Children's home run by The Beeches UK limited

Inspection report for children’s home: 2783992 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 owned home is registered to provide care for two children with social and emotional difficulties and/or learning disabilities. Currently, there is one child living in the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in August 2024, at the same time that the home opened.

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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

Date of last inspection: Not previously inspected

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: not applicable

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: not applicable Inspection report for children’s home: 2783992 2

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

There is one child living at the home. This is the only child who has lived at the home since the home opened. The child contributed to the inspection.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child is settled and is making progress from their starting points. The child moved into the home after experiencing multiple breakdowns in the support provided in their previous living arrangements. These breakdowns have challenged other providers. However, the staff at this home are committed to helping the child build trust in them. The child’s parent and social worker are highly complimentary about how well the child is currently doing.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff have been consistent in their expectations and boundaries. This is helping the child to build a healthier routine. Before moving into the home, the child struggled to settle at nighttime. Because of staff’s support, the child now has a more structured routine and improved sleep hygiene. This has enhanced the child’s well-being.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff have been advocating for the child to receive a school placement in the local area. Staff regularly liaise with the child’s social worker to search for a suitable school. In the interim, the child is attending an alternative provision that is suited to their current needs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support the child to carry out practical tasks to help build their independence skills. The child has enjoyed developing their skills in budgeting, cooking and shopping.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff understand the importance of the child’s relationships with their family. Staff support visits from multiple family members. There are photos of the child’s family around the house, with a photo cushion in the living room. Staff’s emphasis on keeping strong family ties and good communication is supporting the child’s longer-term plan for a potential return home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff provide a wide variety of activities for the child that reflect their interests. The child has enjoyed attending Army Cadets and a motorcycle club. The child regularly visits the skate and trampoline parks. Staff are keen to help the child stay active and to find things that they like doing. This is helping the child build their own identity.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child’s guide to the home does not have information on how they can make a complaint or access an advocate. The manager made the necessary changes to the guide during the inspection.

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

There is a high staffing ratio in the home. This has helped the child to build positive relationships with others and experience a sense of stability and safety. Inspection report for children’s home: 2783992 3 The child’s risks have reduced. There are now fewer incidents that require staff to physically intervene to reduce risks. The child has only gone missing from the home on one occasion. This was when they first moved into the home.

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

The child is taking part in regular key-work sessions with staff. These sessions are helping them to think about their personal safety. The child is starting to reflect on incidents and has been able to apologise to staff if they think they are in the wrong. This is a significant development for the child and demonstrates that they are secure in their relationships with staff.

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

Staff work closely with a psychotherapist. They offer guidance to staff around effective strategies to use as part of a wider approach to behaviour management. Staff are receptive to and follow these strategies. The psychotherapist said that the child is making ‘brilliant’ progress, and that this is down to staff’s ‘therapeutic understanding’ of the child.

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

There are effective strategies in place to help the child stay safe online. The child does not have electronic devices during the night and staff complete regular phone checks with their consent.

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

There have been occasions where staff use physical interventions to reduce risks for the child. These have been reasonable, proportionate and necessary. However, the manager’s review of these interventions is not always thorough enough to identify potential learning in staff’s practice.

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

Staff have used several consequences to help the child think about their behaviour. These are generally logical and restorative in design. However, the manager does not always review these measures to provide assurances that their use is proportionate and justified.

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

Recruitment checks for new staff do not meet requirements. Two staff members full employment history has not been gained or documented. This does not reduce the potential for unsuitable people to gain employment at the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home is led by a committed and qualified manager. She is kind, nurturing and encourages this approach with staff.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff morale is strong. Staff say they enjoy working in the home. Staff are very caring and hold high aspirations for the child to succeed. This is evident in how they talk about the child and the progress that they have made.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager provides regular, good-quality supervision sessions to staff. Staff can talk about their own well-being and discuss the child’s needs. This supports staff’s professional development effectively. Inspection report for children’s home: 2783992 4 Staff speak highly of the manager; they say she is ‘approachable’, fair and always there when you need her’. Alongside this, staff feel appreciated in their roles. The organisation has several initiatives to improve staff’s well-being. This includes being employee of the month and staff birthday and Christmas presents. These help the staff to feel valued.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has a strong ambition to provide the best care for the child. She listens to the child’s voice and works alongside them to help them achieve their goals.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Parents and professionals gave good feedback about the effectiveness of communication and collaborative working with staff and the manager. Inspection report for children’s home: 2783992 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 registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety.

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Requirement Due date

employ an individual to work at the children’s home; or

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Requirement Due date

if an individual is employed by a person other than the registered person to work at the home in a position in which the individual may have regular contact with children, allow that individual to work at the home,

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Requirement Due date

if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3).

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Requirement Due date

full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2. (Regulation 32 (1) (2)(a)(b) (3)(d)) 3 March 2025

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that all incidents of restraint are subject to systems of regular scrutiny. In particular, the manager’s review should be thorough enough to review staff’s practice and identify further learning if this is needed. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 46, paragraph 9.59)  The registered person should ensure that any consequences used to address poor behaviour are monitored and reviewed to provide assurances that they are justified and proportionate. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 46, paragraph 9.38) Inspection report for children’s home: 2783992 6

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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: 2783992 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: SBCH House, 212 Ballards Lane, London N3 2LX

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Michelle Robinson

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Inspector

Mary Costello, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2783992 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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