Children's Home run by St Mary’s Children’s Home Limited in Bolton

Inspection report for children's home: 2807085 1 Registered provider: St Mary’s Children’s Home 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 registered with Ofsted in August 2025 and is operated by a private company. It is registered to provide care for 3 children who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, one child was living in the home. During the inspection, the 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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requires improvement to be good

How well children and young people are helped and protected requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The children’s home is not yet delivering good help and care for children and young people. However, there are no serious or widespread failures that result in their welfare not being safeguarded or promoted.

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requires improvement to be good

Date of last inspection: not previously inspected

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: not applicable

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children's home: 2807085 2

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improvement to be good

Two children have lived in the home since it was registered. Children were prepared for moving in and were able to meet staff. However, not enough consideration was given to the suitability of the children to live together. This has led to difficulty in children being able to form positive relationships with each other.

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improvement to be good

One child moved out after less than 24 hours notice was given to the placing authority, despite the child having lived in the home for several months and making some progress. The provider did not seek support from the placing authority or fully consider how this unplanned ending could be avoided. As a result, the child had to leave the home with little preparation.

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improvement to be good

The manager and staff value children’s education and encourage the child to attend their education provision. The child is due to sit exams, and staff are supporting them to devise a revision plan. The child is encouraged to have aspirations and has been helped to apply for local colleges. There is good communication between staff and school, and any issues are promptly addressed.

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improvement to be good

Staff support the child’s health needs. Specialist referrals are made, when necessary, such as to substance misuse and sexual health services. Staff and managers work proactively with external emotional health practitioners so that the child can be supported to improve and understand their emotional health and well-being.

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improvement to be good

The child is supported to spend time with family and friends in a safe and well-managed way. This gives the child opportunities for social interaction and supports the development of their relationships. Staff have formed relationships with the child’s family and ensure that family members are updated about the child’s progress.

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improvement to be good

The home is a safe and welcoming environment. The child has been able to personalise their bedroom. There is a pet in the home which the child is supported to care for. This gives the child the opportunity to take part in everyday routines and develop a sense of responsibility.

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improvement to be good

The child is cared for by staff who understand their needs and vulnerabilities. Staff work with the child in an individualised and well considered way, taking account of their past experiences and developmental needs

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improvement to be good

Staff respond quickly to accidents and injuries. When there have been incidents of self- harm staff have managed these effectively in-line with their training. Incidents are Inspection report for children's home: 2807085 3 managed effectively. When physical intervention or consequences have been used, they have been proportionate and necessary. However, not all required information is recorded. Staff and the child are not always spoken to after significant events which does not allow managers to evaluate the effectiveness of any measures that have been used.

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improvement to be good

When the child goes missing-from-home staff follow the agreed procedures and notify relevant professionals in a timely manner. When the child uses substances, staff seek medical advice, however practice is not consistent and there are no multi agency plans in place to provide clear guidance for staff.

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improvement to be good

Staff understand their safeguarding responsibilities. However, safer recruitment processes are not always followed. In 2 cases, full exploration and analysis of any gaps in employment history of newly recruited staff has not been carried out.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

There is currently no registered manager in place. An interim manager has oversight of the home, who is supported by senior managers. Some systems in place to monitor the care provided, however there is a lack of management oversight and evaluation of incidents. Recording on children’s files is not always of a good standard. This prevents identification of shortfalls in staff practice and learning from incidents.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

There is a stable staff team who state that they feel well supported by managers. Staff have access to regular supervision sessions. Team meetings are held regularly and are used to embed learning and reflect on practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Staff have access to a wide range of training. Leaders ensure that staff have the skills to meet the needs of children, including when any new needs emerge.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Leaders have cultivated positive working relationships with other professionals. There has been positive joint working with safeguarding partners by both the manager and provider. Inspection report for children's home: 2807085 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 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 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) (3)(d))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, leaders and managers must ensure that a full employment history is obtained for all staff employed. Additionally, any gaps in employment must be fully explored and analysed. 05 February 2026

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Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children—

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Requirement Due date

receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home; and

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Requirement Due date

have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home.

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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

manage and review the placement of each child in the home; and

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Requirement Due date

that the child’s placing authority is contacted, and a review of that child’s relevant plans is requested, if— 05 March 2026 Inspection report for children's home: 2807085 5 the registered person considers that the child is at risk of harm or has concerns that the care provided for the child is inadequate to meet the child’s needs. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b) (2)(b)(ii)(e)(i))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, leaders and managers must ensure that when accepting new children into the home full consideration is given to the suitability of children to live together.

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Requirement Due date

Additionally, leaders and managers must ensure that all possible measures are taken to prevent immediate notice being served on a child’s placement. This includes joint working with the local authority and other partner agencies to provide support to the child.

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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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helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

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

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ensure that staff work as a team where appropriate;

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

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ensure that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child;

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

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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; and

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Requirement Due date

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(f)(h)) 05 March 2026 Inspection report for children's home: 2807085 6 Leaders and managers must ensure that incidents in the home are evaluated fully and any learning from these is taken into consideration when making improvements to the care afforded to children. Recording on children’s files must be accurate and comprehensive.

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Requirement Due date

within 24 hours of the use of a measure of control, discipline or restraint in relation to a child in the home, a record is made which includes—

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Requirement Due date

the date, time and location of the use of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

a description of the measure and its duration;

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the name of the person who used the measure (“the user”), and of any other person present when the measure was used;

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the effectiveness and any consequences of the use of the measure; and

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within 48 hours of the use of the measure, the registered person, or a person who is authorised by the registered person to do so (“the authorised person”)—

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has spoken to the user about the measure; and

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has signed the record to confirm it is accurate; and

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within 5 days of the use of the measure, the registered person or the authorised person adds to the record confirmation that they have spoken to the child about the measure. (Regulation 35 (3)(iii)(iv)(vi)(vii)(b)(i)(ii)(c))

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Requirement Due date

Leaders and managers must ensure that all elements of recording required in legislation are kept in relation to any physical intervention used in the home. Additionally, leaders and managers must ensure that they speak to staff and children after any use of physical intervention, to allow for learning from the event.

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Requirement Due date

Leaders and managers must ensure that consequences used are also recorded in-line with legislation and are reviewed for effectiveness. 05 March 2026 Inspection report for children's home: 2807085 7

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Recommendation

 The registered person should convene a multi-agency meeting in order to formulate an agreed plan in relation to low level substance misuse by children living in the home. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards,’ page 34, paragraph 7.7)

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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: 2807085 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: St Mary’s Children’s Home Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 139 Junction Road, Bolton BL3 4NQ

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Inspector

Eve Ostridge, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: 2807085 9 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 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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