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

Inspection report for children’s home: SC008487 1 SC008487 Registered provider: The Partnership of Care Today Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This children’s home is one of a number of homes run by a partnership. It is registered to provide care for up to 6 children.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, 3 children were living in the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager is suitably experienced and has been registered with Ofsted since July 2020.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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outstanding

How well children and young people are helped and protected outstanding

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outstanding

The effectiveness of leaders and managers outstanding

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outstanding

The children’s home provides highly effective services that consistently exceed the standards of good. The actions of the children’s home contribute to significantly improved outcomes and positive experiences for children and young people who need help, protection and care.

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outstanding

Date of last inspection: 3 February 2025

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outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: outstanding

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outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC008487 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

03/02/2025 Full Outstanding 13/02/2024 Full Outstanding 31/01/2023 Full Outstanding 01/02/2022 Full Outstanding Inspection report for children’s home: SC008487 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children live in a homely and nurturing environment. Children’s bedrooms are personalised and photographs of them enjoying activities with staff are displayed throughout the home. Children are encouraged to share their ideas about the home’s decoration.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children’s moves into and out of the home are managed well. They have opportunities to develop relationships with staff ahead of moving in, and children already living in the home are involved in the planning for their arrival. This thoughtful approach helps to reassure children who are new to the home and supports a positive start to their placement.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

When children move out of the home, they do so in a planned way in line with their plans. Children have been supported to move into long-term arrangements such as semi- independence or foster care. Staff maintain relationships with children even after they move on. This ensures that children continue to have access to trusted support networks as they mature.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children benefit from trusting relationships with staff, which gives them a strong sense of permanence and stability. They enjoy spending time with staff, engaging in activities such as going running, raising money for charity and going for walks in the countryside. These positive interactions help children to develop healthy routines that support their emotional wellbeing and attachments to the adults who care for them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children attend education daily and are making exceptional progress from their starting points. The manager advocates strongly on their behalf and challenges professionals when barriers to education arise. Swift and effective action is taken to ensure that children’s learning remains a priority. All of the children have high aspirations for their future, and their dreams for the future are promoted.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children are encouraged to participate in extra-curricular activities, such as attending local youth clubs and children in care council meetings and going swimming. This helps them to build their social skills in safe and structured environments.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children’s family networks are well understood, and staff recognise the importance of children spending time with people who are close to them. This helps children to maintain their sense of identity. Parents spoke highly of the staff commitment to supporting family time.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children’s views are gathered daily through their interactions with staff. Children attend regular meetings each week where they are encouraged to share their views and preferences for group activities. This influences decisions linked to holiday planning, outward-bound activities and group activities such as go-karting. This regular consultation ensures that children feel heard and are actively involved in planning their activities. Inspection report for children’s home: SC008487 4 Children’s health needs are well understood by staff, and they attend all necessary health appointments. Children benefit from nutritious meals, and staff encourage them to explore new recipes from different cultures. These opportunities help children to develop practical life skills and broaden their understanding of healthy eating.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children’s emotional wellbeing is also prioritised. The provider has commissioned a therapist to work directly with staff to strengthen their understanding of trauma. This has enabled staff to build nurturing, child-centred relationships with the children in their care. Children also have access to the therapist, who sets aside time each week to help support them in maintaining their emotional wellbeing.

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

Children’s safety is prioritised. The staff and manager have an exceptional understanding about the risks that children face. Children co-produce their risk assessments and behavioural support plans in collaboration with staff, which provides a sense of ownership. These assessments are reviewed regularly to ensure that they adapt to children’s changing risks and needs. As a result, physical interventions have not been used since the last inspection period.

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

Staff have developed clear and appropriate boundaries and routines to provide children with structure and consistency of care. When children go missing from home, staff respond promptly and effectively. Return home interviews and follow-up support are offered to ensure that children can explore their reasons for leaving. Consequently, incidents of children going missing from the home are incredibly rare.

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

Staff take a restorative approach when children display challenging behaviours, and they support children to reflect on their actions. Consequences are proportionate and evaluated by the manager and team to ensure their effectiveness.

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

Children benefit from strength-based, child-centred key-work sessions that focus on their individual needs. This includes direct work related to emotional wellbeing, friendships and safer internet use. Staff have completed training linked to children’s individual needs, and they use research to inform their practice in collaboration with the home’s therapist. As a result, children’s diverse needs are understood and met effectively. Children also have access to the staff training hub and often complete training in collaboration with staff.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered manager has worked in the home for a significant period and is appropriately experienced and qualified. She is supported by an equally ambitious deputy manager and staff team who are committed to securing the highest possible outcomes for the children in their care. Staff speak positively about the focus placed on professional development and research-based practice. This is supported by the in-house therapeutic practitioner, who helps them to understand the therapeutic needs of the children living in the home. Inspection report for children’s home: SC008487 5 The staff team is stable, diverse and has a broad range of professional experience. This serves to strengthen the creative approaches adopted to support children. Staff spoke overwhelmingly positively about being valued by leaders and managers. Therefore, staff are flexible in adapting to the needs of the staffing rota, and agency staff have not been

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

required. This supports consistency of care in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

There are robust systems in place to monitor and drive improvements in practice and care offered to children. The registered manager responds effectively to recommendations made by the independent visitor and ensures that all documentation is up to date and consistently reviewed.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Managers work effectively with key stakeholders. Partner agencies spoke candidly with regards to the level of communication provided by leaders and managers, with one social worker describing this as ‘phenomenal’.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff have regular supervision that is reflective. Appraisals are completed annually; however, these would be enhanced with the inclusion of feedback from children and external professionals. A recommendation has been made in relation to this. Inspection report for children’s home: SC008487 6

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Recommendation

 The registered person should have their performance and fitness to carry out their role formally appraised at least once annually. This appraisal should consider, where reasonable and practical, the views of other professionals who have worked with the staff member over the year and children in the home’s care. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.5)

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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: SC008487 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: The Partnership of Care Today

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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

Jon Dutton, Social Care Inspector Sam Baird, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC008487 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 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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