Children's Home run by Acorns to Oaks Children’s Care & Support Limited in Wirral

Inspection report for children’s home: 2781986 1 Registered provider: Acorns to Oaks Children’s Care and Support Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home registered with Ofsted in April 2024 and is operated by a private organisation. It provides care for up to four children who may experience social and emotional difficulties or have learning difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, three children were living in the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has applied to register with Ofsted.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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requires improvement to be good

How well children and young people are helped and protected requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The children’s home is not yet delivering good help and care for children and young people. However, there are no serious or widespread failures that result in their welfare not being safeguarded or promoted.

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requires improvement to be good

Date of last inspection: not previously inspected

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: not applicable

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: not applicable Inspection report for children’s home: 2781986 2

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improvement to be good

The children spoke to the inspector about their experiences of living in the home.

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improvement to be good

Since the home opened in April 2024, two children have moved into and out of the home, and a sibling group of three children then moved in. The progress and experiences of the children who left the home were varied. Shortfalls in management oversight of practice at the time meant that children’s experiences were not always positive.

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improvement to be good

Children who left the home did not move out in a planned way. This does not help children to have positive experiences of moving on.

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improvement to be good

Children currently living in the home are happy and forming positive relationships with staff. One child said that it is ‘good’ living at the home, and another said that it is ‘fun’. Staff talk about the children with warmth and enthusiasm. One staff member described the children as ‘a breath of fresh air’.

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improvement to be good

Staff ensure that children have fun and enjoy a range of activities. Children recently experienced their first holiday, which they responded well to. Staff take photos of enjoyable times with the children so that children have positive memories of their time at the home.

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improvement to be good

Staff help children to spend time with the people who are important to them. Children are supported to maintain relationships with their parents and siblings where possible. Children were helped to write a letter to a parent when they were unable to see them.

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improvement to be good

Children live in a large home. Their bedrooms are spacious and well furnished. Communal areas are homely and provide space for children to play and relax. Children are provided with lots of toys, books and board games, which they love to use. Staff ensure that children experience a family environment and a sense of belonging.

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improvement to be good

Children have individual risk and behaviour plans. Staff have written age-appropriate, child-friendly plans for younger children who live in the home.

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improvement to be good

Insufficient information was gathered before two children came to live at the home. The needs of the children were not fully considered before a second child moved in. This placed both children at risk and created an unstable and chaotic environment. Inspection report for children’s home: 2781986 3 Staff are trained in a therapeutic model to help them understand and manage children’s experiences and behaviours for the benefit of children. However, for two children who no longer live at the home, staff did not manage their behaviour effectively. On several occasions, the police were called to help manage the children’s behaviour when it was not necessary. This is not only distressing for children but has the potential for them to be criminalised.

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improvement to be good

Staff did not report their experiences of management shortfalls in a timely manner. This impacted on the safety of the children. However, action was taken by the provider before the inspection to reflect on incidents and improve practice in the home.

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improvement to be good

Safer recruitment practices are in place to ensure that only adults who are safe to work with children are employed in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

There have been changes in the leadership and management of the home since it registered. The previous manager has recently resigned, and the deputy manager has been appointed as the manager.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The new manager has high expectations of himself, the children and the staff team. He is held in high regard by staff and professionals. Staff describe him as ‘supportive’, ‘approachable’ and ‘knowledgeable’. One professional said, ‘I have nothing but praise for [name of home]. The manager is always contactable and accommodating.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The team of staff are resilient and committed. They work well together and feel supported by one another. Since the sibling group moved into the home, staff love working there.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Shortfalls in management oversight in the home have negatively impacted on the day-to- day running of the home and the experiences of the children living in it at the time. The home has not operated in line with the statement of purpose. At times, there have been insufficient staff to care for the children, and children have also been cared for by staff who do not have the skills to manage their behaviour to keep them safe. Staff have felt unsupported and unclear about the expectations of their role.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The new manager is aware of the shortfalls and has introduced new systems to improve leadership and oversight in the home. However, some practices, such as matching new children to the home, have not yet had chance to be tested, so their effectiveness cannot be assessed.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Staff are provided with training opportunities and have completed mandatory training, including safeguarding and physical intervention training. However, staff have not received training relating to caring for younger children, despite this being relevant to the children in their care. Inspection report for children’s home: 2781986 4 The new manager holds team meetings monthly and ensures that they are structured and focus on the needs of the children. Staff reflect on their practice and discuss ways to improve outcomes for the children in their care. Inspection report for children’s home: 2781986 5

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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 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; and

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Requirement Due date

that the home’s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring that children’s risks are identified in their plans with clear strategies in place for staff to follow to keep children safe. 4 December 2024

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

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Requirement Due date

lead and manage the home in a way that is consistent with the approach and ethos, and delivers the outcomes, set out in the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and 4 December 2024 Inspection report for children’s home: 2781986 6 skills to meet the needs of each child;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(c)(d))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that the home is managed in line with the ethos and principles set out in its statement of purpose. In addition, the registered person must ensure that staff receive training that is specific to the needs of the children living in the home and that there are enough staff available to work in the home.

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Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children—

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Requirement Due date

receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home; and

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have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home.

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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

that children are admitted to the home only if their needs are within the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the home is to provide care and accommodation, as set out in the home’s statement of purpose. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that they only accept placements for children when they are satisfied that they can meet the child’s needs and when the impact on other children in the home has been assessed. 4 December 2024

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Requirement Due date

The positive relationships standard is that children are helped to develop, and to benefit from, relationships based on—

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Requirement Due date

an understanding about acceptable behaviour; and

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positive responses to other children and adults.

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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

that staff— 4 December 2024 Inspection report for children’s home: 2781986 7 meet each child’s behavioural and emotional needs, as set out in the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to develop socially aware behaviour;

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Requirement Due date

encourage each child to take responsibility for the child’s behaviour, in accordance with the child’s age and understanding;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to develop and practise skills to resolve conflicts positively and without harm to anyone;

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Requirement Due date

communicate to each child expectations about the child’s behaviour and ensure that the child understands those expectations in accordance with the child’s age and understanding;

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Requirement Due date

de-escalate confrontations with or between children, or potentially violent behaviour by children. (Regulation 11 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(xi))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that all staff have the skills to build trusted relationships with children and to help children to manage their behaviour safely and limit the need for police intervention.

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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: 2781986 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Acorns to Oaks Children’s Care and Support Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Suite 3, 125 to 129 Witton Street, Northwich, Cheshire CW9 5DY

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Inspector

Zillah Brooks, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2781986 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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