Children's home run by Prestige Adolescent Care and Education Limited in Stoke-on-Trent

Inspection report for children’s home: SC407933 1 SC407933 Registered provider: Prestige Adolescent Care and Education Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is owned by a private company. It provides care for up to 4 children who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, 3 children were living in the home. All children spoke with the inspector.

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Information about this children’s home

Since the last inspection, 3 children have moved on and 2 children have moved in.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in June 2025.

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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

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC407933 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

11/03/2025 Full Good 12/03/2024 Full Good 21/02/2023 Full Good 21/02/2022 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: SC407933 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children experience consistent, loving and nurturing care from the staff who look after them. This approach has helped children to build positive and trusting relationships. At the time of inspection, 3 children were living in the home. All 3 children said they like living there and that they feel safe, supported and well cared for by staff. Staff actively promote children’s participation in shared activities and themed events. These opportunities help children to develop positive peer relationships while also enriching their day-to-day experiences.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Since the last inspection, 2 children have moved in and 3 children have moved on from the home. Plans for moves are carefully coordinated with children and external agencies, enabling smooth and well ‑ supported transitions. For example, one child was supported through planned visits to their new home, along with time spent getting to know new staff. In addition, when children move on, celebration events are held to help children experience a positive ending to their time in the home. Children and staff are part of this, and children receive memory books and personalised messages from staff and children to treasure when they leave.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are making significant progress in their education. Children’s education is hugely promoted and supported by leaders and staff. There is a strong partnership relationship with children’s schools, with regular communication and clear understanding of children’s academic levels. Children’s attendance is high, and all children are making progress from their starting points. One child sat GCSE exams and was accepted on to a further education placement to study a subject of their choice. Furthermore, children enjoy extracurricular activities such as boxing, guides and cheerleading clubs. This promotes children’s interests and hobbies, while also helping to develop social interactions with peers outside of the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s views, wishes and feelings are consistently prioritised. Staff actively support children to attend and participate in their care review meetings, ensuring they are central to decisions about their care. For example, staff advocated for a child who did not wish to move to another home, enabling professionals to agree an alternative home that better met the child’s needs. Staff routinely seek children’s views through daily discussions and monthly consultations. Children’s feedback directly informs practice. When children ask for more family time, leaders respond promptly to support this if it is safe and positive for the children. This demonstrates a strong child ‑ centred culture where children’s voices influence the care they receive.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children live in a warm and welcoming home that is decorated to a high standard. Their bedrooms are personalised, and children’s memories and achievements are displayed throughout, creating a nurturing and homely environment. However, a small number of maintenance issues require attention to ensure the home remains Inspection report for children’s home: SC407933 4 consistently well presented. Addressing these shortfalls will help maintain the overall quality of the environment.

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

Staff have a strong understanding of children’s needs and individual risks. They are guided by detailed and regularly updated risk assessments, which support consistent and safe practice. In addition, children, staff and leaders benefit from regular input from an external therapist who works directly with children and provides staff with therapeutic guidance. This support has helped children to feel understood and has strengthened their trust in staff.

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

Children are supported creatively to manage their emotional wellbeing. Staff are skilled at recognising early signs that a child may be struggling, and they implement agreed strategies promptly. This proactive approach helps to reduce the likelihood of further deterioration in children’s emotional wellbeing and promotes greater stability.

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

When incidents of self-injurious behaviour occur, staff responses are prompt, effective, nurturing and patient to help children. Leaders work collaboratively with other professionals and agencies around children’s risks. For example, risk management plans are routinely shared and agreed with children’s schools, social workers and mental health services to ensure a consistent and safe response is provided for children. This approach helps to maintain children’s safety and, as a result, incidents have reduced.

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

There have been very few incidents of children going missing from the home. When such incidents do occur, staff respond promptly and follow a well ‑ coordinated multi ‑ agency approach to locate children and ensure their safe return. All relevant professionals are notified in line with statutory procedures. Children are offered the opportunity to speak with an independent advocate following any missing ‑ from ‑ home incidents. This provides them with a safe and confidential space to express their views and share any worries, helping staff to understand and reduce future risks.

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

When children raise concerns about staff, these are managed appropriately, taken seriously and investigated. Concerns are shared appropriately with all relevant professionals. However, outcomes are not consistently shared with children. This limits children’s understanding of the process and reduces opportunities for them to express their views about the outcome. Furthermore, on one occasion, Ofsted was not informed of an allegation. This limits Ofsted’s capacity to monitor safeguarding practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Since the last inspection, there have been changes to the management team at the home. The previous manager moved to a new position within the same organisation and the deputy manager has moved into the registered manager role. She is suitably Inspection report for children’s home: SC407933 5 experienced and registered with Ofsted in June 2025. She is currently undertaking a relevant qualification in leadership and management. This natural progression has provided children with continuity of care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is dedicated and passionate about her role in supporting children. She is a strong advocate and suitably escalates concerns when required to external professionals for the best interests of children. She works effectively in partnership with other agencies and maintains positive professional relationships. External professionals report that communication from the manager and staff team is excellent. They consistently highlight the high standard of care provided to children and the commitment shown by the staff in meeting children’s needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Children are supported by a dedicated and stable staff team. Staff receive training that is closely aligned to children’s needs, and they take part in regular supervision sessions that focus on their professional development and improving the quality of care. Leaders and managers make effective use of external agencies to strengthen staff knowledge and confidence in managing specific risks. For example, leaders worked with local police specialists to deliver targeted training on exploitation to the staff team. This enhances staff understanding and helps them have informed and tailored discussions with the children about their awareness of risks. As a result, children are better equipped with strategies to help keep themselves safe.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There are monitoring and review systems in place that support the manager in overseeing records and key aspects of practice within the home. However, the most recent Regulation 45 report does not fully meet regulatory requirements. The report lacks sufficient evaluation and critical reflection to enhance the quality of care for children. This reduces the effectiveness of internal monitoring and limits opportunities for development. Inspection report for children’s home: SC407933 6

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure the home environment is homely, welcoming and well maintained in all areas. In particular, the manager should ensure the bathroom is well maintained and the children’s bedrooms remain homely. (Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards, page 15, paragraph 3.9)  The registered person should ensure that Ofsted is notified without delay of any incident relating to the protection, safeguarding or welfare of a child living in the home. This includes, in particular, incidents where children make allegations against members of staff. In addition, the registered person must ensure that a clear record of the outcome of any investigation is maintained and that these outcomes are shared with the child. (Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards, page 63, paragraphs 14.10 and 14.14)  The registered person should ensure they undertake a review that focuses on the

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Recommendations

quality of the care provided by the home, the experiences of children living there, and the impact the care is having on outcomes and improvements for the children. (Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards, page 64, paragraph 15.2)

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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: SC407933 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Prestige Adolescent Care and Education Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 90 King Street, Newcastle-Under-Lyme, Staffordshire ST5 1JB

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Inspector

Joanne Humphreys, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC407933 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 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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