Children's home run by Birchwood Independence Ltd

Inspection report for children’s home: 2679827 1 Registered provider: Birchwood Independence 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

The home, one of two in a small independent provision in the county, has been registered since June 2022, with the same registered manager in position. It may provide care for one child experiencing social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The child who had lived in the home during the last inspection moved on in July 2024, after residing there for one year and nine months. Subsequently, two more children moved in and out of the home, one child living there for just over three weeks, and another for four months. One child is currently living in the home. They moved in during April 2025 and was present and spoken with during the inspection.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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requires improvement to be good

How well children and young people are helped and protected requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The children’s home is not yet delivering good help and care for children and young people. However, there are no serious or widespread failures that result in their welfare not being safeguarded or promoted.

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2679827 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

08/05/2024 Full Good 25/07/2023 Full Good 05/09/2022 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2679827 3

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improvement to be good

All three children living in the home since the last inspection had to move out following the manager’s decision that they and the staff could no longer ensure the children’s safety. The children’s time in the home was varied, but this type of ending, even with support negatively impacts upon children.

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improvement to be good

The manager and staff helped the child to settle in the home, with their possessions and personal items. They also spoke with the child about other items they might like to have, with posters in their chosen interest identified. However, these have not yet been purchased, and the child was not sure if this was happening.

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improvement to be good

The home is well decorated, but the lounge and dining area lack activities that would engage the child. Additionally, the child’s privacy is not adequately maintained, as a large chalk wall displays the child’s weekly schedule, staff rota, and the child’s food dislikes. Although the intent was to help the child understand their routine, the result is an institutional approach.

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improvement to be good

There are staff, in the short period that the child has lived in the home who have taken proactive steps to engage with the child and show nurturing care through support and interest in hair and beauty tasks. However, there is a lack of activity options within the home to entice the child from their bedroom to the communal spaces. There are examples of positive engagement outside of the home, including helping the child to try to ride a bike and the support for the child to purchase of a local gym membership, however the consistency in motivating the child is lacking.

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improvement to be good

The manager and staff engage in partnership meetings, and their effective communication and information-sharing is recognised by professionals. The collaborative approach has ensured that children can benefit from having the necessary assessments and, where appropriate, formal diagnoses that enable specialist provision.

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improvement to be good

In the period since the last inspection, there were nine incidents of physical restraint for two children. The use of restraint was generally considered proportionate and necessary to prevent harm. However, the manager and senior leaders have reflected on the children’s experiences of restraint, acknowledging that one child’s stay should have ended sooner. This delay, though well intentioned, exposed the child to further use of restraint.

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improvement to be good

The manager and leaders failed to apply insights about the home’s location and the limitations it imposed on staff’s ability to safeguard children from exploitation. Despite Inspection report for children’s home: 2679827 4 the child’s prior experience of criminal exploitation, the decision to move them into the home was made, incorrectly focusing on the absence of recent exploitation incidents in the previous home rather than considering the location and restrictions in place there. The child’s desire to return to their home area and wish for change were given too much weight, resulting in a predictably unsuccessful move, despite the positive intentions and actions of the staff.

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improvement to be good

Inconsistent use of chronological format across records results in variable recording quality, lacking critical analysis and actionable information. This makes it difficult to identify essential post-incident steps, while certain details and language in the records inappropriately places blame on the child. The absence of consistent managerial oversight further heightens the risk of unmet needs.

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improvement to be good

When children go missing from the home, complaints are received, or serious incidents occur, the manager and staff generally take child-centred actions in line with protocols. However, the quality and detail of general behaviour management plans and strategies vary, with some lacking specific, measurable actions, timescales, or review processes.

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improvement to be good

Despite repeated incidents of self-injurious behaviour involving items the child brought into the home, there is inconsistent application and understanding of when to conduct room or bag searches after the child has spent time away. Consequently, the risks posed by these items remain unaddressed.

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

The child-focused manager and responsible individual aspire to make a meaningful difference in children’s lives through the provision nurturing care. However, despite their experience, some action and decisions have not been swift enough and they have not identified or responded to weaknesses effectively.

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

Staff have not yet established consistent care practices for the child residing in the home. Managers do not provide staff with high-quality plans to guide their practice. Moreover, insufficient monitoring and oversight by management does not remove poor or uninformed practices. It remains unclear whether the issues in management oversight stem from the electronic system itself or from how the system is applied, understood and utilised by staff.

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

Leaders promote staff development and provide training aligned with the home’s statement of purpose. However their efforts to deliver timely, tailored supplementary training based on individual children’s specific needs or behaviours, such as self-injurious behaviours, could be improved.

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

The managers and leaders provide the staff with support, recognising the significance of fostering a positive organisational culture and retaining a stable workforce. They facilitate regular staff supervisions and encourage engagement in team meetings to Inspection report for children’s home: 2679827 5 inform practice. As a result, staff members feel overwhelmingly supported by the leadership. Inspection report for children’s home: 2679827 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 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

ensure that staff work as a team where appropriate;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to 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

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(b)(e)(f)(h))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person should ensure that strategies of behaviour support are regularly reviewed so that they meet the safety needs of the child. The registered person should ensure that staff understand and apply all strategies consistently.

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Requirement Due date

Additionally, the registered person should ensure that recording systems support them and staff in their role and that the system used and its application are understood by all, with appropriate support and training including at management level. The registered person must ensure that the quality of recording is 29 August 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: 2679827 7 consistent with appropriate detail and analysis to inform care and assure practice.

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Requirement Due date

Finally, the management oversight should be easily located, timely and support staff, managers and leaders to develop through effective monitoring and oversight.

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Requirement Due date

The quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children;

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Requirement Due date

use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential.

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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

ensure that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed and furnished so as to—

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Requirement Due date

enable each child to participate in the daily life of the home

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that the home environment reflects and encourages hobbies and develops interests. That the living environment is personalised to the child living in the home and that the sensitivity of information is regarded. 30 July 2025

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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: 2679827 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Birchwood Independence LTD

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 14 Highlands, Taunton TA1 4HP

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Inspector

Ashley Arkless, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2679827 9 and inspects to 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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