Children's Home run by The Together Trust in Stockport

Inspection report for children’s home: SC025747 1 SC025747 Registered provider: Together Trust Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is managed by a charitable organisation. It provides care for up to 3 children who experience social and emotional difficulties and/or have special educational needs.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of this inspection, 3 children were living in the home. The inspector spoke with all the children.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager has been in post since November 2015.

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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: requires improvement to be good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: Since the last full inspection, an assurance inspection took place at the home on 10 December 2025. The inspector identified no serious and/or widespread concerns at this assurance inspection. Inspection report for children’s home: SC025747 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

20/08/2025 Full Requires improvement to be good 01/10/2024 Full Good 20/02/2024 Full Good 01/02/2023 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: SC025747 3

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Summary of findings

Since the last inspection, there have been several changes at the home, including 3 children moving in and one child moving out. Staff planned these moves carefully, resulting in positive experiences for children. Children are making progress as a direct result of the care provided by staff. Children report being happy in the home and have meaningful and trusting relationships with staff. Recording is a key shortfall identified during this inspection.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have meaningful and trusting relationships with staff. They can identify trusted adults and say that they are happy living in the home. Children enjoy various activities with staff inside and outside the home. They are encouraged to pursue and attend their chosen hobbies and clubs. As a result, children are making meaningful childhood memories.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s health needs are understood and supported by staff. Staff advocate strongly on children’s behalf to ensure that they receive the appropriate care from external health professionals. This includes leaders and managers escalating their concerns when they feel that children’s needs are not being met effectively. As a result, children have no unmet health needs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Education for children is well supported by staff. Children attend education regularly and are making progress. For one child whose future education is uncertain, leading to increasing anxiety for the child, the manager is working alongside external professionals to find a solution that meets the child’s needs. This includes advocating strongly on their behalf, escalating concerns appropriately and supporting family members to visit educational provisions to identify the right setting for the child.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are encouraged to maintain contact with people who are important to them. Professionals describe staff going ‘above and beyond’ to ensure that this time meets the needs of each child. This includes supporting in re-establishing family relationships and supporting family members where needed. As a result, children are safely spending good-quality time with family members.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are provided with a warm and homely environment. The home is appropriately furnished and designed to meet children’s needs. There are photos of the children throughout the home, and it feels like a family home. Children are supported by staff to personalise their bedrooms according to their individual preferences. Inspection report for children’s home: SC025747 4

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

Staff have a good understanding of children’s needs and the risks they may face. Practice is supported by detailed plans with guidance for staff to follow. Staff understand their safeguarding responsibilities and thresholds for sharing information. They demonstrate confidence in actions they should take in the event of safeguarding concerns arising to protect children.

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

When complaints occur, the manager is proactive in their response, informs relevant safeguarding professionals and takes immediate action to protect children. Complaints are managed effectively, with clear rationale for decision-making.

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

There have been no incidents of children going missing from the home. Where appropriate, children are supported to spend time independently in the community. Children maintain contact with staff and understand how to stay safe.

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

Children experience difficulties managing their emotions. They have been involved in creating effective strategies to communicate their feelings with staff and help to reduce stresses during periods of crisis. Staff help children to understand difficult emotions and are providing positive strategies to manage these. Effective planning is in place to support children during significant life changes, including home moves, to reduce the likelihood of disruption to their progress.

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

Staff carry out direct work with children to help them understand how to stay safe and develop important life skills. However, the quality of this work is inconsistent. Staff do not always tailor it to children’s individual needs or use creative approaches to support understanding. Leaders and managers are actively addressing this shortfall, with progress slowly being made.

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

Staff use rewards, de-escalation techniques and distraction to encourage positive behaviour. On 3 occasions, staff have physically held children. When physical interventions occur, the level of scrutiny by leaders and managers is inconsistent. As a result, it is not always possible to determine whether all holds are necessary and proportionate. This increases the risk that children may be held by staff when it is not required.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager is experienced and demonstrates a child-centred approach. She has a clear understanding of children’s needs. When 2 children moved within the organisation, leaders and managers worked effectively to ensure that staff understood each child’s needs before the move. This included detailed planning and discussion to minimise disruption and support continued progress.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Effective multi-agency working is in place. Professionals describe the care provided by staff as ‘proactive’ and ‘supportive’. Professionals say that communication with staff is Inspection report for children’s home: SC025747 5 positive and that they are kept well informed of children’s care and progress. An independent reviewing officer said, ‘Of all the homes I work with, they are the one I am most happy with; I cannot fault them, they really do go above and beyond.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive regular supervision. These sessions provide opportunities for staff to reflect on their care of the children and discuss their practice. Any shortfalls identified in staff practice are addressed appropriately.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive regular training, including specific courses and workshops to meet children’s individual needs. The manager delivers additional training and workshops during team meetings and tests staff’s safeguarding knowledge using practice-based scenarios and quizzes.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff say they enjoy their roles and feel well supported by leaders and managers. Staff describe ‘loving’ their jobs and demonstrate genuine care and affection towards the children. Staff describe leaders and managers as ‘present’ and ‘approachable’. The team is passionate about providing high-quality care for children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Shortfalls in record-keeping have been identified during this inspection. There is a lack of consistency in the quality of record-keeping. This limits the ability to fully capture children’s experiences and progress.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers ensure that an independent person visits the home regularly to assess the home’s arrangements for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children. However, on one occasion, the report was not shared with the regulator. This restricts Ofsted’s ability to undertake effective external scrutiny. Inspection report for children’s home: SC025747 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 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

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

a description of the measure and its duration;

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Requirement Due date

details of any methods used or steps taken to avoid the need to use the measure; and

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Requirement Due date

the effectiveness and any consequences of the use of the measure. (Regulation 35 (1)(a)(b) (3)(a)(iv)(v)(vii)) 3 July 2026

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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;

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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

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that children’s records are detailed, meaningful and of good quality. 3 July 2026 Inspection report for children’s home: SC025747 7

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that an independent person carries out visits to the home and makes a rigorous and impartial assessment of the arrangements for safeguarding and promoting children’s welfare. The registered person should ensure that the report of these visits is sent to Ofsted in a timely manner. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 65, paragraph 15.5)

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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: SC025747 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Together Trust Centre, Schools Hill, Cheadle, Cheshire SK8 1JE

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Inspector

Leanne Carr, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC025747 9 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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