Children's Home run by Sphere Care Solutions in Bolton

Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2819939 1 Registered provider: Sphere Care Solutions

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is owned and managed by a private company. It is registered to care for one child who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

There were no children living in the home at the time of the monitoring visit.

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This monitoring visit

At a full inspection on 1 and 2 April 2026, the home was judged ‘inadequate’. Shortfalls were identified in safeguarding practice and the leadership and management of the home.

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This monitoring visit

Due to significant shortfalls in safeguarding practice in the home, Ofsted took the decision to suspend the registration of the home.

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This monitoring visit

The purpose of this visit was to monitor the actions taken by leaders and managers following the significant shortfalls identified in safeguarding practice. Since the last inspection, a new manager has been appointed and has applied to register with Ofsted.

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This monitoring visit

There have been some improvements made to the home environment. New furnishings have been purchased, and appropriate action has been taken to address most maintenance issues. There are still some outstanding maintenance issues and items that need to be removed to ensure the home is free from hazards.

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This monitoring visit

Staff have benefited from external safeguarding training, some of which was specific to the shortfalls identified at the inspection. This included managing allegations, risk assessments, safeguarding and missing from care. Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2819939 2 Most staff were able to identify learning they had taken from the training. They said it was the best training they had and they reflected on previous incidents in the home and lessons learned.

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This monitoring visit

A new deputy manager has been recruited. However, they had a limited understanding of the shortfalls in safeguarding practice that were identified at the inspection. This is a concern as their role is to support other staff in their practice and provide advice and guidance.

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This monitoring visit

Missing from home, child protection and safeguarding procedures have been reviewed and provide guidance to staff on what actions they need to take following incidents, including allegations, physical interventions and children going missing.

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This monitoring visit

Leaders and managers have not provided staff with opportunities to improve their skills and knowledge to carry out meaningful direct work with children. In addition, the manager has not provided staff with the resources needed to support them in carrying out purposeful and effective direct work with children.

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This monitoring visit

A case review was held following this visit and it was deemed that sufficient action had not been taken to address all the shortfalls in safeguarding practice that had been previously identified. The suspension notice remains in place.

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This monitoring visit

The requirements raised at the last full inspection remain in place and will be reviewed at the next inspection.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

01/04/2026 Full Inadequate 22/07/2025 Full Good Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2819939 3

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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. 24 June 2026 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2819939 4 (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(v)(vi)(vii)(b)(d)(e))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, leaders and managers must ensure that staff take action to safeguard children at all times.

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Requirement Due date

Ensure that staff seek medical advice when a child presents under the influence of a substance.

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Requirement Due date

Ensure that children’s records are maintained to include all known risks and are regularly reviewed.

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Requirement Due date

Ensure that staff have the skills, knowledge and understanding to meet children’s needs and manage risks.

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Requirement Due date

Ensure that meaningful work around the child’s known risks is completed with them to help them understand how to keep safe.

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Requirement Due date

Ensure that meaningful direct work is done with the child following safeguarding incidents.

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Requirement Due date

Ensure that staff take action to search for children when they are missing.

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Requirement Due date

Ensure at all times that sharp items are kept in a secure and locked storage unit.

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Requirement Due date

Ensure that all bathroom door locks are accessible externally and any exit pathways from the home are clear of hazards.

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Requirement Due date

Ensure there are window restrictors on the child’s bedroom window.

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Requirement Due date

Ensure that broken bedroom furniture is removed and replaced.

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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— 24 June 2026 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2819939 5 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’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—

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Requirement Due date

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)(e)(f)(g)(i)(ii)(h))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, leaders and managers must ensure all incidents are reviewed and that all shortfalls in staff practice are identified and action is taken to address these.

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Requirement Due date

Ensure that debriefs are carried out with staff and the child following safeguarding incidents.

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Requirement Due date

Ensure that staff are provided with the guidance to meet children’s individual needs and safeguard them at all times.

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Requirement Due date

Ensure that systems are in place for the manager to monitor and review the quality of care in the home.

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Requirement Due date

Ensure that all staff have completed all required training to meet all children’s needs.

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Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children— 24 June 2026 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2819939 6 receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home; and

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Requirement Due date

have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home.

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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

manage and review the placement of each child in the home; and

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Requirement Due date

plan for, and help, each child to prepare to leave the home or to move into adult care in a way that is consistent with arrangements agreed with the child’s placing authority;

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Requirement Due date

that each child’s relevant plans are followed;

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Requirement Due date

that, subject to regulation 22 (contact and access to communications), contact between each child and the child’s parents, relatives and friends, is promoted in accordance with the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

that the child’s placing authority is contacted, and a review of that child’s relevant plans is requested, if—

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Requirement Due date

the registered person considers that the child is at risk of harm or has concerns that the care provided for the child is inadequate to meet the child’s needs;

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Requirement Due date

the child is, or has been, persistently absent from the home without permission; or

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Requirement Due date

that staff help each child to access and contribute to the records kept by the registered person in relation to the child. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b) (2)(b)(ii)(iii)(c)(d)(e)(i)(ii)(f))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, leaders and managers must ensure that they have a copy of all local authority plans for the child, including those that have been reviewed.

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Requirement Due date

Ensure that staff know and understand the local authority’s agreed family-time arrangements for the child. Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2819939 7 Ensure that the child is supported to contribute to their plans.

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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;

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Requirement Due date

describe the measures which may be necessary to protect children following an allegation of abuse or neglect; and

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Requirement Due date

describe how and to whom staff are to report, without delay, any concern about abuse or neglect of a child. (Regulation 34 (1)(a)(b) (2)(d)(e)(f))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring that allegations made by the child against staff members are thoroughly investigated and recorded and that the outcome of the allegation is shared with the child. 24 June 2026

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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— 24 June 2026 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2819939 8 the name of the child;

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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; 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) (3)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(viii)(b)(i)(ii)(c))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that any physical interventions are recorded in detail and that debriefs are completed with children and staff.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must maintain records ("case records") for each child which—

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Requirement Due date

include the information and documents listed in Schedule 3 in relation to each child; 24 June 2026 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2819939 9 are kept up to date; and

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Requirement Due date

are signed and dated by the author of each entry. (Regulation 36 (1)(a)(b)(c))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the registered person ensuring the child’s placement plans are completed and reviewed regularly and that they reflect the local authority’s care plan for the child, including their support needs, health, education and care plan.

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Requirement Due date

Ensure that searches of the child’s personal belongings are recorded correctly.

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Requirement Due date

Ensure that the Annex A form required to be shared at inspection is factually accurate.

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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; or

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Requirement Due date

if an individual is employed by a person other than the registered person to work at the home in a position in which the individual may have regular contact with children, allow that individual to work at the home,

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Requirement Due date

if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3).

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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)(a)(b) (3)(b))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, leaders and managers must ensure Disclosure and Barring Service update service information checks correspond with the DBS certificate provided.

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Requirement Due date

Ensure that where staff employment dates do not correspond with those on their applications forms, CVs and references are scrutinised and there is evidence of scrutiny. 24 June 2026 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2819939 10 Ensure that all employment references are verified, along with dates of employment.

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Requirement Due date

Ensure that all forms of identification are verified and if there are any differences in details these are scrutinised.

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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

provide to children living in the home the physical necessities they need in order to live there comfortably; (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(b)(vii)

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Requirement Due date

Ensure that the child is supported to maintain their bedroom to a good standard.

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Requirement Due date

Ensure that all areas of the home are free from hazards and that action is taken to address all maintenance issues.

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Requirement Due date

Ensure maintenance work is completed to a good standard. 24 June 2026

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Requirement Due date

The education standard is that children make measurable progress towards achieving their educational potential and are helped to do so.

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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

help each child to achieve the child’s education and training targets, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

understand the barriers to learning that each child may face and take appropriate action to help the child to overcome any such barriers; 24 June 2026 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2819939 11 help each child to understand the importance and value of education, learning, training and employment;

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Requirement Due date

promote opportunities for each child to learn informally;

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Requirement Due date

help a child who is excluded from school, or who is of compulsory school age but not attending school, to access educational and training support throughout the period of exclusion or non-attendance and to return to school as soon as possible;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to attend education or training in accordance with the expectations in the child’s relevant plans. (Regulation 8 (1) (2)(a)(i)(iii)(iv)(v)(viii)(x))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that when the child is not attending an education setting, they are actively encouraged to engage in alternative educational activities and provided with a structured routine which is kept under review.

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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 any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation (40) (4)(b)(e))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the registered person ensuring that Ofsted is informed of all serious incidents in the home, including when the child has been missing for periods of time and when the child has accessed items in the home that should have been secure, such as sharps and the staff computer. 24 June 2026

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Requirement Due date

In meeting the quality standards, the registered person must, and must ensure that staff—

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Requirement Due date

if the registered person considers, or staff consider, a placing authority’s or a relevant person’s performance or response to be inadequate in relation to their role, challenge the placing authority or the relevant person to seek to ensure that each 24 June 2026 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2819939 12 child’s needs are met in accordance with the child’s relevant plans. (Regulation 5(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that they escalate concerns when local authority documents are not received.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must compile in relation to the children’s home a statement ("the statement of purpose") which covers the matters listed in Schedule 1.

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Requirement Due date

keep the statement of purpose under review and, where appropriate, revise it; and

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Requirement Due date

notify HMCI of any revisions and send HMCI a copy of the revised statement within 28 days of the revision. (Regulation 16 (1) (3)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, leaders and managers must ensure that the statement of purpose is reviewed when there is a change to staffing, and that it includes details of the experience and qualifications of staff. 24 June 2026

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Information about this inspection

The purpose of this visit was to monitor the action taken and the progress made by the children’s home since its last Ofsted inspection.

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Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000. Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2819939 13

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Sphere Care Solutions

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 152a Deansgate, Bolton BL1 1BB

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Olugbenga Odebunmi

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Inspector

Michelle McGrath, social care inspector Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2819939 14 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

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

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