Children's Home run by Parallel Parents Ltd in Bury

Inspection report for children’s home: 2790874 1 Registered provider: Parallel Parents Ltd

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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 owned and managed 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 inspection, 4 children were living at the home. All 4 children were spoken with.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager was registered with Ofsted in December 2025.

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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

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2790874 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

05/08/2025 Full Good 04/02/2025 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2790874 3

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Summary of findings

Children benefit from staff who are committed to helping them make progress and achieve positive outcomes. Effective care planning, strong partnership working and meaningful family involvement support children’s emotional wellbeing, education and future development. Children are safeguarded by staff who understand their risks, respond appropriately to concerns and maintain clear boundaries. The manager creates a positive culture for children and staff and demonstrates a willingness to improve practice. However, further work is required to strengthen management oversight, embed the home’s therapeutic approach, and improve aspects of the physical environment to ensure that children consistently experience the best possible care.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff develop warm, trusting relationships with children. Staff provide sensitive support that promotes children’s emotional and behavioural progress. Children benefit from a range of enriching activities both in the home and the wider community. Children’s voices, wishes and requests are clearly reflected in their care in a range of imaginative ways.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported with well-planned moves in and out of the home. The manager provides effective oversight, helping staff understand and respond to children’s individual needs. As a result, children receive consistent support during periods of change. When moving on from the home, children are helped to access opportunities to meet their needs and promote future successes.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff are committed to helping children make progress. Through direct work and effective partnership working, children access specialist services to support their health and wellbeing. Staff place a strong emphasis on education and help children attend schools and educational settings that are appropriate to their needs and stages of learning.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported to spend meaningful time with people who are important to them. Staff work hard to overcome barriers to family time and provide additional support when needed. Communication with family members and professionals is regular, open and honest. This helps to reassure those involved in children’s lives and promotes positive relationships.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

During the inspection, the manager took immediate action to address a naming system within children’s care planning that did not promote individuality. The system was removed and replaced with an approach that better reflects each child’s identity and supports personalised care. This demonstrates the manager’s commitment to improving children’s experiences and responding effectively to feedback. However, personalisation Inspection report for children’s home: 2790874 4 in the home remains an issue. One child’s bedroom lacks personal items and belongings, and communal areas do not consistently reflect children’s interests, preferences and achievements.

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

Risk assessments are used effectively to guide staff practice. They are regularly reviewed and updated to ensure that they reflect children’s current needs and known risks. Staff understand the risks affecting children well and take appropriate action to promote children’s safety and wellbeing.

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

Safer recruitment processes are implemented effectively. This helps to ensure that staff are suitable to work with children and can meet their individual needs safely. Staff are suitably experienced and equipped with the skills required for their roles.

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

Staff provide consistent boundaries and use incentives effectively to support positive behaviour in the children. Incidents are managed well, with staff responding proportionately and in line with children’s individual needs. This helps to reduce risk and promotes positive outcomes for children.

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

Safeguarding concerns are responded to promptly and in partnership with relevant agencies. Communication between professionals is effective and supports coordinated safeguarding responses. Historical allegations have been managed appropriately, and children have received suitable support and guidance throughout these processes.

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

Staff complete regular health and safety checks to promote a safe environment for children. However, several environmental issues require attention. The garden area requires restoration, and parts of the outside space do not reflect the standards seen elsewhere in the home. Some areas of the garden present potential safety risks to children. In addition, items in one child’s bedroom require urgent removal. There are plans in place to redecorate and improve parts of the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager leads by example and has created a culture where staff and children feel valued, supported and respected. This positive and nurturing environment is reflected in the quality of care provided to children. Staff describe the manager as approachable, supportive and receptive to feedback, while maintaining a clear focus on improving staff practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager responds appropriately to feedback and concerns raised by professionals. Communication and coordination with children’s professionals have improved significantly. This has resulted in more effective planning and support for children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager maintains oversight of children’s care planning and has a good understanding of children’s individual needs. However, current monitoring and review Inspection report for children’s home: 2790874 5 systems are not yet fully effective. As a result, opportunities to evaluate staff performance and development through team meetings, supervision sessions and other monitoring activities are not always maximised.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Further development is required to ensure that actions identified through the home’s quality of care review are implemented and evaluated in a timely manner. The review does not consistently capture the views of staff, children and family members. The home’s therapeutic approach is also not yet fully embedded across the staff team. As a result, opportunities to improve practice and experiences for children are not always maximised. Inspection report for children’s home: 2790874 6

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered person 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 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

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(h)) 15 December 2026

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Requirement Due date

The quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children;

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Requirement Due date

use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential.

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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

provide to children living in the home the physical necessities they need in order to live there comfortably; and

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed and furnished so as to—

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Requirement Due date

meet the needs of each child; and 15 December 2026 Inspection report for children’s home: 2790874 7 enable each child to participate in the daily life of the home. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(b)(vii)(c)(i)(ii))

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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: 2790874 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Parallel Parents Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 2nd, Floor Lansdowne House, 85 Buxton Road Heaviley, Buxton Road, Stockport SK2 6LR

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Inspectors

Chrissie Edmonds, Social Care Inspector (Lead) Deirdre Silkstone, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2790874 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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