Children's Home run by Enable Living Solutions Limited in Stoke-on-Trent

Assurance inspection report for children's home: 2781999 1 Registered provider: Enable Living Solutions Limited

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is owned by a private provider and is registered to provide care for 2 children with social and/or emotional difficulties and learning disabilities.

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Information about this children’s home

The home and manager registered in February 2025. The manager was not present at the time of the inspection, having left their job the day before.

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Information about this children’s home

One child was living in the home at the time of inspection and was spoken to by the inspector.

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Inspection date: 29 January 2026

Date of last inspection: 15 September 2025

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Inspection date: 29 January 2026

Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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Inspection date: 29 January 2026

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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Information about this inspection

At this inspection, the inspector evaluated:

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Information about this inspection

 the care of children  the safety of children  the effectiveness of leaders and managers. The inspector has looked closely at the experiences and progress of children, using the social care common inspection framework. This assurance 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’. Assurance inspection report for children's home: 2781999 2

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Findings from the inspection

We did not identify any serious or widespread concerns in relation to the care or protection of children at this assurance inspection.

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Findings from the inspection

Two requirements from the last inspection have been met. Three requirements have been restated, and one new requirement has been made.

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Findings from the inspection

Leaders and managers have made changes to the process of planning for new children to move into the home, to ensure that staff are able to meet their needs. This includes bespoke training for staff to meet the child’s individual needs. The child’s social worker said that their transition plan was comprehensive. As a result, the child’s move into the home was well supported and planned.

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Findings from the inspection

Managers and leaders have taken action to ensure staff achieve appropriate qualifications. Managers have implemented clear plans to ensure that staff now meet the required standards as quickly as possible. In addition, staff have completed a wide range of relevant training. This supports the staff team to develop the skills they need to care for children.

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Findings from the inspection

The child has mixed views about living in this home. They enjoy engaging in leisure activities with staff which are tailored to their interests. The child’s views are listened and responded to. However, the child has not yet developed trusting relationships with staff.

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Findings from the inspection

Family time is consistently promoted, and the child’s parents visited the home on the day of the inspection. They said they are made to feel welcome and have good communication with the manager and staff team. They said that their child has settled into the home and that staff are doing all they can to keep them safe.

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Findings from the inspection

Since the previous inspection, the lack of effective collaboration between the registered manager and senior leaders has continued. For 7 weeks before this inspection, management arrangements had been inconsistent. The responsible individual has identified 2 current staff members who will fill the management role, but these plans are not yet fully formalised. As a result, leaders and managers have insufficient oversight of the home. This impacts on the quality and consistency of care the child receives.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff do not always take appropriate action when the child goes missing. There is conflicting information in the child’s free time plans, which leads to inconsistent practice. Managers had not identified shortfalls in staff practice. This does not help staff to improve their safeguarding practice. The child has not been missing for long periods of time, but leaders and managers accept these shortfalls could impact significantly on the child’s safety and wellbeing in the longer term if not addressed. Managers and leaders have been liaising with the social worker and police to build their knowledge of any risks to the child in the community. Leaders said that they Assurance inspection report for children's home: 2781999 3 would make changes to the child’s free time and missing-from-home plans on the day of the inspection to address these shortfalls.

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Findings from the inspection

Managers and staff do not always assess the risks to the child effectively. Staff do not show enough professional curiosity when there are indications that the child may have used substances. There is a lack of guidance for staff about how to respond when a child appears intoxicated. Records are not completed consistently. As a result, it is not clear how often the child has used substances or what action staff have taken to safeguard them. In addition, staff have not followed guidance in relation to the child vaping. Leaders and managers recognise these shortfalls and are committed to addressing them by ensuring that children’s plans and assessments include all relevant information and guidance. This will enable staff to take appropriate action to reduce the risk of harm to children.

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Findings from the inspection

When the child raised a concern about staff, this was managed effectively. The manager ensured that the child and staff member had a restorative conversation after this concern was raised. This supported them to repair their relationship.

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Findings from the inspection

Physical restraint has been used on one occasion. The child was spoken with after this incident to explore their views in detail. There have been no consequences used since the last inspection. The child has not received any rewards. Although staff have added to a praise book, this has been inconsistent and the praise has not been shared with the child. This means that positive behaviour is not consistently promoted. The responsible individual has developed plans to improve practice in this area, but these have not yet been implemented.

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Findings from the inspection

The child takes part in daily activities with staff in line with their skills and interests. However, they are not engaged in education, and the manager has not taken enough action to ensure that the child’s educational needs are met. The home does not have the child’s education plans. They have not challenged the placing authority when an education placement has not been found in line with statutory requirements. This impacts on the child’s educational progress.

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Findings from the inspection

A requirement from the previous inspection relating to the quality-of-care review was not assessed, as the review was not due to be submitted until after this inspection. Therefore, the requirement has been restated.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

15/09/2025 Full Requires improvement to be good Assurance inspection report for children's home: 2781999 4

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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 promotes their welfare.

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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

lead and manage the home in a way that is consistent with the approach and ethos, and delivers the outcomes, set out in the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff work as a team where appropriate;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child;

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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;

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Requirement Due date

demonstrate that practice in the home is informed and improved by taking into account and acting on—

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Requirement Due date

research and developments in relation to the ways in which the needs of children are best met; and

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Requirement Due date

feedback on the experiences of children, including complaints received; 26 March 2026 Assurance inspection report for children's home: 2781999 5 use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(c)(e)(2)(f)(g)(i)(ii)(h))

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Requirement Due date

Leaders and managers must ensure that care is delivered in accordance with the home’s stated aims as outlined in its statement of purpose and that behaviour management approaches are in line with good practice.

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Requirement Due date

Leaders and managers must ensure that there is effective monitoring and oversight of the quality of care children receive and take action when needed to bring about improvement, including having oversight of independent visitor reports.

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Requirement Due date

Parts of this requirement were raised at the last inspection and have been restated.

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Requirement Due date

The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

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Requirement Due date

assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the child’s relevant plans, and, if necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand how to keep safe;

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Requirement Due date

have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm;

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Requirement Due date

understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person;

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Requirement Due date

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare; and

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Requirement Due date

are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies.; 26 March 2026 Assurance inspection report for children's home: 2781999 6 that the home’s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(v)(vi)(vii) (2)(b))

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Requirement Due date

Leaders and managers must ensure that staff, including managers, have the skills and knowledge to recognise when a child may be at risk of harm and take effective action to reduce those risks.

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Requirement Due date

Leaders and managers must ensure that all staff understand their role and responsibilities in protecting children.

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Requirement Due date

Staff should be supported to understand children’s needs and vulnerabilities and strategies should be in place to reduce the risk of any harm to the children. These strategies should be clear in children’s plans and evident in practice.

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Requirement Due date

The quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children;

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Requirement Due date

use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential.

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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 and apply the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

understand and apply the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

protect and promote each child’s welfare;

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Requirement Due date

provide personalised care that meets each child’s needs, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans, taking account of the child’s background;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to develop resilience and skills that prepare the child to return home, to live in a new placement or to live independently as an adult; 26 March 2026 Assurance inspection report for children's home: 2781999 7 make decisions about the day-to-day arrangements for each child, in accordance with the child’s relevant plans, which give the child an appropriate degree of freedom and choice. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(i)(ii)(iv)(vi)(ix))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the manager’s duty to ensure that the home has up-to-date copies of children’s plans so that individual needs are clearly understood. The manager must ensure that staff possess the necessary skills and knowledge to meet those needs effectively.

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Requirement Due date

Parts of this requirement were raised at the last inspection and have been restated.

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Requirement Due date

The education standard is that children make measurable progress towards achieving their educational potential and are helped to do so.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— that staff—

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Requirement Due date

help each child to achieve the child’s education and training targets, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

support each child’s learning and development, including helping the child to develop independent study skills and, where appropriate, helping the child to complete independent study;

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Requirement Due date

understand the barriers to learning that each child may face and take appropriate action to help the child to overcome any such barriers;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand the importance and value of education, learning, training and employment;

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Requirement Due date

promote opportunities for each child to learn informally;

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Requirement Due date

maintain regular contact with each child’s education and training provider, including engaging with the provider and the placing authority to support the child’s education and training and to maximise the child’s achievement;

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Requirement Due date

raise any need for further assessment or specialist provision in relation to a child with the child’s education or training provider and the child’s placing authority; 26 March 2026 Assurance inspection report for children's home: 2781999 8 help each child who is above compulsory school age to participate in further education, training or employment and to prepare for future care, education or employment (Regulation 8 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(ix))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the manager must challenge the placing authority when a child does not have an education placement. Managers and staff must help the child to understand the importance of education and employment.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must complete a review of the quality of care provided for children ("a quality of care review") at least once every 6 months.

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Requirement Due date

In order to complete a quality of care review the registered person must establish and maintain a system for monitoring, reviewing and evaluating—

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Requirement Due date

the quality of care provided for children;

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Requirement Due date

the feedback and opinions of children about the children’s home, its facilities and the quality of care they receive in it; and

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Requirement Due date

any actions that the registered person considers necessary in order to improve or maintain the quality of care provided for children.

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Requirement Due date

After completing a quality of care review, the registered person must produce a written report about the quality of care review and the actions which the registered person intends to take as a result of the quality of care review ("the quality of care review report").

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Requirement Due date

supply to HMCI a copy of the quality of care review report within 28 days of the date on which the quality of care review is completed; and

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Requirement Due date

make a copy of the quality of care review report available on request to a placing authority, if the placing authority is not the parent of a child accommodated in the home.

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Requirement Due date

The system referred to in paragraph (2) must provide for ascertaining and considering the opinions of children, their parents, placing authorities and staff. (Regulation 45 (1) (2)(a)(b)(c) (3) (4)(a)(b) (5)) 26 March 2026 Assurance inspection report for children's home: 2781999 9 This relates specifically to the registered manager’s responsibility to ensure the report includes meaningful evaluation and clearly identifies key areas for improvement. Additionally, the report should incorporate feedback from children and other relevant individuals to reflect the quality of care being provided.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was raised at the last inspection and has been restated. Assurance inspection report for children's home: 2781999 10

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Enable Living Solutions Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 6 Ebbw Vale Road, Irthlingborough, Wellingborough NN9 5PG

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Inspector

Jenny Smith, Social Care Inspector Assurance inspection report for children's home: 2781999 11 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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