Children's Home run by Bluestones Medical Complex Care Limited in Cheshire West and Chester

Inspection report for children’s home: 2851247 1 Registered provider: Bluestones Medical Complex Care Limited

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Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is operated by a private company and provides care for up to 2 children who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

This is the home’s first inspection since registration in October 2025.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of this inspection, one child was living at the home and was spoken to by the inspector.

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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

Date of last inspection: not previously inspected

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: not applicable

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: not applicable Inspection report for children’s home: 2851247 2

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Summary of findings

Staff provide good-quality care to the child living in the home. The child is settled and making good progress.

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Summary of findings

The child is cared for by a team of staff who have the skills and knowledge to build meaningful relationships. The child’s welfare is promoted at all times.

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Summary of findings

Arrangements are in place for management oversight of the home in the absence of a registered manager.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child living in the home has made progress in a number of areas of their life. This is as a direct result of the care being provided in the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff develop caring and trusting relationships with the child. The staff are nurturing in their approach to the child. They spend time with the child to get to know their needs and show an interest in their skills and interests.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The physical home environment is maintained to a high standard and the child has a say in the decor and items around the home. The child has been encouraged to personalise their bedroom and take pride in their living environment. Additionally, staff leave positive notes for the child around the home as positive affirmations.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The previous manager was proactive in ensuring that the child’s emerging medical needs were assessed and that support was put into place to manage this. All appointments were attended and the child was supported by staff. The team completed training and a specific team meeting was held to develop staff knowledge and understanding of the child’s specific health needs. Additional equipment, such as a portable defibrillator, was bought for the home. This ensured that the child could remain living in the home and that staff could continue to meet their health needs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff recognise the importance of education for the child. The team has worked hard to engage the child with their current education setting. Staff share their knowledge of the child’s likes and dislikes with education staff so that lessons can be focused on the child’s areas of interest. As a result of this, the child has spent more time in education and is making progress.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff promote and support family time in meaningful ways. Staff facilitate arrangements with family members that are in the best interests of the child. This has included meeting family members in locations that are less of a distance for all involved. Staff Inspection report for children’s home: 2851247 3 have also arranged for the child to meet family members at the home to allow a more relaxed atmosphere.

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

Safeguarding practice in the home is good. There has been a reduction in incidents for the child, and the child has made progress in understanding risks that they were previously exposed to.

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

The manager identified shortfalls in staff practice following an incident shortly after the child moved in. This involved staff not having the skills or knowledge to de-escalate the child’s behaviour effectively. This resulted in physical intervention being used for the child. As a result of this, the manager implemented plans for staff involved, which included revisiting training, more regular supervision and opportunities to shadow more experienced staff. Improved practice by staff has been evidenced since this time.

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

There are clear risk assessments in place, which contain strategies for staff to follow to reduce incidents and that keep the child safe when incidents happen. The staff team is knowledgeable of how to implement strategies and do this consistently. This has had a direct impact on the level of risk, and this helps staff to provide a consistent level of care to the child at times of distress.

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

There has been a significant reduction in incidents of the child going missing from the home. When incidents have occurred, these have been well managed and strategies within risk assessments have been followed by staff. Incidents of the child being missing have been notified to Ofsted appropriately.

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

The manager has completed clear and evaluative oversight of all safeguarding incidents in the home. This has allowed for reflection and changes to be made to strategies used with the child and emerging risks to be accurately assessed. All relevant incidents have been reported to the regulator. However, some have been significantly delayed.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager resigned from her post with immediate effect. The home is currently being overseen by the deputy manager, who is supported by the responsible individual and quality assurance manager.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Most staff feel valued and well supported in the home. Staff receive regular and effective supervision, and this is appreciated by the team. The team has felt listened to by the leadership team. However, for staff who have been made subject to performance improvement plans, management support has been inconsistent. There have been additional training and learning opportunities provided. However, the levels of supervision that had been identified as necessary were not implemented by the manager. Therefore, this left a staff member without the necessary support following shortfalls in their practice being identified. Inspection report for children’s home: 2851247 4 Regular team meetings have been held, and well-utilised and subject-specific team meetings have been held for the child’s recently established health need.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff training is clearly monitored by managers and planned with the staff team. Additional focused training is commissioned quickly in line with the child’s emerging needs. All staff have recognised training as a positive attribute of the company.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Professional relationships with partner agencies are strong. Communication is effective and maintains a clear focus on achieving positive outcomes for the child. Feedback from external professionals is positive and they speak highly of staff’s and manager’s abilities to build relationships. Inspection report for children’s home: 2851247 5

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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 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’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(c)(e))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that any member of staff who is made subject to a personal improvement plan is provided with the support outlined within the plan and that their progress is regularly reviewed and monitored. 15 July 2026

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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

meet each child’s behavioural and emotional needs, as set out in the child’s relevant plans; 15 July 2026 Inspection report for children’s home: 2851247 6 communicate to each child expectations about the child’s behaviour and ensure that the child understands those expectations in accordance with the child’s age and understanding;

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Requirement Due date

strive to gain each child’s respect and trust;

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Requirement Due date

understand how children’s previous experiences and present emotions can be communicated through behaviour and have the competence and skills to interpret these and develop positive relationships with children;

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Requirement Due date

are provided with supervision and support to enable them to understand and manage their own feelings and responses to the behaviour and emotions of children, and to help children to do the same;

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Requirement Due date

de-escalate confrontations with or between children, or potentially violent behaviour by children. (Regulation 11 (2)(a)(i)(v)(viii)(ix)(x)(xi))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that all staff have the skills to support children and de-escalate incidents effectively.

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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

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

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, that the register person must make notifications without delay to inform Ofsted of any serious incidents that take place in the home. 15 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: 2851247 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Bluestones Medical Complex Care Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Unit A Telford Court, Chester Gates Business Park, Chester, Cheshire CH1 6LT

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Patricia Stratford

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Inspector

Rose Maddocks, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2851247 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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