Children's home run by Manuel Cornwall Ltd

Inspection report for children’s home: 2662998 1 Registered provider: Manuel Cornwall Ltd Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is run by a small private provider. It is registered to provide care for up to 3 children.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, 2 children were living at the home. The inspector spent time with both children, and their views are included in the report.

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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

Date of last inspection: 14 October 2024

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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: 2662998 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

14/10/2024 Full Good 27/06/2023 Full Good 29/11/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good 17/05/2022 Full Inadequate Inspection report for children’s home: 2662998 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children benefit from individualised care and support. Staff spend time with each child, which enables them to develop trusting and secure relationships. As a result, children experience stability in their care arrangements and make sustained progress.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff understand the children’s needs, including their specific communication needs. Staff use visual aids and symbols with one child effectively. These help the child to make choices about their daily routines and activities, and to express their feelings. The use of a step-by-step plan tailored to the child’s preferred communication method has improved their independence with self-care routines, such as showering. From the child’s starting point, this progress is exceptional.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Managers prioritise children’s learning and maintain effective partnerships with education services to promote positive outcomes for children. Children attend suitable education provisions, and their learning objectives are integrated into their daily care. For example, one child is developing their musical skills, and the home has provided the necessary equipment to help them to practise at home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have access to a range of positive activities, in line with their interests. One child participates in weekly horse-riding lessons, which they said are ‘the best thing ever’. Additionally, the child is learning to drive. These opportunities enhance children’s life chances.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s moves into the home are carefully planned. This helps children to live together safely, and to form positive relationships with one another. One child moved on from the home sooner than planned. Extensive support was implemented by the home, which placed the child’s welfare at the centre and promoted a positive ending for them.

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

There are few incidents in the home. When incidents do occur, physical restraint is not used. Staff’s responses to children’s needs vary, specifically when children are upset or display behaviours that are challenging. At these times, managers often provide support to help children to calm effectively.

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

Individual risk assessments do not sufficiently address the known risks for each child. They lack clear guidance for staff on how to proceed to ensure that consistent responses are used. Risk management strategies, including to prevent aerosol misuse, are not reviewed regularly. This reduces opportunities to consider how children may be helped to manage these risks in the future. Inspection report for children’s home: 2662998 4 Following incidents, staff support children to talk about what has happened. This helps to identify any further help that they may need, and to request any specialist interventions that may be needed.

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

Staff hold important conversations, and use visual tools, to support children’s understanding of key matters relevant to their lives. As a result, one child has been helped to develop a greater understanding of healthy and safe relationships.

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

Managers involved with staff recruitment activities have completed safer recruitment training. However, they did not ensure that a required Disclosure and Barring Service check was received prior to a staff member working in the home. This does not meet safer recruitment expectations that are designed to ensure children’s safety.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home is managed effectively by two suitably qualified and experienced registered managers. They are informed about children’s future care plans to ensure that children receive the support they need to prepare for their futures.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home is fully staffed by a permanent staff team. This provides stability for children. Managers are taking steps to ensure that staff complete overdue qualifications promptly. Staff benefit from regular supervision sessions and training that focuses on the children’s needs. However, supervision records do not demonstrate professional challenge or explore the impact of training on the quality of care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Children’s views are valued. Children are listened to and their views directly inform care- planning arrangements. Generally, records reflect the children’s lives and their views. However, records do not always provide clarity about staff’s responses to children. This impacts on the review of the quality of care to ensure that continual care improvements are made, specifically when children’s needs increase.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Managers work closely with other professionals and the children’s family members. They take action and challenge effectively when they are concerned about other agencies not making decisions in the children’s best interests, or when support for children is delayed, in line with statutory requirements.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Feedback received during the inspection was overwhelmingly positive. Professionals and family members describe significant progress made by the children as a result of the care provided to them. Additionally, one child used the word ‘happy’ when they were shown a picture of their home, and another child rated living in the home and the adults caring for them as ‘10 out of 10’.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home’s environment meets the children’s needs. The children’s bedrooms are personalised, and framed photos in the home reflect positive experiences, including Christmas traditions that create a sense of belonging for the children. Some minor Inspection report for children’s home: 2662998 5 repairs that were needed to improve the home environment were completed during the inspection. Inspection report for children’s home: 2662998 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 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

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

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered manager must ensure that staff’s responses to children are recorded and reviewed to inform the development of care, specifically when children’s needs increase.

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Requirement Due date

The registered manager must ensure that children’s plans provide clear direction to staff, and that any risk management strategies are reviewed regularly. 12 May 2026

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

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

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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 12 May 2026 Inspection report for children’s home: 2662998 7 individual may have regular contact with children, allow that individual to work at the home,

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Requirement Due date

if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3).

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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)(d))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that a relevant criminal record certificate is obtained prior to any person working at the home.

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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: 2662998 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Manuel Cornwall Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered managers: Natasha Bateman and Anita Penfold

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Inspector

Louise Bacon, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2662998 9 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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