Children's Home run by CareTech Community Services Limited in Kirklees

Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 1236450 1 Registered provider: CareTech Community Services 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 run by a private provider. It provides care for up to 5 children who may have physical disabilities, learning disabilities or may experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection 3 children and 1 young adult were living in the home. One young adult has recently moved out of the home. The inspector spoke to and observed 3 children and 1 young adult as part of the inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

The home was registered with Ofsted in August 2016. The manager was registered in November 2025.

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Inspection date: 26 August 2026

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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Information about this inspection

At this inspection, the inspector evaluated:

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Information about this inspection

 the care of children  the safety of children  the effectiveness of leaders and managers. The inspector has looked closely at the experiences and progress of children, using the social care common inspection framework. This assurance 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’. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 1236450 2

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Findings from the inspection

An assurance inspection was completed to explore concerns raised following a whistleblowing complaint.

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Findings from the inspection

We did not identify any serious or widespread concerns in relation to the care or protection of children at this assurance inspection.

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Findings from the inspection

Moves for children into the home are well planned and children have the opportunity to spend time in the home before moving in. The manager completes a comprehensive matching process and gathers a wide range of information about the children to inform their impact assessment. If children are not settling in the home the manager and staff recognise these challenges and take steps to minimise the impact on all children.

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Findings from the inspection

Managers follow relevant procedures when managing complaints and allegations. Allegations and concerns about staff are investigated thoroughly with good multi- agency input. When risks to children have been identified managers have taken disciplinary action to reduce the risk of harm. The investigations into staff conduct are appropriate and proportionate. Staff feel confident to challenge practice and share concerns with managers.

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Findings from the inspection

The manager has good oversight of the home. He consistently reviews incidents for children and provides debriefs for staff. There is a small core team of staff in place, but managers have struggled with staff recruitment. Agency staff have been used to ensure that staffing is compliant for children living in the home. Where agency staff have been used, the manager has tried to use the same staff for consistency. A parent and a professional noted the difference in care for children when regular staff are not being used.

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Findings from the inspection

Medication administration is well managed by senior staff. Medication is stored and administered appropriately. Staff complete regular audits of medication and all staff who administer medication have the appropriate training.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff have responded well to the presenting behaviours and needs of children. The needs of all children are considered during incidents and staff use appropriate de-escalation techniques. Children are always encouraged and given the opportunity to share their feelings and staff use their preferred communication methods. Managers and staff have not always implemented appropriate risk assessments for children. The lack of robust risk assessment has enabled an inconsistent approach. This places children and staff at risk.

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Findings from the inspection

Some requirements and recommendations from the previous inspection have not been considered and are therefore restated. An additional requirement has been made. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 1236450 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

09/06/2026 Full Good 24/06/2025 Full Good 08/10/2024 Full Good 10/10/2023 Full Good Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 1236450 4

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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 complete a review of the quality of care provided for children (“a quality of care review”) at least once every 6 months.

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Requirement Due date

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 feedback and opinions of children about the children’s home, its facilities and the quality of care they receive in it; (Regulation 45 (1) (2)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement is restated. 1 October 2026

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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

have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm;

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Requirement Due date

manage relationships between children to prevent them from harming each other. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)) 1 November 2026 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 1236450 5

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that staff continually and actively assess the risks to each child and the arrangements in place to protect them. This includes ensuring that staff have read and understood updated risk assessments for children. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 42, paragraph 9.5)  The registered person should ensure that the home has a children’s guide. The children’s guide must be made available to all children when their placement in the home is agreed (or on arrival at the home if the placement is made in an emergency) and must be age-appropriate, provided in an accessible format and explained to each child to make sure they understand it. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 24, paragraph 4.21) Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 1236450 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: CareTech Community Services Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 4th Floor, Parkview, 82 Oxford Road, Uxbridge UB8 1UX

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Inspector

Mel Turner, Social Care Inspector Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 1236450 7 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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Inspector

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Inspector

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