Children's home run by Care Management Solutions Limited in Kirklees

Assurance inspection report for children's home: SC423442 1 SC423442 Registered provider: Care Management Solutions Limited

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is privately operated, and provides care for up to 4 children.

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Information about this children’s home

Three children were living in the home, and all 3 were spoken with.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager is registered at this home and another setting nearby. The manager registered with Ofsted in December 2023.

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Information about this children’s home

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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Information about this inspection

At this inspection, the inspectors evaluated:

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Information about this inspection

 the care of children  the safety of children  the effectiveness of leaders and managers. Inspectors have 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: SC423442 2

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Findings from the inspection

This assurance inspection was carried out due to increased concerns about the leadership and management of the home. However, 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

Children have trusting relationships with staff, and this contributes to the sense of security that children feel. Staff care about the children, with one staff member saying, ‘This is the best job I have ever had, and I love spending time with the children.’ Furthermore, children all get along together. One child said, ‘We get on like siblings.’ Children view this as their home and feel a sense of permanence.

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Findings from the inspection

When children experience difficult events, their emotional needs are a priority to the staff. One child who experienced a traumatic event, was provided support from a clinical psychologist. In addition, a staff member discussed their own feelings with the child. This showed the child that it is helpful to talk and express worries and feelings.

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Findings from the inspection

Children are in good health. The staff take children to appointments and respond promptly when children need urgent medical attention. However, children are not always provided information on the dangers of vaping. This may leave children’s health needs at risk if not addressed by staff.

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Findings from the inspection

There is not a system in place that allows repairs in the home to be carried out in a timely manner. This leaves the home looking tired. Also, a child’s door strip was stuck down with sticky tape, and wallpaper was peeling from a wall. The staff have tried to decorate, and one staff member uses their own tools to make repairs in the home. However, the overall approach from the provider does not show children that they are deserving of a homely environment.

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Findings from the inspection

At the last inspection the manager did not have oversight of recruitment processes, and this remains to be so. One member of staff is working outside of their job description; the integrity of staff and any staff driving endorsements are not fully explored or risk assessed appropriately. This does not provide the necessary assurances that staff are suitably vetted to work with children.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff know how to support children when they are upset. One member of staff has sensory toys in their car in case children need support with their emotional wellbeing. Sometimes children need the staff to use physical intervention for their own safety or the safety of others. Although staff know how to help children, incident records are not reflective of the steps staff take to try and de-escalate behaviour. This makes it difficult to evaluate if such strategies are effective or not.

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Findings from the inspection

Managers investigate any allegations children make. The recording of allegations is not always in line with the provider’s own child protection policies. There is no Assurance inspection report for children's home: SC423442 3 formal record of the allegation itself. This undermines the organisation’s safeguarding process and has the potential for critical information to be missed or overlooked should this occur again.

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Findings from the inspection

Despite the manager’s openness to reflect and their awareness of the strengths and areas for development, learning does not always take place in a timely manner. In addition, individual staff supervision sessions do not address performance issues directly with staff. This leaves vulnerabilities for shortfalls to occur again.

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Findings from the inspection

The manager is registered for two homes. Leaders and managers agree this places demand on their capacity, which has affected management oversight. The children say the manager is not present in the home enough and one staff member did not know she was the registered manager. Senior leaders are considering whether the current arrangements will continue.

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Findings from the inspection

Two requirements and one recommendation from the last inspection have been restated. Assurance inspection report for children's home: SC423442 4

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

27/08/2025 Full Good 01/10/2024 Full Good 03/05/2023 Full Good 22/06/2022 Full Good Assurance inspection report for children's home: SC423442 5

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered person must take to meet the Care Standards Act 2000, Children’s Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the ‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’. The registered person 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

full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2. (Regulation 32 (1) (3)(d))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement has been restated. 31 March 2026

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must compile in relation to the children’s home a statement (the ‘‘statement of purpose’’) which covers the matters listed in Schedule 1.

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Requirement Due date

notify HMCI of any revisions and send HMCI a copy of the revised statement within 28 days of the revision. (Regulation 16 (1) (3)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement has been restated. 30 April 2026

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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

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; 31 March 2026 Assurance inspection report for children's home: SC423442 6 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

feedback on the experiences of children, including complaints received. (Regulation 13 (1)(a) (2)(a)(e)(f)(ii))

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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

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

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Requirement Due date

protect and promote each child’s welfare.

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Requirement Due date

provide to children living in the home the physical necessities they need in order to live there comfortably.

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed and furnished so as to—

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Requirement Due date

meet the needs of each child. (Regulation 6 (1) (2)(b)(vii)(c)(i)) 30 April 2026

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that staff encourage children to take a proactive role in managing their own day-to-day health and wellbeing. Where children have specific health needs or conditions, they should be supported to manage these according to their age and understanding. (‘Guide to the Children’s Home Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 34, paragraph 7.10)  The registered person should ensure that records of restraint are kept. These should allow the registered person to review the use of control, discipline, and restraint to identify effective practice and respond promptly where any issues or trends of concern emerge. The review should provide the opportunity for amending practice to ensure it meets the needs of each child. (‘Guide to the Children’s Home Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 42, paragraph 9.59) Assurance inspection report for children's home: SC423442 7

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Recommendations

 The registered person should have effective performance management processes. Any poor performance should be addressed in a timely way to bring about improvement. (‘Guide to the Children’s Home Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.5)  The registered person should ensure that they notify Ofsted and other relevant persons if one of the situations specified in regulation 40 occurs. Particularly if there is an incident relating to the protection, safeguarding or welfare of a child living at the home that the registered person considers to be serious. The registered person should ensure they have a clear understanding of what constitutes a serious incident and be able to provide rationale why they do not refer an incident. (‘Guide to the Children’s Home Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 63, paragraph 14.12) Assurance inspection report for children's home: SC423442 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Care Management Solutions Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 57 Lydgate, Lepton, Huddersfield HD8 0LT

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Rebecca Halliwell

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Inspectors

Laura Roberts, Social Care Inspector (lead) Vikki Thwaites, Social Care Inspector Assurance inspection report for children's home: SC423442 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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