Children's Home run by Careright Ltd in Bolton

Inspection report for children’s home: 2845325 1 Registered provider: Careright Ltd Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is owned and managed by a private provider. It can provide care for up to 3 children who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, one child was living in the home. The child spoke to the inspectors about their experience of living in the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager voluntarily cancelled their registration on 5 March 2026. An acting manager is in post.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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inadequate

How well children and young people are helped and protected inadequate

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inadequate

The effectiveness of leaders and managers inadequate

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inadequate

There are serious and widespread failures that mean children and young people are not protected or their welfare is not promoted or safeguarded and the care and experiences of children and young people are poor and they are not making progress.

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inadequate

Date of last inspection: not previously inspected

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inadequate

Overall judgement at last inspection: not applicable

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inadequate

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2845325 2

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Summary of findings

There have been an increasing number of safeguarding concerns since the child moved into the home. Staff’s management of significant incidents is poor and has led the child to be at risk of harm on numerous occasions.

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Summary of findings

There have been several changes in the management of the home, resulting in inconsistent care of the child and a lack of overall leadership or oversight within the home. Staff have not had clear direction or guidance, and gaps in staff’s training and development have not been appropriately addressed.

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Summary of findings

Due to significant shortfalls in safeguarding practice within the home, Ofsted took the decision to suspend the home during the inspection.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Since registration, one child has moved into the home. The child was welcomed by staff; however, a lack of thorough planning and understanding of the child’s needs means that staff were ill-equipped to safely support the child.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

The child was made subject to a Deprivation of Liberty Order (DoL order) shortly after moving into the home, which was subsequently extended by the courts due to an increase in risks and incidents within the home. The child’s social worker said, ‘Sometimes I feel like I am managing the home and staff aren’t always sure what to do. Ideally, I would’ve been writing a step-down plan from the DOLs for [name of child] but we are nowhere near that.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

The child does not have any planned interactions or time with other children and does not attend any hobbies or clubs. The child does spend time with staff in the home and plays basketball or football at the local park. The child has been supported to experience go-karting on one occasion, which the child said they enjoyed. The child does also see their parent in line with their family time plan, and the child’s mother has been supported to visit the home on one occasion to spend time with the child.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Staff have some understanding of the child’s educational needs and have encouraged the child to access in-house tutoring following a significant period out of education. The child said, ‘I would love to go to school and I want to be a carer or a bus driver when I’m older.’ Staff are supportive of the child’s aspirations and supported the child to attend an identified potential school.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Staff’s understanding of the child’s health needs is limited, and staff do not know how to appropriately support the child’s emotional and mental wellbeing. The child did not have any items in their bedroom, including a duvet cover or pillowcase, and had no items of clothing in their room. Staff removed all the child’s belongings as a response to Inspection report for children’s home: 2845325 3 the child’s mental health needs. Staff took this action without any consultation or instruction from a mental health professional.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

The home is not welcoming and is not reflective of a family-style environment. Items are broken, including a window frame, door and spindles were loose on the stair banister. Areas of the home are dirty with cobwebs, and the carpets are stained throughout.

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

Staff do not know or understand how to keep the child safe. The child’s risk assessments and behaviour support plans are lacking in detail and do not give clear guidance for staff to follow. Some risk assessments are outdated and do not fully reflect the child’s current needs and known risks. As a result, staff’s management of risks is inconsistent and unsafe.

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

The child has gone missing from the home on several occasions despite a DoL order being in place. On one occasion, staff did not lock the doors as directed by the court, which allowed the child to leave the home unchallenged. On 2 further occasions, 2 staff members remained in the office, leaving only one staff member supervising the child, despite the child requiring 2-to-1 support at all times. The child has also gained access to keys without staff’s knowledge and has left the home through a window. Staff do not consistently follow the missing ‑ from ‑ home risk assessment when the child leaves the home, and recordings of staff’s actions are inconsistent or incomplete. These shortfalls demonstrate significant weaknesses in the implementation of the DoL order, daily supervision arrangements and risk management practice.

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

Ligature risks are not being managed safely, and staff do not demonstrate sufficient understanding of how to respond when concerns of ligature arise. Staff do not consistently seek medical advice when the child has ligatured, and on one occasion required direction from a visiting duty social worker to contact emergency services.

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

Waking night staff are also not following the child’s safety plan. They have failed to complete the required 15 ‑ minute checks, and on one occasion were found asleep after the child had gone to bed. These shortfalls indicate significant weaknesses in staff’s awareness, compliance with the child’s safety plan and the management of ligature risks. The lack of timely medical oversight and inconsistent supervision places the child at increased risk of harm.

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

Physical interventions are not being used safely or as a last resort. On one occasion, staff lifted the child by their arms and legs despite there being no immediate risk. The responsible individual stated that she did not suspend the staff involved due to staffing shortages. Records of interventions are unclear and lack detail, and one staff member reported uncertainty about whether an intervention required recording. There is also no effective management oversight of physical interventions within the home, resulting in unsafe practice going unchallenged. Inspection report for children’s home: 2845325 4 Consequences are often punitive and unrelated to the behaviour or incident they are given for. Consequences are not always recorded as such and the length of a consequence is often at staff’s discretion, resulting in a lack of consistency for the child.

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

Language used in recordings is inappropriate and lacks empathy or understanding of the child’s experiences. Staff were also found to be sharing the child’s personal information and discussing incidents in the home via their personal mobile devices. These practices breach confidentiality, undermine professional standards and fail to promote respectful, child ‑ centred care.

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

Allegations are not safely managed. Records are incomplete; the child’s views are not always recorded and any subsequent investigation lacks clarity and actions. On one occasion, following an allegation made by the child, a director was asked to leave the home and not have any contact with the child while the investigation was ongoing. The director continued to visit the home. This placed all involved at further risk.

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

Safer recruitment practices are not followed. The director has taken an active role in the home and was allowed to take the child out of the home with an inexperienced agency staff member, despite having no safer recruitment checks.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

There have been several changes in management, with the registered manager leaving on 5 March 2026.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Since the registered manager left, the home has been primarily managed by the responsible individual, supported by interim managers who have not always had the required experience or skills. The responsible individual has attempted to manage the home from a considerable distance and has been solely responsible for providing on ‑ call support. As a result, multiple failings in staff practice have gone unidentified or unchallenged, highlighting significant weaknesses in leadership and oversight.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Staff say that the changes in the home have been difficult to manage at times. Staff say that they can access support from the responsible individual and that she has been present in the home since the registered manager left. Staff say that they have regular supervisions.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Staff training is poor and does not equip staff to meet the child’s needs effectively. Staff have not consistently received the training required to manage the child’s risks, and face ‑ to ‑ face ligature training was not provided until several weeks after the child arrived, despite this being a known risk. Incidents that resulted in police attendance due to improper behaviour management have also not led to any additional training. These gaps highlight significant weaknesses in staff’s preparedness and the home’s approach to developing safe, competent practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Management oversight is inconsistent and does not lead to any effective change in staff practice or improved care for the child. The responsible individual has been unable to Inspection report for children’s home: 2845325 5 implement any changes in the home without the support of a consistent, appropriately experienced manager. This has led to significant shortfalls in safeguarding practice in the home. Inspection report for children’s home: 2845325 6

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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

help each child to understand how to keep safe;

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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;

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Requirement Due date

that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed, furnished and maintained so as to protect each child from avoidable hazards to the child’s health; and

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Requirement Due date

that the effectiveness of the home’s child protection policies is monitored regularly. 28 May 2026 Inspection report for children’s home: 2845325 7 (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(v)(vi)(vii)(b)(d)(e))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that:

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Requirement Due date

staff have the skills, knowledge and understanding of how to keep children safe in conjunction with the child’s known risks and plans

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Requirement Due date

staff take swift action in order to keep children safe in accordance with the child’s assessed risks and plans

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Requirement Due date

any broken items in the home are fixed without delay.

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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;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff work as a team where appropriate;

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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

ensure that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child;

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Requirement Due date

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

demonstrate that practice in the home is informed and improved by taking into account and acting on— 28 May 2026 Inspection report for children’s home: 2845325 8 research and developments in relation to the ways in which the needs of children are best met; and

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Requirement Due date

feedback on the experiences of children, including complaints received; and

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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)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(c)(d)(e)(f)(g)(i)(ii)(h))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that:

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Requirement Due date

staff are trained effectively and have the knowledge and skills required to care for a child

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Requirement Due date

there are sufficient staffing levels so that any necessary changes to staffing can be made without compromising the care of the child

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Requirement Due date

there are effective monitoring and review systems in place to ensure the care of the child is safe and appropriate.

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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

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

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Requirement Due date

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

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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

understand and apply the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

understand and apply the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

protect and promote each child’s welfare;

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Requirement Due date

treat each child with dignity and respect; 28 May 2026 Inspection report for children’s home: 2845325 9 provide personalised care that meets each child’s needs, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans, taking account of the child’s background;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand and manage the impact of any experience of abuse or neglect;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to develop resilience and skills that prepare the child to return home, to live in a new placement or to live independently as an adult;

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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

provide to children personal items that are appropriate for their age and understanding; and

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Requirement Due date

make decisions about the day-to-day arrangements for each child, in accordance with the child’s relevant plans, which give the child an appropriate degree of freedom and choice;

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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

enable each child to participate in the daily life of the home. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(viii)(ix)(c)(i)(ii))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that:

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Requirement Due date

staff use effective training, knowledge and skills to safely care for the child and promote their welfare

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Requirement Due date

staff appropriately support the child to keep safe, with empathy and consistent care and understanding

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Requirement Due date

the home environment, including the child’s bedroom, is welcoming and furnished to a high, appropriate standard, including children’s personal belongings.

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Requirement Due date

Restraint in relation to a child is only permitted for the purpose of preventing—

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Requirement Due date

injury to any person (including the child); 28 May 2026 Inspection report for children’s home: 2845325 10 serious damage to the property of any person (including the child); or

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Requirement Due date

a child who is accommodated in a secure children’s home from absconding from the home.

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Requirement Due date

Restraint in relation to a child must be necessary and proportionate. (Regulation 20 (1)(a)(c) (2))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that any use of physical intervention is only used as a last resort to keep the child/others safe.

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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

employ an individual to work at the children’s home; if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3).

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Requirement Due date

the individual is of integrity and good character;

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Requirement Due date

the individual has the appropriate experience, qualification and skills for the work that the individual is to perform;

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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) (2) (3)(a)(b)(d))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that all staff have safer recruitment checks in place. 28 May 2026

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Requirement Due date

the privacy of children is appropriately protected. (Regulation 21 (1)(a))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that staff respect the child’s privacy and do not share or discuss the child’s information on personal devices. 28 May 2026

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Requirement Due date

An individual may only carry on a children’s home if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (5). 28 May 2026 Inspection report for children’s home: 2845325 11 An organisation may only carry on a home if—

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Requirement Due date

each director of the organisation, except for a director who is the responsible individual, who is involved in the carrying on of a home by that organisation satisfies the requirements in paragraph (6).

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Requirement Due date

the individual is of integrity and good character; and

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Requirement Due date

full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of the matters in paragraphs 1 and 3 to 6 of Schedule 2. (Regulation 26 (1) (4)(i) (6)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that any directors involved in the running of the home have the required checks and documentation in place to do so.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must prepare and implement a policy ("the behaviour management policy") which sets out—

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Requirement Due date

how appropriate behaviour is to be promoted in the children’s home; and

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Requirement Due date

the measures of control, discipline and restraint which may be used in relation to children in the home.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must keep the behaviour management policy under review and, where appropriate, revise it.

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Requirement Due date

within 24 hours of the use of a measure of control, discipline or restraint in relation to a child in the home, a record is made which includes—

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Requirement Due date

details of the child’s behaviour leading to the use of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

the date, time and location of the use of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

a description of the measure and its duration; 28 May 2026 Inspection report for children’s home: 2845325 12 details of any methods used or steps taken to avoid the need to use the measure;

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Requirement Due date

the name of the person who used the measure ("the user"), and of any other person present when the measure was used;

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Requirement Due date

the effectiveness and any consequences of the use of the measure; and

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Requirement Due date

a description of any injury to the child or any other person, and any medical treatment administered, as a result of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

within 48 hours of the use of the measure, the registered person, or a person who is authorised by the registered person to do so ("the authorised person")—

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Requirement Due date

has spoken to the user about the measure; and

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Requirement Due date

has signed the record to confirm it is accurate; and

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Requirement Due date

within 5 days of the use of the measure, the registered person or the authorised person adds to the record confirmation that they have spoken to the child about the measure. (Regulation 35 (1)(a)(b) (2) (3)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(b)(i)(ii)(c))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that:

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Requirement Due date

staff understand how to appropriately and safely manage behaviour

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Requirement Due date

any consequences are appropriate and that their effectiveness is reviewed

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Requirement Due date

any record of restraint, measure or consequence is subject to the appropriate scrutiny and that the child’s views are always sought and considered.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if—

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Requirement Due date

an incident requiring police involvement occurs in relation to a child which the registered person considers to be serious;

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Requirement Due date

there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there; 28 May 2026 Inspection report for children’s home: 2845325 13 there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40 (4)(b)(c)(e))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that they consistently notify external agencies appropriately of any allegations or serious incidents.

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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: 2845325 14

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 1b Herbert Road, Handsworth, Birmingham B21 9AE

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Iryna Bykova-Nimmo

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Inspectors

Justina Henry, Social Care Inspector Suzanne Birchall, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2845325 15 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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