Children's Home run by Second Avenue Care Limited in Sheffield

Inspection report for children’s home: 2774729 1 Registered provider: Second Avenue Care Limited 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 February 2024 and is owned and managed by a private provider. It offers care for one child who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of this inspection, one child was living in the home. There has been another child who has lived at the home during this inspection period.

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Information about this children’s home

There has been no registered manager at the home since 31 March 2025. The home has appointed a new manager, and they have applied for registration with Ofsted.

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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 requires improvement to be 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: 2774729 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

18/06/2024 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2774729 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child living at the home has made progress since they moved in. They have a positive relationship with the staff. Staff engage in many discussions with the child about their thoughts and beliefs. Staff celebrate the child’s strengths, such as their enthusiasm for learning new things. They encourage the child to talk more about their feelings. This has resulted in fewer incidents occurring and the child being more reflective.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children enjoy a range of activities that promote their emotional and physical health and well-being. This includes playing sports and going for bike rides, and the child enjoys playing board games and going for walks with staff. A family member said that staff offered to take the child to watch a charity football game in which they were playing. They said that it never feels like too much for staff to offer support.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff show the child that they care for them in the way they talk and behave. During the inspection, laughter and singing could be heard. Staff offer praise and affection. They use rewards to encourage positive behaviour. Consequences for negative behaviour are proportionate and restorative. The manager retains oversight of these.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff promote children’s voices in the home. They offer children advocacy support and encourage them to take this up. The manager advocates on behalf of children to ensure that they receive the right help when they need it. Staff hold many conversations with children. They record children’s wishes and feelings in a child-friendly and thoughtful way.

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

The child told the inspector that they feel safe and happy living in the home. Staff have a good understanding of children’s individual needs and risks. The manager documents risk to children in assessments and plans, which are regularly updated. These are easy to follow and provide staff with clear strategies to prevent or reduce risk to children.

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

The manager’s review of the premises does not consider factors that are specific to the home’s location. This includes being close to a bed and breakfast and having access to areas where child exploitation is known to occur. The review does not contain up-to-date consultation with relevant individuals, such as the local police.

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

The manager has not yet implemented all the recommended actions from the fire risk assessment carried out earlier this year. This may leave children, staff and visitors at risk of serious harm.

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

Staff are aware of the procedures to follow if a child goes missing or is absent from the home. Staff carry out local searches and report them missing to police. They work with family members and known associates to try and locate the child. The manager raised Inspection report for children’s home: 2774729 4 concerns with the local authority about a child who used to live in the home and was frequently missing. This led to additional support and plans being implemented to reduce the risk of harm to the child.

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

Staff use restraint in a proportionate manner that is appropriate for the circumstances. Leaders discuss incidents with the child and staff involved and keep a record of what happened. When staff search a child’s bedroom, they do so appropriately and record the action taken. The manager has oversight of these events.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

There has been a change of management since the last inspection. The home now has a new manager and deputy manager. Staff praise their leadership, with one member of staff describing the home as being managed ‘amazingly’. The new manager recognises the home’s strengths and areas for development. They acknowledge the shortfalls and have a plan for improving the home. Senior leaders support them in this ambition.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Some staff reported experiencing a more negative working environment in the home previously. They expressed concern for staff welfare and the quality of practice, such as record-keeping. The responsible individual is aware of these concerns and has taken some action to address them.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The independent visitor reports are not robust. They are overly focused on documentation and compliance. They lack evaluation of the quality of care and safety afforded to children. Leaders have failed to take action to address these issues, preventing the reports from serving as a tool for improvement and monitoring.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Staff knowledge of safeguarding practice shows gaps in some areas, such as the potential risk of radicalisation. Staff lack understanding of the evidence supporting various approaches to addressing exploitation. Staff are uncertain about their responsibilities as appropriate adults when the police arrest or caution a child. The new manager is aware of this and has plans to address it through training and development.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The previous manager has not always maintained the upkeep and decoration of the home to a good standard. In some areas, the home feels homely and comfortable. However, other areas appear worn and in need of repair. The new manager recognises these issues and has a plan to improve the home’s environment through upcoming renovations.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Leaders hold supervision sessions and team meetings regularly for staff. They are child focused and holistic in nature. Leaders provide staff with ways to develop their practice further. Staff report feeling well supported by the new leadership team. Inspection report for children’s home: 2774729 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 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

lead and manage the home in a way that is consistent with the approach and ethos, and delivers the outcomes, set out in the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child;

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Requirement Due date

understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home;

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Requirement Due date

demonstrate that practice in the home is informed and improved by taking into account and acting on—

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Requirement Due date

research and developments in relation to the ways in which the needs of children are best met; and

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Requirement Due date

feedback on the experiences of children, including complaints received; and

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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)(a)(c)(f)(g)(i)(ii)(h)) 1 September 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: 2774729 6 The registered person must review the appropriateness and suitability of the location of the premises used for the purposes of the children’s home at least once in each calendar year taking into account the requirement in regulation 12(2)(c) (the protection of children standard).

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Requirement Due date

When conducting the review, the registered person must consult, and take into account the views of, each relevant person. (Regulation 46 (1) (2))

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Requirement Due date

In addition, the registered person should refer to the non- statutory guidance about the location assessment process ‘Children’s homes regulations amendments 2014: Advice for children’s homes providers on new duties under regulations that came into effect in January and April 2014’. 1 August 2025

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Requirement Due date

After consultation with the fire and rescue authority, the registered person must—

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Requirement Due date

take adequate precautions against the risk of fire, including the provision of suitable fire equipment in the children’s home;

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Requirement Due date

provide adequate means of escape from the home in the event of fire.

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Requirement Due date

If the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 applies to the home—

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Requirement Due date

the registered person must ensure that the requirements of that Order and any regulations made under it, except for article 23 (duties of employees), are complied with in respect of the home.

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Requirement Due date

In this regulation, “the fire and rescue authority” means the fire and rescue authority under the Fire and Rescue Services Act 2004 for the area in which the home is located. (Regulation 25 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b) (3)) 1 July 2025

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that any individual appointed to carry out visits to the home as an independent person makes a rigorous and impartial assessment of the home’s arrangements for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of the children in the home’s care. The registered person should ensure that the assessment is Inspection report for children’s home: 2774729 7 evaluative in nature and supports them in monitoring the quality of care provided. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 65, paragraph 15.5)  The registered person should work with the placing authority to plan each child’s move into or out of the home and assist them in preparing for these moves both practically and emotionally. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 57, paragraph 11.9)  The registered person should ensure that the home meets children’s basic day-to-day

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Recommendations

needs and physical necessities. They should ensure that the interior is well maintained and that any maintenance issues are resolved in a timely manner. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.7)

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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: 2774729 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Second Avenue Care Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 298 Bawtry Road, Wickersley, Rotherham S66 1JJ

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Liam Fitzpatrick

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Inspector

Sam Saxby-Brown, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2774729 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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Inspector

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