Children's Home run by Thrive Childcare Services Ltd in Wolverhampton

Assurance inspection report for children's home: 2679810 1 Registered provider: Thrive Childcare Services Ltd

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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 run by a private organisation. It provides care for up to 3 children with emotional and/or social difficulties. The manager registered with Ofsted in December 2023.

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Information about this children's home

At the time of this inspection, there were 3 children living at the home. Two children were spoken to by the inspector.

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Information about this children's home

Date of last inspection: 24 September 2025

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Information about this children's home

Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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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 these inspections, 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: 2679810 2

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Findings from the inspection

Since the last inspection, one child has moved out of the home, and one child has moved in. The child who left the home experienced a poorly planned move; however, this was due to last-minute changes made by the child's placing authority. Staff supported the child to move to their new home and have responded positively when the child has contacted the home since moving.

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Findings from the inspection

The child who moved into the home did so at short notice. Despite this, staff helped the child to settle into their new environment. The child is currently not attending education. However, the manager has worked effectively with the professional network to identify an educational provision that is suitable for meeting the child's needs.

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Findings from the inspection

The 2 other children living in the home are settled and making progress in developing their independence skills, in line with their care plans.

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Findings from the inspection

When incidents occur, staff adhere to children's plans to keep them safe and inform safeguarding agencies promptly. Staff and children are spoken to following incidents. However, these conversations demonstrate a lack of curiosity about children's experiences and how these affect their emotional state and behaviour. This limits opportunities to better understand children; improve the quality of care they receive and reduce incidents in the future.

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Findings from the inspection

There have been 2 allegations made against a staff member by different children on separate occasions. Although these were investigated promptly and thoroughly, the arrangements for the staff member to work in another home within the company meant that safeguarding measures were not as robust as they could have been. This created the potential for avoidable risk.

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Findings from the inspection

The manager has increased their monitoring and oversight of the home. This has been strengthened through the development of tools that support the early identification of shortfalls. While this is a positive development, these improvements need to be fully embedded in practice.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff are supported with opportunities for professional development. However, one staff member is already beyond the required timescale for completing their qualification, and 2 other staff members are imminently due to exceed this deadline. Although leaders and managers are in discussion about how to address this matter and support staff, these actions were not taken early enough to prevent delays.

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Findings from the inspection

The home has been redecorated and presents as welcoming and comfortable. However, damage to fencing panels compromises the security of the garden and requires repair. Assurance inspection report for children's home: 2679810 3 Two of the requirements raised at the previous inspection have been met. Two requirements have been partially met and have therefore been raised again. One additional requirement has also been raised. Assurance inspection report for children's home: 2679810 4

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

24/09/2025 Full Requires improvement to be good 04/03/2025 Full Good 21/02/2024 Full Good 07/03/2023 Full Good Assurance inspection report for children's home: 2679810 5

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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 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

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;

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Requirement Due date

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)(iii)(v)(vi)(vii)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that staff are provided with clear strategies to manage risks to children and that staff work in line with children's plans to manage risks. 24 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— 24 April 2026 Assurance inspection report for children's home: 2679810 6 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

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

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(b) (2)(b)(c)(f)(h))

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Requirement Due date

For the purposes of paragraph (3)(b), an individual who works in the home in a care role has the appropriate qualification if, by the relevant date, the individual has attained—

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Requirement Due date

the Level 3 Diploma for Residential Childcare (England) ("the Level 3 Diploma"); or

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Requirement Due date

a qualification which the registered person considers to be equivalent to the Level 3 Diploma.

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Requirement Due date

in the case of an individual who starts working in a care role in a home after 1st April 2014, the date which falls 2 years after the date on which the individual started working in a care role in a home. (Regulation 32 (4)(a)(b) (5)(a)) 24 April 2026 Assurance inspection report for children's home: 2679810 7

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Children's home details

Registered provider: Thrive Childcare Services Ltd

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Children's home details

Registered provider address: 11 Gatley Road, Cheadle SK8 1LY

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Inspector

Becky Rutter, Social Care Inspector Assurance inspection report for children's home: 2679810 8 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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