Children's Home run by CHILD VS CARE Limited in Manchester

Inspection report for children’s home: 2833368 1 Registered provider: Child VS Care Limited 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 June 2025 and is owned by a private provider. It offers care for up to 2 children who may experience social or emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, one child was living at the home. The child spoke to the inspector about their experiences of living at the home.

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Information about this children’s home

A new manager was appointed in June 2026. They have not yet applied to register with Ofsted.

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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, and the care and experiences of children and young people are poor and they are not making progress.

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inadequate

Overall judgement at last inspection: inadequate

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inadequate

Enforcement action since last inspection: This home was judged as ‘inadequate’ at the last inspection. A monitoring visit was carried out on 6 May 2026 to monitor 2 compliance notices issued under Regulation 12 (the protection of children standard) and Regulation 13 (the leadership and management standard). Following this visit, Ofsted concluded that the actions outlined in the notices had been sufficiently met. The decision was made to issue additional requirements under Regulations 12 and 13. Inspection report for children’s home: 2833368 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

08/04/2026 Full Inadequate 14/10/2025 Full Good 12/08/2025 Full Inadequate Inspection report for children’s home: 2833368 3

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Summary of findings

Significant shortfalls in safeguarding practice and leadership and management have affected the quality of the care that children receive.

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Summary of findings

Children make progress in some areas of their lives. However, poor safeguarding practice and ineffective management arrangements mean that children’s safety and wellbeing have been compromised.

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Summary of findings

Unstable staffing arrangements mean that children have not been provided with consistent care from a stable staff team.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Since the last inspection, one child has moved out of the home after living there only for a short period. Staff were unable to keep the child safe. As a result, the placement ended. This led to further distress and instability for the child.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

The child currently living in the home expressed no concerns about their care. Staff regularly encourage the child to share their wishes and feelings, and the child said they enjoy participating in activities with staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Children have not been cared for by a consistent staff team. Leaders and the manager are taking action to address the instability, but this has affected children’s ability to build secure and positive relationships.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Staff have not ensured that care plans are in place for the child currently living in the home. This does not ensure that the child’s care needs are reviewed regularly with them or that staff have access to advice and guidance on how to meet the child’s needs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Children’s progress in education is varied. One child has completed their GCSEs and aspires to go to college. Staff worked closely with education providers to address concerns that one child was receiving less education than their peers. Alternative education was explored.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Staff support the child in attending planned health appointments and seek professional advice and support. However, staff do not fully understand the child’s health needs in relation to ongoing concerns about substance misuse. These concerns have not been prioritised by staff, who have been reliant on external services to support the child.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Children are encouraged to spend time with their families and friends. Staff understand the importance of children maintaining meaningful relationships, and this promotes a stronger sense of belonging for the children. When there have been concerns about relationships, action has been taken. Inspection report for children’s home: 2833368 4 The home environment is maintained to a good standard.

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

Children’s safety continues to be compromised.

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

Leaders and managers have not followed up on a referral to a professional service. As a result, the child’s risks have not been fully assessed, and the necessary support has not been put in place.

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

Staff have not followed a child’s risk assessment when concerns have arisen in relation to substance misuse. This leaves children at risk of physical and emotional harm. Management oversight of incidents of this nature is poor.

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

Staff have carried out bedroom searches and have found items of concern. However, staff are not always professionally curious following items being found. Children are not always spoken to about bedroom searches taking place. This does not provide children with opportunities to understand risks and concerns.

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

When children go missing from home, staff take appropriate action, including searching for the child and working with professionals to ensure their safe return.

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

Staff have developed effective professional relationships with external agencies. They say they are informed about children’s care.

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

Staff have meaningful conversations with children about risks and their emotional wellbeing. These discussions cover topics such as the risks associated with substance misuse, online safety, and the importance of attending health appointments.

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

Safer recruitment policies are not consistently followed. Leaders have not ensured that formal identification documents and evidence of qualifications are retained in the home for all staff.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Management arrangements have changed since the last inspection. The previous registered manager failed to formally notify Ofsted about leaving their position. The proposed responsible individual has not submitted the relevant documentation to Ofsted. The continual changes of leadership in the home have led to failures in the monitoring and oversight by the leadership team.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The staff spoken to were positive about the support they receive from the home’s leadership team and confirmed that they receive regular supervision. However, supervision sessions lack reflection on the children’s care needs. Not all staff have received an annual appraisal, and the manager was unable to provide evidence of staff Inspection report for children’s home: 2833368 5 inductions. These shortfalls do not support staff to reflect on children’s needs or their own practice and limit opportunities for learning and development.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Staff have access to a range of training opportunities. However, not all staff, including the manager, have received training on relevant topics, such as self-harm, substance misuse and online safety. As a result, not all staff have the necessary skills and knowledge to care for the child.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Regular team meetings take place and include contributions from the home’s therapist. This gives the staff an additional forum to reflect on children’s needs and the care provided to them.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The provider has not embedded changes into practice. Internal monitoring systems are ineffective in supporting leaders and managers to identify safeguarding concerns and address them promptly. As a result, children are not safeguarded effectively.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The quality of care reports provide a review of children’s experiences. However, the opinions of staff are not included or considered in the reports. This reduces opportunities to ensure that feedback from staff is used to develop practice in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Leaders and managers have not met all the requirements raised at the last inspection. This does not demonstrate effective leadership. Inspection report for children’s home: 2833368 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 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; and

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

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Requirement Due date

Ensure that staff follow risk assessments and implement the strategies identified to manage all known risks and vulnerabilities for children.

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Requirement Due date

Ensure that staff carry out checks of children’s bedrooms and take action when concerns are identified.

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Requirement Due date

Ensure that staff take appropriate action to safeguard children at all times. 30 August 2026 Inspection report for children’s home: 2833368 7 Ensure that staff respond appropriately to concerns about a child’s welfare and follow professional advice.

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Requirement Due date

Ensure that referrals to external professional services are made without delay and that outcomes are received.

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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;

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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

Ensure that systems are in place to monitor the quality of care provided in the home.

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Requirement Due date

Ensure that shortfalls in staff practice are identified promptly and that appropriate action is taken to address and rectify them.

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Requirement Due date

Ensure that safe and effective management arrangements are in place. 30 August 2026 Inspection report for children’s home: 2833368 8 Ensure that action is taken and staff receive the training and guidance necessary to meet children’s needs.

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Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children—

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Requirement Due date

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

that children are admitted to the home only if their needs are within the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the home is to provide care and accommodation, as set out in the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

ensure the effective induction of each child into the home;

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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; and

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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)(a)(b)(i)(ii)(iii)(c)(f))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, leaders and managers must ensure that children are only admitted to the home when it has been assessed and agreed that their care needs can be met.

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Requirement Due date

Additionally, leaders and managers must ensure that children have internal care plans in place. These plans must be regularly reviewed with children involved in the process. 25 September 2026

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Requirement Due date

A responsible individual must— Satisfy the requirements in paragraph (5)(a) to (c) and; 25 September 2026 Inspection report for children’s home: 2833368 9 have the capacity, experience and skills to supervise the management of the home, or the homes, in respect of which the responsible individual is nominated. (Regulation 26 (7)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

ensure that each employee completes an appropriate induction;

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees—

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Requirement Due date

undertake appropriate continuing professional development;

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Requirement Due date

receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience; and

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Requirement Due date

have their performance and fitness to perform their roles appraised at least once every year. (Regulation 33 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(b) (3) (4)(a)(b)(c))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was raised at the last inspection and has been restated. 25 September 2026

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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;

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

the individual is of integrity and good character;

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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) (3)(a)(d))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was raised at the last inspection and has been restated. 25 September 2026

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must complete a review of the quality of care provided for children (“a quality of care review”) at least once every 6 months. 25 September 2026 Inspection report for children’s home: 2833368 10 In order to complete a quality of care review the registered person must establish and maintain a system for monitoring, reviewing, and evaluating—

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Requirement Due date

the quality of care provided for children; the feedback and opinions of children about the children’s home, its facilities and the quality of care they receive in it; and

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Requirement Due date

any actions that the registered person considers necessary in order to improve or maintain the quality of care provided for children.

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Requirement Due date

After completing a quality of care review, the registered person must produce a written report about the quality of care review and the actions which the registered person intends to take as a result of the quality of care review (“the quality of care review report”).

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Requirement Due date

supply to HMCI a copy of the quality of care review report within 28 days of the date on which the quality of care review is completed; and

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Requirement Due date

make a copy of the quality of care review report available on request to a placing authority, if the placing authority is not the parent of a child accommodated in the home.

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Requirement Due date

The system referred to in paragraph (2) must provide for ascertaining and considering the opinions of children, their parents, placing authorities and staff. (Regulation 45 (1) (2)(a)(b)(c) (3) (4)(a)(b) (5))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was raised at the last inspection and has been restated.

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Requirement Due date

*These requirements are subject to a compliance notice. Inspection report for children’s home: 2833368 11

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Information about this inspection

The inspector has 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: 2833368 12

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: CHILD VS CARE Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 68 Daisy Bank Road, Manchester M14 5QP

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Inspector

Michelle Snape, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2833368 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 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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