Children's home run by Unity Residential Care Services Limited

Inspection report for children’s home: 2543081 1 Registered provider: Unity Residential 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

This privately owned home provides care for up to 3 children who have experienced trauma and encounter associated difficulties with their emotional wellbeing.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of this inspection, 3 children were living in the home. The children were spoken with, and they told the inspector about their experiences.

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Information about this children’s home

The home has a registered manager who is suitably experienced and qualified.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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outstanding

How well children and young people are helped and protected outstanding

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outstanding

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

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outstanding

The children’s home provides highly effective services that consistently exceed the standards of good. The actions of the children’s home contribute to significantly improved outcomes and positive experiences for children and young people who need help, protection and care.

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outstanding

Date of last inspection: 11 November 2024

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outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2543081 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

11/11/2024 Full Good 26/02/2024 Full Outstanding 14/12/2022 Full Good 01/02/2022 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2543081 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The home is maintained and presented to an exceptional standard. Children live in an environment that has been thoughtfully furnished, with personalised touches in every room. The home is nurturing, warm and stimulating. Additions such as a piano in the open-plan kitchen–diner create opportunities for shared experiences and help nurture children’s creativity and learning.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Since the last inspection, 2 children have remained living in the home and one child has moved in. No children have left. All children are making excellent progress. The 2 children who have lived in the home for almost 3 years have benefited from consistent, high-quality care. They receive nurturing support from staff who know them extremely well and understand how to meet their individual needs effectively.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The PACE (Playfulness, Acceptance, Curiosity and Empathy) model of care is at the forefront of practice. It is fully embedded in children’s plans, and staff have a strong understanding of the approach and how to apply it in their daily work. As a result, the home is extremely settled. Children are happy and secure and have formed strong, trusting attachments with the staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The planning for one child’s recent move into the home was excellent. The children already living in the home were consulted, prepared and supported to welcome a third child. The placing authority assessed the risks as too high to inform the child directly in advance about the planned move. The manager demonstrated creativity and meticulous planning to ensure the child experienced a warm and welcoming transition, while ensuring the needs of all 3 children were carefully considered.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children are made to feel valued and special. Difference is celebrated, and each child is recognised for their uniqueness. Two children are neurodivergent, and every aspect of their care reflects a strong understanding of their needs, from the child-centred plans to the therapeutic support provided by staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The manager has excelled in promoting education. Children are thriving and have made exceptional educational progress. All children had significant barriers to learning before moving into the home, including reduced attendance, disengagement and limited opportunities. For example, one child had been disengaged from school, had poor attendance and was considered at high risk of exploitation. Since moving to the home, they have re-engaged with education, left school at the end of Year 11 with excellent attendance and formal qualifications, and are now in post-16 education with clear aspirations for their future.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Another child, who has autism, has been supported to move from the school’s nurture group into mainstream classes. This transition followed 3 years of careful planning. Since Inspection report for children’s home: 2543081 4 moving in September 2025, the child has made amazing progress and is now working towards sitting GCSEs in the next academic year.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

One child has made remarkable progress in their independence and preparation for adulthood. When they joined the home, they required high levels of supervision and support to remain safe. They distrusted professionals and wanted to return to their hometown. Through consistent support and reflective discussions, the child learned to identify their own risks and understand the concerns for their safety. Their progress since the last inspection has been exceptional. They no longer have any restrictions in place and are fully prepared for independence when they leave the home later this year. The child is extremely proud of their journey. They agreed to share their experiences to support the development of managers across the wider organisation. At a conference in October, the child delivered a keynote speech, giving a compelling and insightful account of their lived experiences, progress and the support they received from the manager and

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff work hard to provide children with valuable and memorable experiences. Children take part in a wide range of activities that help them explore their interests and develop confidence and self-esteem. They have enjoyed holidays, day trips and activities tailored to their preferences. Each child has also been able to choose their own pet. This has encouraged responsibility, enhanced their emotional and social skills and promoted a strong sense of belonging in the home.

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

Managers and staff have an exceptional understanding of each child’s individual risks and vulnerabilities. They know the children extremely well and tailor their support when they identify even subtle changes in behaviour. This enables staff to respond quickly to children’s needs so that they feel supported and safe. One professional commented that a child who recently joined the home is now ‘much calmer, more relaxed, and we no longer see the same behaviours that were evident in their previous homes’.

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

Staff are highly committed to children and provide loving, nurturing and consistent care. Children feel safe and, as a result, incidents in the home are extremely rare. There have been no episodes of children going missing, no allegations, no incidents of self-harm and no complaints. There has been one incident requiring physical restraint. This was proportionate and necessary to prevent the child from coming to significant harm when they were close to a major road.

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

Following the incident, staff made detailed records the same day, and the manager completed thorough oversight. Reflective discussions with the child were comprehensive and helped staff understand the child’s needs and how best to support them in the future. Plans were updated to reflect learning from the incident and to ensure that staff used sensitive and effective approaches. There have been no further incidents since.

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

One child experienced an incident of bullying outside of school. Staff responded promptly, providing excellent reassurance and ensuring the child’s safety. Staff advocated Inspection report for children’s home: 2543081 5 strongly for the child and supported them to make a formal report to the police. The manager worked closely with the school to ensure that a rigorous plan was in place the following day to enable the child’s safe return. The child was supported throughout the situation by a dedicated and diligent staff member who worked flexibly to provide consistent support for the duration of the investigation until the matter was resolved.

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

There is a strong focus on rewarding and encouraging positive behaviour. Consequences are rarely used, and on the few occasions they have been implemented, they were restorative in nature. Staff prioritise educating children about respect, empathy and understanding, and they work hard to build positive, trusting and respectful relationships.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

A dedicated manager leads the home. He has high aspirations for the children and has successfully embedded this culture within the staff team. He is supported by a fully staffed team who are caring for the children and who strive to provide memorable experiences and high ‑ quality support.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Since the last inspection, the home no longer has a dual registered manager. Staff report that they feel well supported and enjoy working in the home. They value the guidance and leadership provided by the manager and feel that the change in managerial structure has been positive. Staff benefit from monthly team meetings and a comprehensive training programme, which includes child ‑ specific courses to enhance their practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

However, supervision for some staff has not recently been completed in line with the home’s workforce development plan, resulting in several staff members not receiving supervision for up to 3 months. This shortfall has occurred only in recent months. Leaders have acted promptly and have a clear plan in place to address the issue, with supervisions now scheduled.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager actively seeks feedback from a range of sources to evaluate the effectiveness of the care and support provided in the home. Feedback is used constructively to review practice, learn from others and strengthen outcomes for children. For example, children’s feedback has contributed to plans to develop a games room in the home, and feedback from a family member has informed a review of specific areas of practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has a clear understanding of the home’s strengths and areas for development. Although there have been only minor changes to the team since the last inspection, new staff have recently joined. There is a strong focus on supporting their learning and development to ensure they become skilled and confident in their roles.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There is effective oversight and monitoring of the home. The manager and responsible individual undertake regular reviews, ensuring that practice remains aligned with the home’s ethos and objectives. Inspection report for children’s home: 2543081 6 Inspection report for children’s home: 2543081 7

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Recommendation

 The registered person should have systems in place so that all staff, including the manager, receive supervision of their practice. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.2)

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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: 2543081 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Unity Residential Care Services Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 2 Lymevale Court, Lyme Drive, Parklands, Stoke-on- Trent ST4 6NW

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Inspector

Joanne Hawkins, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2543081 9 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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