Children's Home run by North Star Children’s Homes Ltd in Surrey

Inspection report for children’s home: 2788764 1 Registered provider: North Star Children’s Homes Ltd 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 September 2024. It provides care for up to five children between the ages of eight and 17 who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, one child was living at the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager was registered with Ofsted in March 2025

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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: 19 November 2024

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: inadequate

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Enforcement action since last inspection:

Following the last inspection, the home received a notice restricting accommodation. This notice was lifted following a monitoring visit on 14 January 2025. Inspection report for children’s home: 2788764 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

19/11/2024 Full Inadequate Inspection report for children’s home: 2788764 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Leaders and managers have made positive progress against all the requirements and recommendations raised at the previous inspection. As a result, the child currently living at the home is receiving good-quality care and support from well-trained, confident and committed staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child is making good progress in all areas of their life, including positive relationships, education, confidence and personal independence. Staff work towards shared goals and objectives that are identified in partnership with the child and other professionals in the child’s life.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The new manager has led a comprehensive review of referral processes. In doing so, he has helped to create a much clearer and ultimately safer approach to identifying new children who may benefit from living at the home. The manager has already led the review of some new referrals to the home and can demonstrate the depth and quality of the assessment process and how it informs decision-making.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff are benefiting from a more consistent, focused and organised approach to care and support planning for children. Staff now create clear plans that enable the child to identify their progress and continue to work towards their agreed goals.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff confidently discuss the needs of the child in their care. They have benefited from enhanced training around understanding the impact of adverse experiences in childhood. The whole team’s approach is more considered and grounded in clearer, widely accepted and effective models of care and support.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child’s placing social worker is positive about the care and support the child receives. Staff produce clear progress reports and updates, which boosts the confidence of external professionals.

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

Staff have benefited from an enhanced focus on the safety and well-being of children. The organisation has provided good-quality training. The new manager has extensive experience of working with vulnerable children. The combination of good training resources and effective management has enhanced staff’s confidence around safeguarding children.

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

Staff confidently describe the child’s risks and vulnerabilities, as well as common safeguarding themes when working with looked-after children. Staff recognise their safeguarding responsibilities and clearly understand their role in wider networks of support around the child. Inspection report for children’s home: 2788764 4 Staff are fully aware of core safeguarding concepts, such as whistle-blowing and managing allegations against staff. They know how to use the home’s internal safeguarding procedures to report any concerns.

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

Staff have benefited from providing some support at another home. This has helped them expand their knowledge of the risks and challenges presented by children.

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

Staff have had time to create a shared ethos around the management of positive relationships. They have received training on widely recognised behavioural support models. This has increased their confidence in how they would attempt to manage challenges. The home is currently experiencing a period of calm and stability, so some of these new skills and approaches are yet to be tested.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The previous registered manager left the home in November 2024. The new manager has applied to register with Ofsted. The new management team has significantly improved the quality of the service provided. The manager and deputy have quickly identified the areas for improvement. They have made rapid progress with improving the quality of record-keeping, safeguarding processes and the support available to the staff team. As a result, staff feel more confident in the leadership at the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has placed a strong emphasis on processes around the admission of children. He has implemented clear and consistent referral protocols that ensure well- considered decisions around admissions.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager and deputy have a strong senior team. They role model their expectations well around the practice they would like staff to deliver. Through supervision, frequent team meetings, and more focused training, they have set clear goals and objectives for the team.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home has established strong partnerships with the child’s school and social worker. Staff are working hard to create professional links in the local area that will benefit the child and be of use to children who come to the home in the future.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff have been carrying out some good work in terms of facilitating access to local places of worship and building resources and information about different religions. This is in direct response to the interests of the child.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager and the whole team are focused on ensuring that the child feels valued, listened to, and has a say in day-to-day decisions at the home. Recently, this has included consultation on the layout and appearance of the home, as well as the child’s assistance in producing an updated children’s guide for new children coming to the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

No requirements od recommendations were made at this inspection. Inspection report for children’s home: 2788764 5

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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: 2788764 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: North Star Children’s Homes Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 14 David Mews, London W1U 6EQ

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Inspector

Peter Jackson, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2788764 7 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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