Children's Home run by Zen Care and Education Limited in Oldham

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2775561 1 Registered provider: Zen Care and Education Limited

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is operated by a private provider. It offers care for up to 4 children who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

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

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in August 2025.

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This monitoring visit

During a full inspection on 29 and 30 June 2026, inspectors found the care being provided to children to be inadequate. In response, Ofsted issued a compliance notice under Regulation 12 (the protection of children standard). The responsible individual provided a clear action plan to address the concerns identified and provided assurances that no children would move into the home until the compliance notice had been met.

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This monitoring visit

This visit was carried out to review the effectiveness of the action taken by the provider to address the compliance notices.

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This monitoring visit

Children are happy and enjoy living in the home. They have positive relationships with staff and feel safe to confide in them with personal concerns. Staff are caring and show empathy, supporting children to understand how to keep themselves safe and helping them with immediate actions to promote their wellbeing. Children share jokes with staff and are comfortable pushing age-appropriate boundaries.

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This monitoring visit

Staff know when children are anxious and uncertain about their future. They advocate for children to have clear plans, working with professionals to answer Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2775561 2 specific questions children have. Children’s views, wishes and feelings are promoted with staff sourcing independent advocates for those who are worried about their future care arrangements.

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This monitoring visit

Children move out of the home prepared and ready for independent living. Staff support children to visit potential homes and choose the best home for them. Staff work with professionals and the support systems to ensure that children experience positive transitions. Children’s time in the home is positively acknowledged and celebrated with activities, trips out for meals, and gifts.

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This monitoring visit

Staff support children to keep in touch with their friends and spend time together. Children have the option to visit the home if they would like to.

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This monitoring visit

Staff are proactive in safety planning when children enter intimate relationships outside the home. They are curious about who children spend their time with. Staff meet the individuals and liaise with professionals to develop further knowledge of the risk to children. Effective safety planning is implemented to ensure that children are safe.

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This monitoring visit

Staff make efforts to find children when they are missing from home. They search for children, carry out welfare checks and work with those important to children to ensure their prompt return. When children return home, staff are supportive and ensure that they feel cared for by offering comforts such as a warm bath. Robust safety plans are devised when staff are aware of an upcoming event that could result in a child going missing. Safety plans include transport options, event routes and actions staff need to take. Safety plans are easily accessible to promote a quick response from staff.

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This monitoring visit

Leaders and managers have implemented training to develop and refresh staff’s knowledge and skills in caring for children and keeping them safe. They have implemented resources to provide guidance to staff and assure themselves that children are safe. There is a lack of reflection on incidents to develop team practice and identify clear strategies to manage conflict between children.

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This monitoring visit

There have been changes to the home environment. The outside of the home has been painted, and unnecessary wiring has been removed, providing a more friendly welcome to the home. The inside of the home is clean and safe, and electrical equipment is used safely. Some decorative changes have also been made. Effective systems have been implemented to ensure that expected standards are maintained, and any new concerns identified are addressed quickly. Loose slabs in the backyard present a hazard. Leaders and managers have further plans to rectify aspects of the home that still need attention, including cleaning or replacing stained furniture and redecorating.

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This monitoring visit

Fire safety measures are not effective. One fire extinguisher remains inaccessible to staff should it be needed. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2775561 3 Staff are inconsistent in some safeguarding practices and their approach to children who vape. Children freely carry vapes around the home, and this is not always addressed. Staff help children understand the risks of vaping and explore how they can stop. However, immediate intervention is not identified or implemented.

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This monitoring visit

The reporting and recording of information are inconsistent and lack detail. There are discrepancies in how incidents are recorded for different children, and recordings provide conflicting accounts of events. The lack of detail regarding the actions taken by staff during incidents affects management oversight and limits any opportunities for learning.

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This monitoring visit

Leaders and managers have not informed Ofsted of significant events that have occurred, such as police needing to attend the home due to conflict between children. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2775561 4

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

29/06/2026 Full Inadequate 19/08/2025 Full Requires improvement to be good 03/12/2024 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2775561 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 with 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

help each child to understand how to keep safe;

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Requirement Due date

manage relationships between children to prevent them from harming each other;

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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;

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Requirement Due date

that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed, furnished and maintained so as to protect each child from avoidable hazards to the child’s health. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iv)(b)(d)) 18 October 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— 18 October 2026 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2775561 6 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;

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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)(b)(c)(e)(f)(h))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that identified systems are fully implemented and effective.

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Requirement Due date

In addition, ensure that reflection of incidents is undertaken and learning is implemented.

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Requirement Due date

After consultation with the fire and rescue authority, the registered person must—

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Requirement Due date

take adequate precautions against the risk of fire, including the provision of suitable fire equipment in the children’s home. (Regulation 25 (1)(a))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that all fire extinguishers are accessible at all times. 18 October 2026

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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

an incident requiring police involvement occurs in relation to a child which the registered person considers to be serious;

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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)(b)(e)) 18 October 2026 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2775561 7

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Information about this inspection

The purpose of this visit was to monitor the action taken and the progress made by the children’s home since its last Ofsted inspection.

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Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2775561 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Zen Care and Education Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Trafford House, Chester Road, Manchester M32 0RS

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Inspectors

Sarah McGow, Social Care Inspector Emma Gauden, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2775561 9 to 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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