Children's home run by The Partnership of Care Today

Inspection report for children’s home: SC008268 1 SC008268

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Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

A large private provider operates this home. The home is registered to provide care for up to 2 children who have experienced childhood instability, resulting in trauma and associated complex behaviours.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in September 2024. He holds the relevant level 5 qualification.

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Information about this children’s home

One child is living at the home, who was present and spoken to. Two children have left the home since the last inspection.

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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: 4 February 2025

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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: SC008268 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

04/02/2025 Full Good 07/02/2024 Full Good 25/01/2023 Full Good 16/08/2021 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: SC008268 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s moves into and out of the home are carefully planned and child focused. When children need to move quickly, staff ensure that children’s views, wishes and feelings are central to the process. This approach helps children to feel heard, respected and supported during periods of change, reducing anxiety and promoting a sense of stability. One child has kept in touch with staff since leaving the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children make progress from their starting points. One social worker said, ‘The progress [name of child] has made is significant. The skilled and committed staff that he has around him have enabled [name of child] to articulate how he feels. The respectful way the staff interact with his family has helped them invest in the home. The staff have built trusting, secure and stable relationships.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children receive the support they need to stay healthy and engage in education. The manager has advocated well for one child who has struggled to attend education due to their past trauma. Life skills and independence are promoted. One child has made significant progress in managing their personal hygiene and is beginning to take responsibility for household tasks. This growing independence reflects the consistent support and encouragement provided by staff and helps prepare children for the future.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are encouraged to maintain meaningful connections with those people who matter most to them. One child has experienced significant progress in the quality of their family time because of staff’s sustained efforts to build relationships with family members. Another child was supported to travel a significant distance to maintain relationships with their family. These efforts help children preserve important relationships and stay connected to their personal histories.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are actively involved in their care. One child has been supported to attend meetings about their education and the review of their care plan. This involvement helps the child to understand decisions being made about their life and ensure their views, wishes and feelings remain central. There is a range of formats to ensure children have the opportunity to share their views. However, these are not always tailored to children’s individual needs. This can limit meaningful engagement.

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

Children benefit from clear and consistent boundaries and positive relationships with staff. This helps them to feel safer, understand expectations and develop consistent routines. This supportive culture helps children to share their worries and concerns. One child has been able to explore their worries about bullying and peer relationships. Inspection report for children’s home: SC008268 4 Children experience safe restraint practice that is only used as a last resort. After incidents, children are helped to reflect on what happened. Group reflective discussions are offered; however, individual reflection is not always provided to staff immediately following the incidents. Group discussions limit opportunities for staff to speak openly and explore their individual experiences without pressure or influence from others.

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

Incidents of children going missing from the home are rare. When incidents do occur, staff respond promptly and follow children’s individual plans. They maintain effective communication with external agencies and take appropriate action to ensure children’s safe return. Children are provided with opportunities to reflect on circumstances that led to them going missing, helping them to explore and reflect on their feelings. As a result, one child’s risk of going missing has significantly reduced since moving into the home.

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

Children feel safe to speak to staff about their online networks. Staff have open conversations with children and use curiosity to explore their digital interests. This approach helps staff support children to navigate their online space safely and responsibly.

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

The manager and staff have a good understanding of the children’s risks and vulnerabilities. However, written plans are not consistently updated to reflect how risks evolve and change over time or to evidence the rationale behind important decisions. This limits the manager’s ability to demonstrate how children’s safety planning changes in response to evolving risk.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home is managed by a dedicated and conscientious registered manager. He has a good knowledge of the children’s starting points and what they have accomplished since living at the home. He is committed to advocating for children and strives to ensure their experiences remain positive even through challenging times.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The stability of the staff team is a strength of the home. Since the last inspection, staff have completed the required qualification and are now being supported to further their professional development in other ways. They know the children well and understand their individual differences. Staff receive regular supervision from managers as well as additional support through monthly team meetings. This provides an opportunity for reflective discussions about the care and experiences of children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager uses a range of internal monitoring systems. This helps him track the strengths and weaknesses of the service and identify and respond to shortfalls at the earliest opportunity. Reflective practice plays a role in strengthening the quality of care children receive. The introduction of a new framework has provided a structured and measured way to evaluate children’s experiences and progress. The manager is Inspection report for children’s home: SC008268 5 supporting the staff team to reflect on the model and consistently embed this into its practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager works effectively and in partnership with a range of professionals. Professionals are positive about the care and support that children receive and the communication they have with the manager and staff. Professionals and family members said they could see that the child is making progress from their starting points. Inspection report for children’s home: SC008268 6

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that when children are consulted about their views, due consideration is given to the child’s cognitive ability in the development and implementation of any consultation processes. This specifically relates to ensuring consultation processes are adapted to meet the individual needs of children. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 22, paragraph 4.11)  The registered person should ensure that all incidents of control, discipline and restraint are subject to systems of regular scrutiny. This specifically relates to ensuring that staff are provided with the opportunity to reflect in a private and safe space following the use of restraint. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 46, paragraph 9.36)  The registered person should ensure that staff continually and actively assess the

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Recommendations

risks to children and the arrangements in place to protect them. Where there are safeguarding concerns for a child, their placement plan, agreed between the home and their placing authority, must include details of the steps the staff will take to manage any assessed risks on a day-to-day basis. This specifically relates to ensuring that all agreed risk management plans are included in children’s plans. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 42, paragraph 9.5)

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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: SC008268 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 2nd Floor, Lansdowne House, 85 Buxton Road, Stockport, Cheshire SK2 6LR

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Inspector

Natasha Skinner, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC008268 8 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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