Children's Home run by Vantage Children’s Services Limited in Staffordshire

Inspection report for children's home: 2812248 1 Registered provider: Vantage Children’s Services Limited

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is privately owned and provides care for up to three children with social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The home and manager registered with Ofsted in December 2024. This was the first inspection since the home was registered. One child was living at the home at the time of inspection. They were present and spoke with the inspector.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered provider has recently appointed a new responsible individual, and Ofsted is currently checking this person has the relevant capacity, experience and skills to carry out the role.

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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: 2812248 2

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is beautifully decorated, warm and welcoming. There are photos of the child displayed throughout. There is a dedicated playroom equipped with a range of age- appropriate games and toys that reflect the child’s interests and developmental needs. The child has a specific interest in insects. The garden provides a safe and stimulating outdoor space where staff support them to ‘bug hunt’ and learn about the insects they have collected. This contributes to their curiosity, communication and learning through play.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff demonstrate a strong understanding of the child’s developmental needs and life experiences. They are attuned to how these may influence the child’s emotional responses and presenting behaviours. Staff apply clear and consistent boundaries and follow agreed behaviour support strategies effectively. This consistency helps the child to understand expectations, feel secure and develop trust with the adults caring for them. As a result, the child has become more receptive to new visitors to the home and is engaging with activities in the community with more confidence.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The manager and staff value the child’s education. Since moving into the home, the child has continued to attend their previous school. The school is a considerable distance from the home and has advised it is no longer able to meet the child’s needs. Securing a school locally has been problematic. The manager has escalated this with relevant professionals. This is helping to ensure identifying a suitable education provision for the child is a priority.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support the child to maintain meaningful relationships with people who are important to them. They support regular family time and are creative in their approach to making this a positive and manageable experience for the child. Staff ensure that the child’s family remains informed of the child’s progress by sharing regular updates. This helps to maintain trust and strengthen relationships between staff and the child’s family.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child is beginning to show increased curiosity about their own identity and the identity of others. Staff respond to this with sensitivity and provide appropriate opportunities for exploration through conversations, activities and positive role modelling. This supports the child’s developing sense of self, encourages acceptance and understanding of difference and promotes emotional growth.

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

Staff have a strong understanding of the child’s individual risks and vulnerabilities. They use consistent strategies to support the child in developing their social awareness and responses to others. Staff provide the child with regular opportunities to engage in community activities in a supported and meaningful way. Positive reinforcement is used effectively to encourage appropriate behaviour and personal growth in this area. As a Inspection report for children's home: 2812248 3 result, the child is gradually building safer social skills and developing a better understanding of appropriate behaviours. This supports their increasing independence and confidence in social situations.

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

Staff have access to a dedicated therapeutic team who provide regular consultation, training and assessment. This promotes consistent and thoughtful care and helps staff to interpret behaviour as a form of communication. Physical restraint is only used as a last resort. The frequency of restraint has decreased in line with the staff’s increased ability to understand and meet the child’s emotional and behavioural needs in a safe, respectful and nurturing way.

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

The manager ensures that robust safer recruitment procedures are consistently followed. All staff are subject to thorough vetting and selection processes to determine their suitability to work with vulnerable children.

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

Allegations are taken seriously, and the child’s safety is prioritised. The manager responds promptly when concerns arise and takes appropriate steps to ensure the immediate safety and well-being of the child. However, on one occasion, there was a significant delay in the placing authority visiting and speaking with the child after they had made an allegation. The manager did not effectively challenge this delay. This meant that the allegation was not responded to in a timely manner by those with statutory responsibility, which had the potential to compromise the child’s safety.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home is led by an experienced and suitably qualified registered manager who provides strong, child-focused leadership. She demonstrates high aspirations for the child and sets clear expectations for staff practice. Her leadership fosters a culture of commitment, consistency and reflective practice among the staff team. As a result, staff are motivated and work cohesively to provide good-quality, nurturing care that prioritises the child’s individual needs, progress and well-being.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The staff team includes a diverse range of experience and skills that enhance the quality of care provided to the child. Staff access a comprehensive training programme that is tailored to the child’s developmental needs and associated risks. This includes training such as Lego therapy, which aligns with the child’s specific interests and supports engagement through play-based therapeutic approaches. Staff are invested in their own professional development. Courses such as train the trainer, and managing and leading a team support experienced staff to take on further responsibilities. This supports staff retention and enables staff to provide consistent, informed and child-centred care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff morale is high. Feedback from the team is unanimously positive, with staff expressing a strong sense of job satisfaction and commitment to their roles. They say they feel well supported, valued and listened to by the manager. Staff are also positive about the consistent guidance they receive from senior team members and the mutual support they offer one another. Inspection report for children's home: 2812248 4 There is a shared understanding among the staff of the importance of open communication, professional challenge and reflective practice, all of which are used effectively to improve outcomes for the child. The manager and staff also recognise the support provided by the directors. They are described as responsive and child focused. This ensures that the resources, time and attention required to meet the child’s individual needs are consistently prioritised. Inspection report for children's home: 2812248 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

In meeting the quality standards, the registered person must, and must ensure that staff—

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Requirement Due date

seek to involve each child’s placing authority effectively in the child’s care, in accordance with the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

seek to secure the input and services required to meet each child’s needs;

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Requirement Due date

if the registered person considers, or staff consider, a placing authority’s or a relevant person’s performance or response to be inadequate in relation to their role, challenge the placing authority or the relevant person to seek to ensure that each child’s needs are met. (Regulation 5 (a)(b)(c)) 27 June 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: 2812248 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Vantage Children’s Services Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 1st Floor, 67 Church Road, Hove BN3 2BD

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Inspector

Mandy Wake, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: 2812248 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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