Children's Home run by The Partnership of Care Today in Staffordshire

Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC005066 1 SC005066

p.1

Registered provider: The Partnership of Care Today

p.1

Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The home is operated by a private company. It provides care for up to 2 children who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

At the time of this inspection, no children were living at the home.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in June 2025 and is working towards a level 5 qualification in leadership and management.

p.1

Inspection date: 17 March 2026

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

p.1

Information about this inspection

At this inspection, the inspector evaluated:

p.1

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: SC005066 2

p.1

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.

p.2

Findings from the inspection

The home has not admitted any children, and no children have moved in or out since the last inspection in October 2024. There have been no staff working in the home since 2024. The registered manager remains in post and is also registered to manage another group home locally. Because there were no children living in the home and no staff present, the inspector was limited in being able to evaluate children’s experiences and progress or to assess the quality of care provided.

p.2

Findings from the inspection

The home is not maintained to a standard that reflects good-quality care. Improvements are required to ensure that the environment is safe and suitable for children. These shortfalls were identified at the previous inspection in October 2024 and remain unresolved.

p.2

Findings from the inspection

Generic home safety plans are in place and have been recently updated. Health and safety documentation and equipment were also examined, and several shortfalls were identified. These relate specifically to fire safety, medication records and first- aid equipment. Such weaknesses mean that any children who move into the home could be exposed to avoidable risks, and the home is not currently ready to accept children.

p.2

Findings from the inspection

Some previously identified requirements and recommendations have not been addressed and have been restated; however, the statement of purpose has been updated and now accurately reflects the home’s ethos. Leaders have not carried out a quality of care review in line with regulatory requirements. Although independent visitors have consistently produced reports, the effectiveness of the reports is limited because the home is empty and there is no staff team. The registered manager does not receive regular supervision. Leaders can demonstrate the induction and training programme for new staff and outline the steps they take to recruit suitable employees, although recruitment remains challenging. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC005066 3

p.2

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

09/10/2024 Full Good 26/09/2023 Full Good 05/02/2020 Full Good 12/02/2019 Full Good Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC005066 4

p.3

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.

p.4

Requirement Due date

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

p.4

Requirement Due date

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

p.4

Requirement Due date

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

p.4

Requirement Due date

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

p.4

Requirement Due date

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

p.4

Requirement Due date

enable each child to participate in the daily life of the home. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(c)(i)(ii))

p.4

Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that the home’s environment is well maintained and that work is carried out to make improvements to areas of the home and garden.

p.4

Requirement Due date

This requirement has been restated. 30 April 2026

p.4

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.

p.4

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—

p.4

Requirement Due date

the quality of care provided for children; 30 April 2026 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC005066 5 the feedback and opinions of children about the children’s home, its facilities and the quality of care they receive in it; and

p.4

Requirement Due date

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

p.5

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”).

p.5

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

p.5

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.

p.5

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))

p.5

Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that staff understand the importance of careful, objective and clear recording. This relates to ensuring that staff record all medication administered to children effectively. This recommendation has been restated. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4)  The registered person should ensure that the home has a suitable first-aid box that is appropriately stocked and contains items that are in date. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 34, paragraph 7.13)  The registered person should ensure that the registered manager receives supervision from an appropriately qualified and experienced professional and that it is clearly recorded in relation to the home. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.2)

p.5

Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that all recommendations identified in the fire risk assessment are addressed in a timely manner to maintain a safe Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC005066 6 environment for children in the home. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 42, paragraph 9.5) Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC005066 7

p.5

Children’s home details

Registered provider: The Partnership of Care Today

p.7

Children’s home details

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

p.7

Inspector

Gill Rudkin, Social Care Inspector Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC005066 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.

p.7

Inspector

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.8

Inspector

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.8

Inspector

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.8

Inspector

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.8