Children's Home run by Alexandra Residential Care Ltd in Manchester

Inspection report for children’s home: 2835391 1 FOR PUBLIC RELEASE

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Registered provider: Alexandra Residential Care Ltd

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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 is operated by a private company. It provides care for one child who may experience social and emotional difficulties. One child was living in the home at the time of the inspection and was spoken with.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager has been in post since the home opened in September 2025

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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: Not previously inspected

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: Not applicable

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: Not applicable Inspection report for children’s home: 2835391 2 FOR PUBLIC RELEASE

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is homely and welcoming. It is nicely decorated and furnished. The child is proud of their bedroom and has personalised it to their specific wishes. This provides stability for the child and helps to promote their self-esteem and overall wellbeing. Staff provided good support when the child moved into the home. Prior to moving in, the child was visited by staff and then, after that, they visited the home. The manager also completed detailed planning with staff to support them to understand the child’s care needs. This ensured the child was able to settle quickly into the home and make good progress from the start. Staff provide individualised care to the child, enabling them to make progress. The child has improved sleep patterns, greater feelings of safety and more overall stability. The child describes themself as feeling the happiest and most settled in a long time.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child's views are well understood by staff through daily discussions and more structured weekly house meetings. This allows the child to contribute to their day-to-day care.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child has positive relationships with all staff. They describe the staff group as ’awesome’ and that there is nothing they would change. The child’s social worker describes the staff as doing a good job in caring for the child. The child’s family also commented on how well staff were caring for child and keeping them safe.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child is currently not in school due to specific issues relating to their needs. However, staff are promoting alternative methods of education, such as regular attendance to a music studio and education-based activities. The home’s manager is advocating for the child and actively contributing to future planning for more formal education plans.

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

The child is kept safe, both in the home and when in the community. Staff have a good understanding of the child’s needs and work with other professionals to ensure any risks are managed. Staff have worked well with the child to keep them safe from risks online. Risk assessments are kept up to date with detailed guidance for staff to help keep the child safe.

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

When the child has gone missing, staff have responded effectively and in accordance with agreed plans. Staff search for the child and notify the police and appropriate authorities. This has resulted in the child being located quickly and safely.

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

Staff provide strong role models for behaviour that the child responds to. When there are behaviours that require further support, staff implement appropriate consequences that Inspection report for children’s home: 2835391 3 FOR PUBLIC RELEASE

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

can be restorative in nature. This ensures that the child receives clear and consistent guidance on what is acceptable behaviour.

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

The child is only physically held when it is necessary to ensure their safety, or that of others. Staff support the child afterwards to help understand what led to the incident. Staff complete direct work with the child to help them manage their emotions and allow them to avoid future similar incidents.

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

Allegations are very infrequent. However, following one incident where a child made allegations, the actions taken by the manager and rationale for these, was not clearly recorded.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager is suitably skilled and has been in post since the home was registered. He is ambitious and has clear plans for developing his staff team. The manager knows the home well and advocates for high standards of care for the child.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers maintain strong oversight of the home. The manager uses monthly audits and works closely with their independent visitor. Team meetings are regular and well attended by staff. This allows a forum for staff to share knowledge and experiences that improve practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers provide good support to staff. They provide opportunities for staff to develop their roles, for example, through champion roles and, where appropriate, support staff wishing to progress to future management positions. This promotes staff morale and motivates staff to maintain high standards of practice in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive appropriate induction and training, when they start working at the home. Staff then receive regular good-quality, reflective supervision. This ensures that managers can monitor staff and practice within this home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers work well with external professionals to meet the child’s needs. This currently includes education professionals, the police and the child’s social worker. They communicate regularly with the child’s birth family to ensure family time plans are progressed according to the child’s wishes and views. Inspection report for children’s home: 2835391 4 FOR PUBLIC RELEASE

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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, 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 prepare and implement a policy which—

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Requirement Due date

is intended to safeguard children accommodated in the children’s home from abuse or neglect; and

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Requirement Due date

sets out the procedure to be followed in the event of an allegation of abuse or neglect.

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Requirement Due date

The procedure to be followed in the event of an allegation of abuse or neglect must, in particular—

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Requirement Due date

provide for records to be kept of an allegation of abuse or neglect, and the action taken in response. (Regulation 34 (1)(a)(b) (2)(d)) 01 May 2026

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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: 2835391 5 FOR PUBLIC RELEASE

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Alexandra Residential Care Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 163 Kingsway, Manchester, M19 2ND

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Inspector

Jon Collins, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2835391 6 FOR PUBLIC RELEASE

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Inspector

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 looked-after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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