Children's home run by SureCare Residential Limited – The White Trees Group

Inspection report for children’s home: 2525634 1 Registered provider: SureCare Residential Limited – The White Trees Group

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Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This privately owned home provides care for up to five children with social and emotional difficulties, the home may also provide care and accommodation for children with learning disabilities.

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Information about this children’s home

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

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in April 2024.

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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: 2525634 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

16/08/2023 Full Good 03/10/2022 Full Good 27/09/2021 Full Good 18/07/2019 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2525634 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Since the last inspection, four children have moved into the home and four children have moved on. Two of the four children currently living in the home contributed to this inspection.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children receive good-quality support and make progress from their starting points. Staff are committed to children’s well-being and create a warm and loving atmosphere in the home. Two children shared that they have trusting relationships with staff and enjoy spending time with them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff have skill and experience in relation to supporting children with trauma and attachment difficulties. Staff receive specialist high-quality training that informs their approach to meeting children’s individual needs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff encourage children to participate in activities that support their independence. Children recognise their accomplishments and feel well prepared for their adult lives.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

One social worker has reported that staff provide highly nurturing care. They shared that a child has ‘excelled’ from their starting point since living in the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff helped children to collaborate with a highly regarded artist. Children spent time with the artist and contributed to a project to explore the effect of knife crime. Children presented the final art piece to the local community and received an award for their participation. Children and staff were incredibly proud of this experience and achievement.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff ensure that the home is well decorated and welcoming. Children’s artwork is creatively displayed. Staff have recently revamped the garden and have planted flower beds and shrubs. A new trampoline and barbeque area has recently been enjoyed by children.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff work closely with social care and educational professionals to ensure that three children have bespoke plans to attend school and make educational progress. One child who had a considerable gap in their education before moving into the home, now attends school and has high attendance. One child does not attend school regularly. Staff encourage educational activities and life skills work in the home, but this is not consistent, and at times, the child has poor routines. This routine is not effective in supporting the child’s confidence to attend school regularly. Inspection report for children’s home: 2525634 4

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

Staff identify areas of risk and vulnerability for children. Staff take effective and prompt action to reduce any risks to children. Children reported they feel safer because of staff’s support.

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

There has been a recent turbulent period where children’s experiences have been negatively affected by difficult group dynamics in the home. Staff have responded to these concerns sensitively and group dynamics have now improved. Children said that staff were empathetic and proactive during this previously difficult time.

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

Staff rarely use restraint with children, staff are skilled in de-escalation strategies and are sensitive to children’s needs when managing difficult situations. When restraint is used it is proportionate and justified.

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

Staff provide a strong and proactive response when children go missing from the home. Staff diligently explore all possible routes to locate children and ensure their safe return. Staff use good relationships with children to discuss and review incidents. Children’s plans are adapted to reduce similar incidents reoccurring.

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

Staff work well with children to support them in recognising and reporting acts of bullying. When there have been instances of harmful comments made between children, staff quickly intervene and provide support for children to repair their relationships.

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

Children engage in regular and meaningful discussions with staff to reflect on their personal safety. Children’s views and feelings from these discussions are threaded seamlessly to responsive strategies in their risk management plans. Staff follow these strategies well and risky incidents reduce for children over time.

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

On occasions, staff use consequences with children as part of a wider approach to behaviour management. The manager thoroughly reviews and monitors these interventions to ensure they remain effective. This has included the manager revoking some of these measures and identifying learning for staff when this has been needed.

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

Staff follow routine risk-reduction strategies for children in relation to the use of door alarms, handling children’s mobile phones, conducting room searches and monitoring incoming mail. However, currently there is a lack of clear and documented review of these measures. This lack of review means that staff and managers cannot be assured that these measures are continuously proportionate and justified.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home is led by a child-focused manager, who is working towards an appropriate qualification. Two deputy managers support the registered manager.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers are fully focused on improving the future life outcomes for children. They have high expectations of staff to deliver good-quality care to children. Inspection report for children’s home: 2525634 5 Leaders and managers use established management monitoring systems and provide effective oversight of the support provided to children. Staff report that leaders and managers are knowledgeable and offer continued direction and feedback in relation to their personal development and practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers take effective action to address staff practice that has fallen short of expectations. This includes completing appropriate investigations and identifying wider learning. Actions taken have prevented further lapses in staff practice effectively.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers ensure that the use of agency staff is infrequent. This has meant that, at times, leaders and managers work directly with children in response to any staffing gaps. This has reduced disruption to children’s care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Since the last inspection, there has been one complaint made by a child. This was responded to promptly and sensitively by leaders and managers to the satisfaction of the child. Inspection report for children’s home: 2525634 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 privacy and access standard is that the registered person must ensure that—

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Requirement Due date

any limitation placed on a child’s privacy or access to any area of the home’s premises—

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Requirement Due date

is kept under review and, if necessary, revised; and

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Requirement Due date

allows children as much freedom as is possible when balanced against the need to protect them and keep them safe. (Regulation 21 (c)(ii)(iii)(iv)) 1 April 2025

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that staff provide regular opportunities for children to participate in structured activities that improve their routine and confidence when they are not engaging in education. (‘Guide to Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 31, paragraph 6.5)

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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: 2525634 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: SureCare Residential Limited – The White Trees Group

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: White trees Group, The Old Snap Factory, Twyford Industrial Estate, Twyford Road, Bishop’s Stortford CM23 3LJ

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Inspector

Lexi Mitchell, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2525634 8 regulates and inspects 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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