Children's Home run by Benjamin UK Ltd in Buckinghamshire

Inspection report children's home: SC062317 1 SC062317 Registered provider: Benjamin UK Ltd

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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 children’s home is registered to care for up to four children who experience social and emotional difficulties. There was one child living at the home at the time of the inspection.

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Information about this children's home

The manager registered with Ofsted in December 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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Enforcement action since last inspection:

None Inspection report children's home: SC062317 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

18/03/2024 Full Good 02/08/2022 Full Good 15/12/2021 Full Good 04/03/2020 Interim Not judged Inspection report children's home: SC062317 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have made clearly identifiable progress from their individual starting points since living in the home. Children have been encouraged and supported to attend individual health appointments, therapy sessions, the optician and dentist to ensure their individual physical and emotional health needs are met. A child informed the inspector where they are living is good.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have made good progress in accessing and attending their education provision. There is effective liaison with the children’s school and education providers when children require additional support.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are helped by staff who are compassionate, approachable, sensitive and attentive to their needs. This is supporting children to develop and sustain trusting and positive relationships so they can share their worries and concerns. This is helping children feel secure, safe and a sense of belonging.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have individualised care plans that seek to address their needs, and their My Journey plan reflects theirs hopes and ambitions. Children have an opportunity to provide feedback to staff through key work sessions and All About Me surveys. This ensures children feel heard and their views help to improve their experience while living in the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children influence and shape the care they receive through weekly community meetings where they can share their views about menu choices, community activities and take part in discussions about a range of topics such as relationships and healthy living.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff provide detailed reports to inform a monthly child focused meeting. The reports help to chart children’s progress and ensure there is a consistent approach to meeting children’s needs in the home.

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

Children have individual risk assessments; however, these are not sufficiently detailed to include children’s triggers, likely behaviour and the interventions that staff should take to address and reduce risks.

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

Children are helped to manage their behaviour by staff providing clear and appropriate boundaries. Children are supported to develop skills to manage conflict and to consider the consequences of their actions. This is helping to reduce behaviour that is harmful to themselves and others. Children receive rewards for positive behaviour and restorative practice is embedded in the home to increase children’s sense of personal responsibility. Inspection report children's home: SC062317 4 Children have purposeful conversations with staff so they can share their wishes and feelings and to be helped to understand safe and acceptable behaviour.

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

Robust recruitment processes are robust and ensure only suitable people are employed to work with children at the home.

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

Staff have a good understanding of children’s needs, child protection and whistleblowing procedures and the actions they need to take to safeguard children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager has been effective in developing the staff team to provide good quality help and support to children living in the home. The registered manager has high expectations and aspirations for children. Manager’s work effectively with other agencies to ensure that children’s needs are met. This includes advocating for children to receive specialist assessments and appropriate education provision.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Managers know the service well; they understand the strengths and areas for development to improve the experiences for children so they can reach their potential. The home development plan is comprehensive and clearly outlines the needs of the service going forward. This includes ensuring transition planning for children is strengthened so arrangements for children moving in and out of the home is robust.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Managers understand the children’s needs; their individual plans and the progress that they are making to achieve their potential. The manager and staff team have created a supportive and homely environment, so children feel safe and cared for. Weekly maintenance checks are completed to ensure the home maintains the highest standards and any damage and wear and tear is quickly repaired. This ensures that children live in an environment for good practice to thrive.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive a comprehensive induction and training programme to ensure they meet the needs of children living in the home. This includes specific training so staff can fully understand and embed the preferred therapeutic model of care to support and help children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive monthly supervision which is recorded effectively and provides space for support and challenge. Monthly group supervision with therapist provides opportunities for individual staff to reflect on their work with children and explore different approaches that helps children to progress. Inspection report children's home: SC062317 5

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individua iStatutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered person(s) must take to meet the Care Standards Act 2000, 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— that staff—

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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;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand how to keep safe;

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Requirement Due date

have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm;

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Requirement Due date

manage relationships between children to prevent them from harming each other;

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Requirement Due date

understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person;

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Requirement Due date

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child's welfare; and

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Requirement Due date

are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home's child protection policies. (Regulation 12 (1)(2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered manager must update children’s risk assessments to include children's triggers, likely behaviour and the interventions that staff should take to address and reduce risks. 25 April 2025 Inspection report children's home: SC062317 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 children's home: SC062317 7

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Children's home details

Registered provider address: Coach House, White House Court, Hockliffe Street, Leighton Buzzard, LU7 1FD

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Children's home details

Responsible individual: Claudette Rudman

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Inspector

Nicki Shaw, His Majesty’s Inspector Inspection report children's home: SC062317 8 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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