Children's Home run by Voices Homes Ltd in Oldham

Inspection report for children’s home: 2794714 1 Registered provider: Voices Homes Ltd Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home registered with Ofsted in December 2024 and is operated by a private provider. It offers care for one child who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of this inspection, one child was living at the home. The child was spoken with during the inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in March 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

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2794714 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

13/05/2025 Full Good 18/03/2025 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children’s home: 2794714 3

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Summary of findings

The child is making progress and is supported by staff who are nurturing and warm. The child is proud to live in the home, is having a positive experience and is supported by staff who take prompt action when there are any concerns about safety. Serious incidents are managed well to keep the child safe. Any shortfalls in staff practice are addressed promptly and managed effectively.

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Summary of findings

Staff and managers are enthusiastic about working in the home and providing high- quality care for the child. They work collaboratively with each other, as well as with family members and professionals. The team is well managed, and there is a positive, child-focused culture. Not all staff are qualified, but managers are taking appropriate action to address this.

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Summary of findings

The home environment is not in keeping with the quality of care and requires improvement. Repairs are not addressed in a timely manner, and there is a lack of attention to ensure that the environment is consistently homely to support the child’s needs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support the child to make progress in all areas of their life and encourage them to develop their skills, such as cooking, and to try new experiences. Education is prioritised, and the child attends school regularly. They have aspirations for the future and are making positive strides towards independence.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The care provided to the child is individualised and responsive to their changing needs. The staff’s warm regard shines through, and as a result, the child is having a positive experience living in the home, even when things are difficult. The child said they have staff whom they can trust and rely on. Staff have positive relationships with each other, and this creates a warm and relaxed atmosphere in the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support important relationships by taking the child to see family members and supporting them with the visits if necessary. Staff have also supported the child through the loss of important people. When the child is struggling and needs more help, staff promptly access appropriate specialist support, and the manager advocates on their behalf to ensure that the child gets what they need to thrive.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Professionals speak highly of the care provided to the child. The child says they are happy in the home and like living there. Staff support the child to participate in many activities they enjoy, such as going to the gym and on trips, and they watch football at the home. This contributes to the child’s growing confidence. Inspection report for children’s home: 2794714 4 Areas of the home are worn, and there are parts that are damaged and require decoration. Some of these issues have been left unaddressed for longer than necessary. The fire doors bang loudly when opened and closed, which detracts from a homely feel. The outside area has broken furniture and rubbish, and the back garden is unkempt. The physical environment does not reflect the otherwise positive atmosphere in the home.

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

Staff work hard to keep the child safe and react quickly if they are at risk of harm. Missing-from-home episodes are not frequent, but when they occur, staff know what to do and follow the procedures set out in the child’s plan to ensure their safe return. During one recent incident, when the child did not respond to welfare calls, staff’s prompt reactions prevented a very serious situation from escalating.

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

Safeguarding arrangements ensure that the child is safeguarded effectively. When incidents occur, staff reflect on what they might have done differently to help the child, and changes are made as a result. Safety plans are clear and updated regularly in line with the presenting risks, which enables everyone to act to keep the child safe. Furthermore, staff work collaboratively with family members and other professionals to ensure that concerns are shared when necessary and the appropriate support for the child is sourced.

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

Substance misuse is an area of concern for the child. However, staff know what to look for and how to respond if they suspect that the child has been misusing substances. When there are incidents of self-injurious behaviour, staff promptly seek medical attention where necessary. There are some occasions when bedroom checks may have prevented incidents of self-injury. However, staff and the manager have reflected on these incidents and taken action to update safety planning. Incidents are thoroughly recorded and discussed with staff and the child to help them reflect on what has happened and consider safer behaviours.

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

Staff are recruited to the home safely. Any allegations about staff are dealt with thoroughly, ensuring that those caring for the child are suitable to do so. There has been one medication recording error, but this did not affect the child. The manager took effective action to review the recording procedures, and the shortfall was promptly addressed to reduce the risk of any future incidents. This demonstrates that the manager’s oversight of safeguarding practice and processes is effective.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers are enthusiastic about providing high-quality care for the child. The manager and deputy manager have a very good understanding of the child’s needs and prioritise these. The manager advocates for the child where necessary and raises matters with relevant professionals who can help to resolve issues if he does not receive a sufficient response. Inspection report for children’s home: 2794714 5 There is a positive atmosphere among the staff, which comes from them feeling respected and appreciated. Staff say they enjoy working in the home and that they are well supported by managers. Staff feel able to openly express worries or concerns and take pride in caring for the child, who is central to everyone’s thinking. Practice-related supervision sessions are regular and reflective. This helps staff to develop their skills and feel part of a team.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager and deputy manager have a good understanding of the home’s strengths and areas for development. They are keen to try new ideas and develop staff skills in areas where improvement is needed. Managers work collaboratively with staff to identify areas to focus on and plan a way forward.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The child’s views are listened to, and they are encouraged to freely express themselves in the home. Complaints are rarely made; however, when they are, they are treated seriously. This helps the child to understand that their views are important and that they have a say in matters that affect them.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Some staff members are unqualified and are outside the required time frame to attain the relevant qualification. Several challenges with local training providers have prevented progression. Managers have taken appropriate action to address this by securing a new provider and developing a plan to support staff to achieve their qualifications. Inspection report for children’s home: 2794714 6

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered person 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 must comply within the given timescales.

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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

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

meet the needs of each child. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(c)(i)) 19 July 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: 2794714 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Suite 212 Oakland House, 21 Hope Carr Road, Leigh, Wigan WN7 3ET

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Inspector

Amy Groom, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2794714 8 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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