Children's home run by The Beeches UK limited

Inspection report for children’s home: 2647775 1 Registered provider: The Beeches UK limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This privately run home provides care for up to four children with social and/or emotional difficulties. There were four children living at the home at the time of this inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

The home registered with Ofsted in November 2021. The manager has been in place since September 2023 and has a pending application to register.

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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: requires improvement to be good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2647775 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

04/10/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children’s home: 2647775 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have playful and loving relationships with staff, and this helps children to feel safe and secure. Leaders and staff provide children with a sense of belonging, which creates a warm, nurturing environment where children thrive. As a result, children remain at this home for the long term.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

One child said that he liked the staff because ‘they keep their word’. He said that staff told him that if he maintained his attendance at school, he would get a reward. The child was rewarded with dinner at a venue of his choice. This helps children to build trusting relationships with the adults who care for them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children understand that staff are accepting of them. This encourages children to be their authentic selves and feel confident in their identities. Children’s personalities are expressed throughout the home in the décor and the children’s personal spaces.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are encouraged to express their wishes and feelings in key-worker sessions and children’s meetings. Their requests in meetings are acted on, including menu choices and activities.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

All the children living in the home are in formal education. Staff advocate for children when they experience barriers to learning. Staff prioritise attending school and raise awareness of concerns that impact children’s learning. Staff support children in attending school. They reward children for achievements and set achievable targets, which help children steadily progress to improved educational outcomes.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are also encouraged to participate in informal learning activities, such as going to the zoo. Children express that they like the activities they are involved in. Children’s social skills are enriched through these activities and, as a result, children are more confident in a variety of social situations.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are welcomed into the home. Introductions are planned and care is taken to ensure that children feel settled. Staff are attuned to how difficult these transitions can be. Staff are respectful of children’s feelings and provide support.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s needs are known and understood. Staff benefit from using children’s care plans, which are detailed. This helps staff to effectively support children. Children make steady progress in this home.

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

Children are safe in this home. When children are missing, staff maintain contact with them and encourage them to return home. Staff will follow children to ensure that they are safe. Staff alert partner agencies and families appropriately and ensure Inspection report for children’s home: 2647775 4 that return-home interviews are undertaken. Children are supported to understand when they are at risk and how to keep themselves safe. Key-worker sessions are effective in helping children to make positive choices that do not place them at risk. Children are able to raise issues of concern to staff during these sessions.

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

Clear and updated safety plans ensure that staff know what needs to be done to reduce the risk of harm to children. Staff are aware of safeguarding processes and implement them appropriately. This includes requesting professional meetings to facilitate more-effective safeguarding when risks to children escalate. As a result of these actions, missing episodes have significantly reduced.

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

When incidents occur, staff use de-escalation techniques effectively, which help children to feel supported when they are distressed. The recording of incidents is detailed, and following incidents staff reflect on practice during debriefs, which lead to an improvement in practice. However, not all debriefs are recorded and management oversight is not always recorded, although it is evident that it has taken place.

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

The management of social media is appropriate, ensuring that children are safe online and are helped to understand the risks. Staff are aware of behaviours that may indicate that children are at risk of exploitation and are proactive in raising these concerns with partner agencies and managers. Children are provided with information that further equips them in understanding issues of concerns.

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

Behaviour support plans are effective in supporting staff to understand children’s behaviours and what support they need. Children are involved in the development of plans, which leads to a greater understanding of their needs and behaviours. Children are supported when they are expressing their emotions, and helped to understand how to communicate more effectively. Plans are supported with rewards for positive behaviour, and sanctions are appropriate.

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

Allegations against staff are taken seriously and managed in accordance with practice guidelines. Children are aware of the outcome of allegations and support is offered to them throughout the process. Training is provided to staff when it is evident that it is required.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

A new registered manager is now in place. They have recruited a number of staff to the home, who receive support from more-experienced members of staff. These changes have been effective, and the transition managed well to reduce instability in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers recognise the need to provide thorough inductions, and staff are supported to integrate in the home. The training provided to staff is appropriate to meet the needs of the children. Leaders and managers also ensure that staff receive regular supervision. New staff receive fortnightly supervisions, and staff meetings take place on a weekly basis. This has supported staff in building Inspection report for children’s home: 2647775 5 relationships with each other and increases the stability in the home. Staff report that they are supported by leaders and managers and are able to ask for advice when required.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers know the children well. They are warm and affectionate towards children. This is a strength of the home. As a result, leaders and managers are effective in their interventions with children. This builds confidence in the staff team who model these interventions.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Children know who senior managers are and are able to approach them with concerns or requests. This creates an inclusive environment in the home for both staff and children. Staff expressed that they feel nurtured by their managers, and staff feedback is very positive. One staff member said that at the start of each day they are asked how they are feeling, and if anything in their personal life is impacting on them, they are supported to express their concerns. As a result, they are able to give their full attention to the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers have recently invested in an electronic database where children’s records are kept. This has supported staff in maintaining records, which are accurately recorded. Children’s records were detailed and accessible.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers have effective discussions with partner agencies. Children recently met with the local police, who visited the home and talked with them. However, the local area risk assessment needs to be further developed to include details of crime statistics and strategies to mitigate the risks in the local area. While these are known by the leadership team, new staff, in particular, would benefit from having more information available to them to equip their understanding of the local area and how to mitigate the risks to children. Inspection report for children’s home: 2647775 6

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that the local area risk assessment is updated to include local crime statistics and strategies to mitigate the risks to children. (‘Guide to Children’s Home Regulations, including the quality standards,’ page 64 paragraph 15.1)

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Information about this inspection

The inspector has 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: 2647775 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: The Beeches UK limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Silver Birch Care (Residential Services) Limited, S B C H House, 212 Ballards Lane, London N3 2LX

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Inspector

Angela Reid, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2647775 8 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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Inspector

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