their care plan.

p.8

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—

p.8

Requirement Due date

details of the child’s behaviour leading to the use of the measure;

p.8

Requirement Due date

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

p.8

Requirement Due date

a description of the measure and its duration;

p.8

Requirement Due date

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

p.8

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;

p.8

Requirement Due date

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

p.8

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;

p.8

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”)—

p.8

Requirement Due date

has spoken to the user about the measure; and

p.8

Requirement Due date

has signed the record to confirm it is accurate; and

p.8

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 (3)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(viii)(b)(i)(ii)(c)(iv)) 18 March 2026 Inspection report for children’s home: 2843374 9 In particular, the registered person must ensure that all incidents of physical intervention used by staff are recorded as required. Additionally, managers must carry out a robust evaluation of their use.

p.8

Requirement Due date

The registered person must maintain records (case records) for each child which—

p.9

Requirement Due date

are signed and dated by the author of each entry.

p.9

Requirement Due date

securely in the children’s home during the period when the child to whom the case records relate is accommodated there. (Regulation 36 (1)(b)(c) (2)(b))

p.9

Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered provider must ensure that all records are kept securely in the home, and that only records for children they have provided care and accommodation for are retained.

p.9

Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all staff record information about children clearly and objectively. This relates specifically to the recording of incidents. 18 March 2026

p.9

Requirement Due date

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

p.9

Requirement Due date

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

p.9

Requirement Due date

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

p.9

Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

p.9

Requirement Due date

provide to children living in the home the physical necessities they need in order to live there comfortably;

p.9

Requirement Due date

provide to children personal items that are appropriate for their age and understanding; and 18 March 2026 Inspection report for children’s home: 2843374 10 make decisions about the day-to-day arrangements for each child, in accordance with the child’s relevant plans, which give the child an appropriate degree of freedom and choice.

p.9

Requirement Due date

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

p.10

Requirement Due date

meet the needs of each child. (Regulation 6 (2)(b)(vii)(viii)(ix)(c)(i))

p.10

Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that the home personalised to reflect the children’s tastes and personalities. Additionally, that the home is furnished and maintained to a high standard, and any furnishings that are damaged are replaced or repaired quickly and are of high quality.

p.10

Requirement Due date

The education standard is that children make measurable progress towards achieving their educational potential and are helped to do so.

p.10

Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

p.10

Requirement Due date

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

p.10

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;

p.10

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;

p.10

Requirement Due date

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

p.10

Requirement Due date

promote opportunities for each child to learn informally;

p.10

Requirement Due date

help a child who is excluded from school, or who is of compulsory school age but not attending school, to access educational and training support throughout the period of exclusion or non-attendance and to return to school as soon as possible; 18 March 2026 Inspection report for children’s home: 2843374 11 help each child who is above compulsory school age to participate in further education, training or employment and to prepare for future care, education or employment;

p.10

Requirement Due date

help each child to attend education or training in accordance with the expectations in the child’s relevant plans. (Regulation 8 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(viii)(ix)(x))

p.11

Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that staff have the skills the support children to access learning opportunities, whether in formal or informal settings. Any barriers to children’s learning must be identified and addressed with consistency by staff.

p.11

Requirement Due date

The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety. The registered person may only—

p.11

Requirement Due date

employ an individual to work at the children’s home; or

p.11

Requirement Due date

if an individual is employed by a person other than the registered person to work at the home in a position in which the individual may have regular contact with children, allow that individual to work at the home, if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3).

p.11

Requirement Due date

the individual is of integrity and good character;

p.11

Requirement Due date

the individual has the appropriate experience, qualification and skills for the work that the individual is to perform;

p.11

Requirement Due date

the individual is mentally and physically fit for the purposes of the work that the individual is to perform; and

p.11

Requirement Due date

full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2. (Regulation 32 (1) (2)(a)(b) (3)(a)(b)(c)(d))

p.11

Requirement Due date

The registered person must complete thorough safer recruitment checks on all individuals working in the home to ensure that children are cared for by safe and appropriate staff. 18 March 2026

p.11

Requirement Due date

The registered person must— 18 March 2026 Inspection report for children’s home: 2843374 12 keep the statement of purpose under review and, where appropriate, revise it; and

p.11

Requirement Due date

notify HMCI of any revisions and send HMCI a copy of the revised statement within 28 days of the revision. (Regulation 16 (3)(a)(b))

p.12

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: 2843374 13

p.12

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Exertive Care Group Limited

p.13

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 25 Elsdon Road, Manchester M13 0TQ

p.13

Inspectors

Sarah Gilbert, Social Care Regulatory Inspector Julie Elder, Social Care Regulatory Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2843374 14 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.

p.13

Inspectors

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.14

Inspectors

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.14

Inspectors

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.14