Children's Home run by Trafford Borough Council in Trafford

Inspection report for children’s home: SC032475 1 SC032475 Registered provider: Trafford Borough Council 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 local authority. It provides care for up to 5 children who experience social and emotional difficulties and have learning disabilities.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of this inspection, 4 children were living at the home. Two children spoke to the inspectors.

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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. 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: 5 November 2025

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inadequate

Overall judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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inadequate

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC032475 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

05/11/2025 Full Requires improvement to be good 16/07/2025 Full Inadequate 16/04/2024 Full Good 31/10/2023 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: SC032475 3

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Summary of findings

There has been an absence of a registered manager since April 2025. Although attempts have been made to recruit, these have been unsuccessful. This has resulted in significant risk of harm and poor overall experiences.

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Summary of findings

Staff have failed to respond appropriately to high-risk incidents, including not following medical advice, failing to act when children go missing and not listening to children’s wishes.

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Summary of findings

Care planning is weak and does not reflect children’s views or provide staff with clear guidance.

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Summary of findings

Children’s individual risks, particularly relating to relationships, substance misuse and mental wellbeing, are not adequately assessed or managed. Although some aspects of care, such as education, family contact and therapeutic input, are in place, these are undermined by inconsistent practice, limited professional curiosity and ineffective leadership.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Inspectors identified serious safeguarding concerns that significantly impact children’s overall experiences and progress.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Since the last inspection, 3 children have moved into the home, and 2 children have moved out. Children were not appropriately consulted about these changes. Additionally, children reported that they do not spend time with each other and were unable to name their key staff members. This indicates a lack of meaningful relationships and engagement within the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Children’s moves out of the home have been planned appropriately. One child was supported to move to semi-independent living, while another returned to live with family members.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

The standard of cleanliness and maintenance in the home is inconsistent. Children’s bedrooms are personalised. However, one child’s bedroom contained a broken aerial box and lacked sufficient storage for their belongings.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Children’s parents report that communication with managers and staff is appropriate overall. However, one parent expressed concerns about the home’s ability to keep their child safe. Inspection report for children’s home: SC032475 4 Staff do not have a sufficient understanding of children’s health needs, including the purpose of prescribed medication. Managers failed to fully assess and consider a child’s mental health needs prior to the child moving in, particularly in relation to the needs of other children already living at the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

There is a lack of clear guidance for staff to help them recognise deterioration in children’s emotional wellbeing or to respond appropriately during such periods. This means staff do not always recognise the deterioration of children’s mental health.

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

There are significant shortfalls in safeguarding practice that have left children exposed to a risk of serious harm.

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

In one serious incident, staff failed to recognise and respond to immediate and escalating risks to a child’s physical and emotional wellbeing. Following a hospital admission linked to substance misuse, staff did not follow clear medical advice to monitor the child. Additionally, staff did not take timely or appropriate action when the child was away from the home. As a result, the child was able to access and misuse further substances in the community, leading to a second hospital admission. Furthermore, managers and staff did not sufficiently investigate or understand how the child was able to obtain illegal substances and associated paraphernalia. This demonstrates a serious lack of professional curiosity and safeguarding oversight.

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

When children go missing from home or fail to return home, staff responses are inconsistent and, at times, ineffective. On one occasion, a child was not seen by staff for 16 hours, and there was no telephone contact for a 6-hour period. Staff did not report the child as missing and did not undertake any meaningful attempts to locate them and verify their whereabouts. Additionally, when children are away from the home overnight, there is a lack of clear guidance in their care plans. Staff do not attempt to locate or contact children and instead rely on the police support. This significantly weakens safeguarding arrangements and reduces oversight during periods of heightened risk.

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

Staff do not consistently listen to or act upon children’s wishes and feelings to promote their safety. Staff did not respond to a child’s repeated requests to be collected during the night while they were staying with a family member. As a result, the child left the address alone during the early hours and was not seen for 22 hours, placing them at significant risk.

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

There has been a lack of proactive and purposeful work carried out with one child to help them understand risks and develop strategies to keep themselves safe. This leaves children without the necessary support to manage risk in the community and increases their vulnerabilities.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Inspection report for children’s home: SC032475 5 There has been no registered manager in post since April 2025. Although attempts have been made to recruit, these have not been successful. In the interim, a senior member of staff is overseeing the day-to-day management of the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

This prolonged absence of a registered manager is having a significant and detrimental impact on the leadership, oversight and overall quality of care provided to children. While managers have taken steps to recruit permanent staff and reduce reliance on agency workers, the lack of stable and effective leadership continues to undermine progress.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Management oversight of children’s experiences and outcomes is weak. Significant shortfalls in staff practice have not been identified or addressed in a timely way. As a result, some areas of staff practice remain poor.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Children’s care plans are not sufficiently detailed and do not consistently include children’s views, wishes and feelings. The information within plans lacks clarity and does not provide staff with clear guidance about how to meet children’s needs. This limits staff’s ability to provide consistent and individualised care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The requirements raised at the last inspection have not been met. This demonstrates a lack of capacity within the leadership and management arrangements to drive and sustain improvement. Inspection report for children’s home: SC032475 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 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

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. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(iii)(v)(vi)(vii))

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Requirement Due date

The registered provider must ensure that staff follow any medical advice. When this is not possible, the registered provider must ensure that the staff take the appropriate action to reduce any risk to the child.

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Requirement Due date

The registered provider must ensure that staff are aware of their duties in relation to ensuring children are collected and returned home when they request. 9 August 2026 Inspection report for children’s home: SC032475 7 The registered provider must ensure that there are clear plans in place for staff to follow should children be missing from the home during the night.

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Requirement Due date

The registered provider must ensure that there are always staff available for the children.

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Requirement Due date

The registered provider must ensure that the staff understand their responsibilities with regards to reporting the children missing to the police when children’s whereabouts are unknown and/or there is an increase in risk to the children.

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Requirement Due date

*The health and well-being standard is that—

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Requirement Due date

the health and well-being needs of children are met;

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Requirement Due date

children receive advice, services and support in relation to their health and well-being; and

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Requirement Due date

children are helped to lead healthy lifestyles.

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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

achieve the health and well-being outcomes that are recorded in the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

understand the child’s health and well-being needs and the options that are available in relation to the child’s health and well-being, in a way that is appropriate to the child’s age and understanding; and

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Requirement Due date

understand and develop skills to promote the child’s well-being. (Regulation 10 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iv))

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Requirement Due date

The registered provider must ensure that all staff understand all of the children’s health needs, including their mental health needs.

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Requirement Due date

The registered provider must ensure that the staff understand the purpose of children’s prescribed medication and the effects of this, including the effects of any reduction in dose due to spillage or refusal. 9 August 2026 Inspection report for children’s home: SC032475 8 The registered provider must ensure that children’s plans are clear and provide the staff with the information needed to assess children’s health needs, including their mental health, and provide the necessary support.

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Requirement Due date

*The registered provider must appoint a person to manage the children’s home if—

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Requirement Due date

there is no registered manager in respect of the home; and

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Requirement Due date

is not, or does not intend to be, in day-to-day charge of the home.

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Requirement Due date

If the registered provider appoints a person to manage the home, the registered provider must, without delay, give HMCI notice of—

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Requirement Due date

the name of the person so appointed; and

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Requirement Due date

the date on which the appointment takes effect. (Regulation 27 (1)(a)(b)(i)(ii)(iii) (2)(a)(b) 9 August 2026

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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; 9 August 2026 Inspection report for children’s home: SC032475 9 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; 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)(h))

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Requirement Due date

The registered provider must ensure that the manager has the skills required to identify shortfalls in staff practice and take the appropriate action to address these when they arise.

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Requirement Due date

The registered provider must ensure that children’s plans are detailed and reflect the voice of the child, including setting out how the staff will meet children’s individual needs.

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Requirement Due date

The children’s views, wishes and feelings standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

develop positive relationships with them;

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Requirement Due date

take their views, wishes and feelings into account in relation to matters affecting the children’s care and welfare and their lives.

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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

ascertain and consider each child’s views, wishes and feelings, and balance these against what they judge to be in the child’s best interests when making decisions about the child’s care and welfare. (Regulation 7 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(i))

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Requirement Due date

This relates specifically to the registered person ensuring that children are spoken to about any changes in children or staff at their home. 9 August 2026 Inspection report for children’s home: SC032475 10 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

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; and

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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)(a)(vi)(vii)(c)(i)

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Requirement Due date

This relates specifically to the registered person ensuring that the staff have conversations with children about keeping themselves safe when in the community.

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Requirement Due date

This further relates to the registered person ensuring that children’s bedrooms are of a consistently good standard of cleanliness and repair and that children have enough storage. 9 August 2026

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Requirement Due date

* These requirements are subject to a compliance notice. Inspection report for children’s home: SC032475 11

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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: SC032475 12

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Trafford Borough Council

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Town Hall, Talbot Road, Stretford, Manchester M32 0TH

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Inspectors

Kerri Lynch, Social Care Inspector Beth Bird, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC032475 13 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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