Children's Home run by The Beeches UK limited in Peterborough

Inspection report for children’s home: SC466786 1 SC466786 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 provides care for up to four children with learning disabilities and other complex needs. Three children were living at the home, at the time of this inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in June 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: SC466786 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

05/03/2024 Full Good 07/07/2022 Full Good 02/06/2021 Full Good 29/10/2019 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: SC466786 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Since the last inspection, one child has moved into the home and two children have moved on from the home. At the time of this inspection, three children were living at the home. The inspector spoke with one child during the inspection.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Two children have moved on from the home. Their moves to semi-independent homes were well planned. Children’s time at the home is celebrated with memory books and hampers. The manager recognised that one child’s needs have changed and now needs a different home. This is being managed sensitively with professionals to ensure careful planning. Well-planned moves help children to move on successfully.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are making good progress and are happy living at the home. One child said, ‘They don’t treat me like a kid in care, they treat me like family.’ Children have meaningful relationships with staff, who care about them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Parents are impressed with the care that the children receive. One parent said, ‘We are so lucky he found this lovely home the manager and staff are amazing.’ Parents feel reassured that their children are happy and safe.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Two children have education places and are making good progress at school. One child is supported at school by staff from the home. One child who has been out of education for a prolonged period before moving to the home, is due to start tutoring imminently. The child has been accepted to start a Bricklaying college placement.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children benefit from a wide range of activities, including visits to theme parks, going on day trips and playing snooker. One child plays football for a club. The children enjoy new and enriching experiences.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff encourage children to develop independence skills that are appropriate for their age and stage of development. One child is learning to budget and cook. One child is encouraged to spend free time with their friends. Children are building important independence skills and friendships that help them to prepare them for adult lives.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is welcoming and generally well maintained. However, the walls in communal areas require attention and painting. This detracts from an otherwise well-kept house.

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

One child said that they feel safe at the home. Significant risks for children are reducing. Children’s parents are impressed with the safeguarding arrangements. The staff are appropriately trained. They understand and implement the safeguarding procedures. Inspection report for children’s home: SC466786 4 Before moving to the home, one child was frequently going missing from home and at risk of exploitation. Since moving to the home, there has been no missing-from-home incidents and no concerns regarding exploitation.

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

One child needs specialist help following a safeguarding incident benefit from regular therapy. Staff have worked with the child to understand healthy relationships and online safety.

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

Behaviour support plans are thorough and individualised. A positive behaviour support trainer helps to create the plans. However, there are some inconsistencies in staff’s approach to one child’s behaviour. Although the manager is addressing this, a lack of a consistently is likely to be confusing for the child.

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

When physical interventions are used, these are necessary and proportionate. The manager debriefs staff following incidents. However, one child has complex communication needs, and the manager and staff have not explored different outlets for the child to express their feelings and emotions following physical interventions. Consequently, the child has not had an opportunity for his views to be explored and the safeguards afforded by this process are absent.

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

Staff use consequences as a response to unwanted behaviours. However, some consequences used are not meaningful, and the manager has not established their effectiveness or appropriateness.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is experienced and suitably qualified. The manager is supported by a deputy manager. Staff benefit from the manager’s knowledge and experience. The staff are motivated to provide good care to children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The staff have good-quality training. The home’s psychotherapist provides regular training for the staff. The staff said that they have thorough inductions and a wide range of face-to-face and online training. The staff either hold a level 3 diploma or are working towards the qualification within the agreed timeframe.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff have regular and effective supervision sessions. These help with their professional development. The manager is dedicated to helping the staff to develop and progress. The staff feel invested in.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

A social worker said that she is very happy with the care provided for a child. She said that the staff understand the child’s needs, the communication is good, and that the manager works well with them.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is an excellent advocate for children. On one occasion, she advocated for a child not to be moved to an unsuitable home that would not meet the child’s needs. The manager ensured that the child had an independent advocate. The manager’s requests Inspection report for children’s home: SC466786 5 were successful. The manager’s intervention played a significant role in the child moving to a suitable home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager and staff speak highly of the children. However, at times during the inspection the manager and staff used institutional and language that could indicate blame.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The independent person’s reports are generally good quality and make appropriate recommendations. These help the manager to make improvements to the quality of care that children receive. However, parents are rarely consulted with and sometimes children are at school during their visits. This is a repeated shortfall that dilutes the safeguards of the process and means that opportunities for improvement could be missed. Inspection report for children’s home: SC466786 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 registered person must prepare and implement a policy (“the behaviour management policy”) which sets out—

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Requirement Due date

how appropriate behaviour is to be promoted in the children’s home; and

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Requirement Due date

the measures of control, discipline and restraint which may be used in relation to children in the home.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must keep the behaviour management policy under review and, where appropriate, revise it.

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Requirement Due date

within 24 hours of the use of a measure of control, discipline or restraint in relation to a child in the home, a record is made which includes—

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Requirement Due date

within 5 days of the use of the measure, the registered person or the authorised person adds to the record confirmation that they have spoken to the child about the measure. (Regulation 35 (1)(a)(b) (2) (3)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure there is a consistent approach to behaviour management, all children are consulted following physical intervention and consequences are meaningful and have managerial oversight. 13 March 2025

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that an independent person visits the children’s home at least once each month.

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Requirement Due date

When the independent person is carrying out a visit, the registered person must help the independent person—

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Requirement Due date

if they consent, to interview in private such of the children, their parents, relatives and persons working at the home as the independent person requires. (Regulation 44 (1) (2)(a)) 13 March 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: SC466786 7 In particular the manager must ensure that she supports the independent person to get feedback from parents and visits when children are at the home.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated.

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that the home is a nurturing environment that meets children’s needs. In particular, ensure that the home is decorated to a good standard throughout. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9)  The registered person should ensure that they lead and manage the home in a way that delivers the ethos, outcomes and approach set out in the home’s statement of purpose. In particular, the manager and staff should avoid using institutional or blaming language when talking about or to children. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 52, paragraph 10.4)

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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: SC466786 8

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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: S B C H House, 212 Ballards Lane, London N3 2LX

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Michelle Robinson

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Inspector

Amy Miles, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC466786 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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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