Children's Home run by Silver Birch Care (Residential Services) Limited in Brent

Inspection report for children’s home: 2789835 1 Registered provider: Silver Birch Care (Residential Services) Limited 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 provides care for up to two children with emotional and behavioural difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The home and the manager were registered with Ofsted in October 2024.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of inspection, one child was living in the home and was spoken with by the inspector.

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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: 2789835 2

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff understand the needs of the child. They ensure that the child’s progress, wishes and feelings are discussed during key-work sessions while also helping the child to understand their personal vulnerabilities.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Although the child has found it difficult to engage with staff and the professional network, they have nonetheless made meaningful progress from their starting point. This includes taking good care of their pet cat, a reduction in missing-from-home episodes and improved communication with staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff and managers have used creative approaches to encourage the child to return to education. They have advocated with the placing authority and provided work at home in line with the school’s curriculum. Staff have tried to engage the child in alternative education opportunities to develop their learning. While this has not yet been successful, staff have persevered and have collected work from school so that the child can do revision for their GCSEs. Staff and managers have also ensured that the child can attend school to complete their examinations. Staff continue to remain committed to the child’s learning and to encouraging them to engage.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff include the child in day-to-day decisions. For example, the child helps staff to plan menus for the week. Staff use rewards to encourage and promote positive behaviour, and they offer regular activities in areas the child enjoys.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support and encourage the child to spend time with their family and have encouraged the child’s family to visit the home. The child wants to return to live with their family or move to somewhere they can have more independence. Staff have referred the child to an advocacy service so their views can be fully represented in future planning.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child is actively developing their independence skills in areas such as cooking, budgeting, laundry and keeping their living space clean and tidy. However, despite this, there is no structured plan to support them to further develop in this area before they move on from the home. This limits the opportunity for the child to fully prepare for the responsibilities of independent living.

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

Staff understand the child’s risks and needs well. They follow strategies and guidance to support the child’s safety and are clear on the areas of need noted in care plans and behaviour management plans. Staff also use key-work sessions to discuss known risks and ways to reduce them with the child. This helps the child to reflect on their behaviours and choices. Consequently, there has been a notable reduction in incidents since the child moved into the home. Inspection report for children’s home: 2789835 3 Leaders and managers take children’s needs into account when assessing their suitability to live in the home. This includes considering staff’s existing skills and training needs. This consideration leads to the child’s care plan and risk assessment being thorough as well as identifying triggers and de-escalation strategies.

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

When the child goes missing from the home, staff manage this well. They liaise closely with other agencies and stay in contact with them. The manager and staff also work with the child’s placing authority to visit addresses that the child is known to go to. Until the child is home, staff continue to return to these addresses so they can be assured the child is safe.

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

The manager proactively escalates concerns about the child’s risks and needs to the placing authority and police, particularly when missing-from-home episodes are not appropriately recognised as a concern by statutory partners. They request strategy meetings with the professional network and have a clear plan in place to escalate further if the manager believes that responses are not acceptable. This helps ensure that appropriate action is taken to protect the child.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers are committed to ensuring that the child receives a high standard of care. Staff are enthusiastic and prioritise the child’s welfare.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers ensure that staff have a good induction, which includes relevant training. Staff also have ongoing training and development opportunities so they can develop their skills to meet the needs of the child in their care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Records are mostly well written and provide a clear outline of events and incidents. However, there is inconsistency in recording among staff. While there is evidence of the manager attempting to address this within the staff team, the quality and appropriateness of records remain variable.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff feel valued and happy in their roles. Staff attend regular team meetings and all staff, including the registered manager, receive regular supervision. However, there is inconsistency in the quality of reflection and child focus in these sessions. This means that staff do not always have the opportunity to learn from situations or improve their practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers do not have a system in place that allows them to track and monitor the child’s progress, shortfalls or additional support needs. Inspection report for children’s home: 2789835 4

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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 leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires, and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that—

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Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

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Requirement Due date

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(h))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must have monitoring systems in place to review the quality of care provided for children in their care, to be able to identify and address any shortfalls. 30 May 2025

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that staff have the resources to help children prepare for any move on from the home. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 17, paragraph 3.27)  The registered person should ensure that staff are familiar with the home’s policies on record-keeping and understand the importance of appropriate, consistent and clear recording. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards,’ page 62, paragraph 14.4)  The registered person should ensure that staff supervision allows staff to reflect on their practice and the needs of the children and that this is clearly recorded. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards,’ page 61, paragraph 13.2) Inspection report for children’s home: 2789835 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: 2789835 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Silver Birch Care (Residential Services) Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: SBCH House, 212 Ballards Lane, London N3 2LX

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Inspector

Salean Bryant, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2789835 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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