Children's Home run by Salford City Council in Salford

Inspection report for children’s home: 2878521 1 Registered provider: Salford City Council Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This is a local authority children’s home. The home is registered to provide care for up to 3 children with social and emotional difficulties and/or learning disabilities.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of this inspection, 3 children were living at the home, they all spoke with the inspector and shared their views.

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Information about this children’s home

The home and manager registered with Ofsted in February 2026.

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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: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2878521 2

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Summary of findings

The children are having positive experiences and enjoy spending time with staff. One child who is new to the home has begun to build trusting relationships with staff and say they already feel settled. The sibling relationship for two of the children has been well supported, the manager recognised the need for the children to have individual experiences and allowed the time and space for them to enjoy and demonstrate their own personalities.

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Summary of findings

The home environment is welcoming. The manager has created a space where children and staff enjoy spending time together. Children’s presence is reflected throughout the home through photos, personalised items and recognition of their identity and achievements.

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Summary of findings

The manager has high aspirations for the children with a strong focus on providing positive experiences, high levels of support and stability. They recognise the importance of building positive relationships and support staff to deliver a high standard of care.. The staff team are enthusiastic, enjoy their roles and consistently demonstrates care for the children through their practice.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children are all in good routines and have access to positive activities. Their hobbies and interests are well supported and they enjoy swimming, athletics and Morris dancing. Their achievements are visible in the home, documented and well celebrated. All children say they are happy and settled in the home and would speak to any of the staff if they were unhappy or had any worries.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s education is actively promoted and supported. Staff work closely with children to help them engage in learning, make progress, and achieve positive outcomes. Children have made notable improvements in their confidence and participation in education, with individual achievements recognised and celebrated. Where children attend schools some distance from the home, staff remain committed to supporting them to maintain stability in their education and avoid unnecessary disruption.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support the children to spend meaningful time with their families, recognising the importance of these relationships. Children have photos of their families displayed throughout the home and staff support their relationships through face-to-face visits, phone calls and online contact. meeting online. For two of the children, this support has enabled them to spend time with and begin developing relationships with their sibling.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are registered with appropriate health services and staff ensure that they attend all relevant health appointments. Where statutory services have not been appropriate to Inspection report for children’s home: 2878521 3 meet the child’s needs the manager has ensured that referrals have been made to specialist services.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s moves in and out of the home are managed well. One child said that moving in was ‘great’ and they were settled ‘in like two days’. The child described living in the home as ‘brilliant’ saying that they do nice things and go to good places and that the staff look after them all.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

One child was able to celebrate the end of their time at the home, attend their prom and prepare for moving on due to the manager’s strong advocacy. Outreach support continued for an extended period to help the child settle and maintain positive relationships after leaving the home. This was achieved by the support and advocacy of the manager and staff team. The child said that staff had made them feel safe and that they could be themselves and that the home was the best they had ever lived in.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are provided with a positive and nurturing home environment. They have helped to choose how their bedrooms are decorated and have everything they need. Personalised bedrooms reflect children’s individual interests and are important in helping them develop a sense of belonging and settle well into the home. Overall, the home provides a safe environment. However, a fence and paving outside of the home require attention.

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

Staff work proactively with children to reduce the number of incidents by adapting their approach and understanding each child’s triggers and responses. Staff support children to understand their feelings and emotions. As a result, children are more accepting of rules and boundaries and are able to recognise when they may need support by the adults around them.

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

Staff know the children well and have a clear understanding of their risks, vulnerabilities, and experiences. They demonstrate good insight into children’s developmental needs and tailor their care accordingly. This has been particularly important where children require levels of care and support more commonly associated with younger children. Consequently, children receive high levels of nurturing care, supervision, and individualised support. Children’s risks are well documented in their records, risk assessments, and safety plans, which are updated following incidents. Staff use their knowledge and training in therapeutic approaches to inform their responses to children.

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

When concerns were identified regarding staff not seeking medical attention for a child, the manager acted proactively and ensured swift action was taken to safeguard the child’s welfare. This included promptly notifying relevant professionals and identifying learning opportunities for staff to strengthen their understanding of recognising and responding to health concerns.

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

A culture of learning and reflection is evident throughout staff practice. One social worker said, ‘I have particularly valued the staff’s willingness to listen, respond to Inspection report for children’s home: 2878521 4 concerns and work collaboratively to ensure that the care provided remains appropriate to the young person’s changing needs’. This feedback reflects the positive and professional relationships staff maintain with key stakeholders to promote good outcomes for children.

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

Staff regularly talk to children about keeping themselves safe. These conversations are meaningful and tailored to each child’s level of understanding and developmental needs. Topics discussed include stranger danger, routines, and bedtimes. Staff have also completed targeted keywork sessions with children to explore staying safe online, including practical online safety advice about how technology use can affect sleep and routines.

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

Staff use effective de-escalation techniques to support children when they are struggling to regulate their emotions. There have been four incidents where physical intervention was necessary. The child was spoken to following these incidents and staff were provided with a debrief to provide opportunities for learning and reflection. Consequently, there has been a reduction in incidents and an improvement in the child’s ability to recognise and manage their own emotions and responses.

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

Staff have been provided with additional resources and guidance of the use of physical intervention to ensure that they have the knowledge and understanding required to manage incidents safely.

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

Safer recruitment practices are generally followed to ensure that only safe adults work at the home. However, a reference from the most recent employer for one member of staff was not obtained.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is enthusiastic and has high expectations of the staff team and the care they provide to children. She is a positive role model and the quality of her relationships with children and staff is clear. The manager maintains effective oversight of day-to-day practice and encourages reflective practice within the staff team.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Multi-agency working is effective. The manager and staff have developed positive relationships with professionals and use these to achieve the best outcomes for children. The manager provides professional challenge when necessary, including in relation to education provision and planning for children’s future needs. This is done in a child- centred way while maintaining positive professional relationships.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

A therapeutic approach is embedded throughout staff practice. Staff are child-focused and demonstrate creativity when supporting children through difficulties. Monthly therapeutic consultations provide opportunities for reflective discussion about each child and any incidents. Team meetings are informative and reflective, incorporating therapeutic learning and guidance from the therapist. Inspection report for children’s home: 2878521 5 The staff team are positive about the support and oversight they receive from the leadership and management team. One member of staff said, ‘The support, guidance, and encouragement provided by managers create a culture where staff feel valued, listened to and empowered to provide the very best care. I always feel supported in my role and this positive ethos is reflected throughout the home’.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive regular supervision which are reflective and discuss the children’s needs. Staff complete a wide range of relevant training to meet the individual needs of the children. However, not all staff have completed the required training which means they dol not have the most up-to-date knowledge to inform their practice. Inspection report for children’s home: 2878521 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 registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety.

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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) (3)(d))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that safer recruitment practices are followed and references from the last employer are correctly obtained. 6 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

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child. (Regulation 13 (1) (2)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that staff complete identified training within the agreed timescales. 6 October 2026

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that any damages to the outside of the home are quickly repaired. Specifically, the paving and fencing need to be replaced to avoid accidents. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9) Inspection report for children’s home: 2878521 7

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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: 2878521 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Salford City Council

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Civic Centre, Chorley Road, Swinton, Manchester M27 5DA

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Inspector

Rebecca Robson, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2878521 9 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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