A children’s home in Salford has been slammed as ‘inadequate’ after a child with suicidal ideation was left unsupervised near bridges, and another was arrested for assaulting a police officer while drunk after being left to their own devices despite ‘known risks’. 

The government watchdog Ofsted identified ‘serious and/or widespread failures’ that meant young people were not protected from harm. The care provision, run by Care 4 Every Child Limited, was criticised for insufficient training of its staff and shortfalls in safeguarding. 

Social care inspector Chibuzo Otache found ‘significant shortfalls in safeguarding practice and leadership and management [that] means that the safety and wellbeing of children is compromised and the quality of care is inadequate’. 

The inspection noted that one child with ‘a history of suicidal ideation connected to jumping from bridges and a recent threat to do so days before the inspection’ was permitted unsupervised time in the community, despite the home’s proximity to multiple bridges. 

For another child, supervision in the community was limited to welfare calls despite ‘known risks’ of substance misuse and the child being physically assaulted. On one occasion, this child was arrested due to assaulting a police officer whilst under the influence of alcohol in the community. 

The inspector found: “Although staff are responsible for the child’s welfare, they refused to act as the appropriate adult. The child required medical attention during their time in custody. However, the absence of the staff meant that the child was reliant on the police to help them to access this support.” 

In missing from home incidents, staff were also ‘slow to leave the home’ once the child had been located, and it was also found that staff ‘used physical interventions on children without the relevant training’. 

“Leaders and managers have failed to ensure that staff are suitably trained to meet the needs of children,” said the report. 

Despite the damning findings, youngsters at the home ‘spoke positively’ about their relationships with the staff and said that they ‘are happy living in the home’. Bedrooms were described as ‘homely’ and ‘personalised’, though some rooms had ‘overflowing bins and takeaway food packaging’, according to the inspector.  

Care 4 Every Child Limited, who run eight care homes across the North West, were contacted for comment.