Children's home run by Core Children Ltd

Inspection report for children’s home: 2830596 1 Registered provider: Core Children Ltd

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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 privately owned and is registered to provide care for up to 2 children with social and emotional difficulties. At the time of this inspection, one child was living in the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The home is led by a suitably qualified and experienced manager. She is registered to manage 2 homes.

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Information about this children’s home

One child lives in this home, and they were present for most of the inspection. The child was able to share their views with the inspector.

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Information about this children’s home

This is the home’s first inspection since being registered 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 outstanding

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good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

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Date of last inspection:

Overall judgement at last inspection: Not applicable

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Enforcement action since last inspection: none

Inspection report for children’s home: 2830596 2

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

One child has been welcomed to live in the home and has lived there for 6 months, since the last inspection. Managers and staff visited the child and ensured the child was given a warm welcome when they moved in. The child has developed positive and nurturing relationships with staff and can name staff they particularly like. The child said the home is ‘fantastic’ and could not think of anything they want to improve.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child’s social worker said the child has made ‘massive progress’ and that a key strength of the home is communication. Managers and staff attend monthly meetings with the social worker where the child’s progress is discussed. The social worker said, ‘We are always looking at the next step.’ Staff have worked with the child to complete a ‘vision board’ to support the child to identify their personal goals. This has helped the child to identify both their short-term goals and their aspirations for the future.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Managers and staff have a good understanding of barriers to learning. Staff help the child to achieve and learn by playing board games and by joining in educational games with the child and their home tutor. Staff are supporting the child to re-engage with on- site education at a school that meets their needs. Managers and staff work collaboratively with teachers and the child’s social worker to support this transition.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff understand the importance of family to children. Family members are welcomed into the home, and managers and staff work hard to maintain and develop these important relationships in the interests of the child.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child is in good health. They are registered with health services and staff encourage them to attend appointments. Staff support the child with personal hygiene. For example, they talk to the child about dental hygiene. They buy a particular toothpaste they like likes, and they clean their own teeth with the child. Encouraging self-care supports the child to take pride in their appearance and increases self-esteem.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is welcoming and well presented. Communal areas offer the child comfortable spaces in which to relax. However, the child cannot go into one of the lounges because the door is locked. This detracts from the homely feel of the home. Additionally, the child is complex. The child has a display of precious photos on the bedroom wall and has chosen not to further personalise this private space. Managers and staff talk to the child about preferences, and they encourage them to invest in the home.

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

Managers and staff are strongly focussed on keeping the child safe. Staff know the child well and remain vigilant to any indicators that the child may be at risk of harm. Risk management plans, shared with the child, are based on the home’s therapeutic model Inspection report for children’s home: 2830596 3 and provide staff with clear guidance to manage risks and respond to complex behaviours.

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

Following an incident, managers talk with staff and the child. Managers are professionally curious and reflective, asking staff what went well and what could be done better. They update advice and guidance to staff to improve practice. Because of this focus on improvement, the risks of the child going missing and of showing complex behaviours have reduced. As a result, the child is no longer subject to court ordered restrictions on their movements around the home and in the community.

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

On one occasion, the child used their knowledge and skill to bypass the restrictions on an online device and arranged to go missing with friends. Although staff have received training in online safety, managers have not considered strategies to update staff knowledge following this incident. This is a missed opportunity to further safeguard the child by strengthening staff practice and knowledge of online safety.

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

Staff help the child to understand and manage their feelings and behaviours safely. Sanctions are rarely used and are restorative in nature. Strong routines and boundaries help the child to feel increasingly safe and contained. Staff have important conversations with the child. They gently challenge them to understand the impact of unsafe decisions, such as going missing and the negative impact of some friendships.

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

When the child leaves the home without permission, staff follow detailed risk management plans. They follow the child and if they lose sight, they continue to search and they contact the police. When the child returns, staff welcome back the child. They talk to them and ask them why they go missing and where they went. The child also has an opportunity to talk with an independent person.

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

When the child makes an allegation or complains about the conduct of a staff member, managers and staff take their concerns seriously. Managers share information and work closely with other professionals, ensuring that any concerns are thoroughly investigated. Managers then share the outcome with the child. This supports the child to develop strong, positive relationships because they are reassured that their concerns are taken seriously and that their voice matters.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager is an exceptionally strong leader and has an impressive record of accomplishment. She is supported by a responsible individual, who has years of experience and is a visible presence in the home. Managers say they are on a journey of building on the skills and experience of the staff team. They have an in-depth understanding of the strengths and areas for development of the home and the staff team and a clear vision. Managers strive to continually improve the experiences, safety and life chances of the child. Inspection report for children’s home: 2830596 4 The manager uses a range of monitoring systems to understand and improve the quality of care and to consistently drive improvement. For example, when risks for the child increase, the manager carries out a thorough analysis of the triggers to the child’s complex behaviours. She then assesses the ability and knowledge of the staff and, if

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

necessary, takes action to improve practice. Every opportunity is taken to develop and educate the staff individually in supervision, and as a team. This systematic approach is highly effective in improving staff knowledge and understanding of the child’s complex behaviours and the overall quality of care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The current child has received consistent care from adults, who know them well. Seven of the eight staff have been a consistent presence in the child’s life since they came to live there. The manager promotes stability for the child by presenting staff with safeguarding scenarios and talking about the importance of routines and consistency for children who are affected by trauma.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff are supported to flourish and progress within the organisation. All staff receive regular supervision, a probation and annual appraisal, and they each have a personal development plan. Staff say that they work well together as a team and that managers are supportive and approachable. A member of staff said, ‘From my first day at the home, I have felt welcomed, supported, and part of the team. I feel comfortable asking for support or guidance when needed.’ Morale is high, and staff are committed to their learning and development because they understand the positive impact this has on the child’s experiences.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Managers continually seek to improve children’s experiences and have embedded a strong learning culture in the home. Staff receive a range of good-quality training that is both face to face and online. Additionally, the manager develops workshops to support and educate staff about children’s needs. For example, an interactive workshop, based on research, educates staff about the impact of trauma and neglect that may lead the child to make allegations. Policy and procedure relating to safeguarding children with this risk were also revisited. Therefore, the child receives care from staff who are well supported to provide excellent, empathic and safe care and support. Inspection report for children’s home: 2830596 5

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that the child has access to all shared areas of their home unless there are specific reasons why this would not meet a child’s needs. Limits on privacy and access may only be put in place to safeguard each child in the home (regulation 21(c)(i)). Any decisions to limit a child’s access to any area of the home and any modifications to the environment of the home, must only be made where this is intended to safeguard the child’s welfare. All decisions should be informed by a rigorous assessment of that individual child’s needs, be properly recorded and be kept under regular review. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.10)

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that staff have the knowledge and skills to recognise and be alert for any signs that might indicate a child is in any way at risk of harm. The registered person should ensure that skills in safeguarding children online are gained, refreshed and recorded in the home’s workforce plan. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 43, paragraph 9.12)

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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: 2830596 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: The Glades, Festival Way, Festival Park, Stoke on Trent, Staffordshire ST1 5SQ

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Inspector

Karen Gillingwater, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2830596 7 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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