Children's home run by Unity Residential Care Services Limited in Newcastle-under-Lyme

Inspection report for children’s home: SC469761 1 SC469761

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Registered provider: Unity Residential Care Services Limited

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Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is operated by a private company and provides care for up to 3 children with social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in June 2024 and has the required qualifications.

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Information about this children’s home

Two children were living in the home at the time of the inspection, and one child spoke to the inspector.

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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: SC469761 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

01/10/2024 Full Good 06/02/2024 Full Good 24/10/2023 Full Inadequate 30/11/2022 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: SC469761 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff provide children with highly individualised care that reflects their lived experiences and specific needs. Tailored plans are developed collaboratively with children, ensuring their views meaningfully influence the support they receive. Because staff know the children well, their support leads to measurable progress, including fewer incidents, increased skills and confidence to manage aspects of their lives independently, and improved engagement and progress in education. Children report feeling well supported to achieve their goals. This personalised approach helps children feel valued and fully involved in the decision-making that affects their daily lives and future.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Feedback from external professionals about the care children receive is consistently positive. They describe children as ‘happy, thriving, cared for, understood, valued, respected and listened to in this home’. This reflects the strong, nurturing relationships that staff build with children and the child-centred culture embedded across the whole team.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children receive consistent support and encouragement to attend education. Both children attend full-time provision and have clear aspirations for their futures. Staff have developed positive working relationships with education professionals, which promotes effective communication and shared expectations. This ensures consistency in responses and enables teachers to remain aware of the children’s changing needs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are offered a wide range of enriching experiences and activities that reflect their individual interests. One child was supported to write to the Prime Minister, which resulted in a visit to the UK Parliament. This provided a meaningful opportunity for children to broaden their understanding of democracy, decision-making and the wider world. Experiences such as this enrich children’s learning and help them to develop confidence, curiosity and a sense of their place in society.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

When children move into or out of the home, their individual needs are thoughtfully assessed in partnership with the wider professional network. This coordinated approach ensures that staff are well prepared to support each child and to maintain stability within the home. However, on one occasion there was a delay in challenging an assessment for a child. As a result, the child remained living in the home longer than planned while an appropriate alternative placement was identified.

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

Managers and staff know children’s vulnerabilities extremely well. They use this understanding to provide sensitive, personalised support that helps children feel understood, safe, protected and appropriately guided. As a result, safeguarding incidents are rare, and when they do occur, they are managed effectively. This consistent and Inspection report for children’s home: SC469761 4 informed approach has helped reduce incidents for children who have previously struggled to understand and manage their emotions.

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

Appropriate safeguarding measures are in place to protect children. Concerns about children accessing harmful content online are taken seriously. Staff take a measured approach to keeping children safe while also educating them about risks, ensuring that their freedoms are not unnecessarily restricted. The manager works closely with external professionals to secure the right interventions for children and has undertaken bespoke courses to strengthen her knowledge and confidence in navigating this complex area of safeguarding. Drawing on the knowledge gained from research and training, the manager’s assessment of risk takes into account the emotional and psychological factors that influence children’s choices. This ensures that safeguarding practice is well informed, proportionate and responsive.

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

When children express worrying ideologies, staff work with them to explore the reasons behind these views and provide appropriate learning and guidance. Children are reassured so they do not experience shame. This supportive approach enables them to safely explore their thoughts while helping them to understand societal norms, respect and acceptance.

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

Behaviour management strategies are effective. Staff are conscious not to be punitive, and they ensure that any consequences are proportionate. They consistently praise children and identify what motivates them to demonstrate positive behaviours. This helps children feel encouraged and supported to manage their behaviour well.

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

Physical restraint of children is infrequent. When used, measures are proportionate and necessary. Staff work with children after incidents to help them understand what led to the use of restraint. There is robust management oversight of incidents, viewed through a therapeutic lens. This approach helps children feel respected, listened to and cared for, even during moments of crisis.

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

When children raise concerns, they are given clear opportunities to share their views. The manager responds promptly and takes appropriate action to find and implement a resolution. Children receive feedback about the outcomes of their concerns, which helps them feel respected, heard and reassured that their views are taken seriously.

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

Appropriate systems are in place for the management and storage of medication. Learning has been taken from the one error that occurred, and action has been implemented to reduce the risk of reoccurrence. The manager carries out robust monitoring of medication practices to ensure that no further shortfalls occur.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home is managed by a permanent registered manager, who is ambitious for children and has high expectations of herself and the staff team. The manager has an excellent understanding of the home and its operations. She is highly aspirational for both the team and the children, consistently striving to secure positive outcomes for those living Inspection report for children’s home: SC469761 5 in the home. She has a planned period of absence, and the arrangements for this have been fully considered to minimise disruption. The manager is supported by an equally skilled deputy manager, and together they have created a culture of reflective practice in the home, where staff use their skills and knowledge creatively to deliver effective care to children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has robust oversight of all aspects of the home. Her presence is evident both through her direct engagement in the home and through her oversight of decision-making for children. All incidents, assessments, care plans and day-to-day events are reviewed by the management team. This oversight is thorough and informed by the home’s therapeutic model of care, and it ensures that any practice shortfalls are identified and addressed swiftly.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Managers have a strong understanding of each child’s starting point and the progress they have made since moving into the home. They actively listen to children’s views about their goals and achievements, ensuring that children remain central to all aspects of the home’s practice and development. Managers proactively advocate on behalf of children to ensure that any concerns are addressed without delay. As a result, interventions are timely, and children are consistently safeguarded.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There is a full and stable staff team, whose members describe a positive working environment. Consequently, children experience stability and continuity of care from staff who enjoy their roles and are invested in the children’s wellbeing and progress. Inspection report for children’s home: SC469761 6

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Recommendations

 The registered person should work with the placing authority to ensure that each child’s transition is planned and that any challenges to assessments and care plans are done in a timely way to avoid delay. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 57, paragraph 11.9)

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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: SC469761 7

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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

Tonia Dubidat, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC469761 8 regulates 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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