Children's Home run by Solace Care Morden Ltd in Merton

Inspection report for children's home: 2708415 1 Registered provider: Solace Care Morden Ltd Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This children’s home registered with Ofsted in January 2023. It provides care for up to three children who experience social and emotional difficulties and have learning disabilities.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager left their post in June 2023. The current manager was appointed in April 2025 and has applied to register with Ofsted.

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Information about this children’s home

There were two children living in the home at the time of this inspection.

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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: requires improvement to be good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children's home: 2708415 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

23/04/2024 Full Requires improvement to be good 04/07/2023 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children's home: 2708415 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The overall quality of care planning and its impact on children’s progress and experiences are good. As a result, children make good progress from their individual starting points and feel settled and secure.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The manager ensures that from the point children are referred to live in the home, there is careful planning to support them. Children are actively involved in creating their plans, which are detailed and set clear outcomes for them to achieve with staff help. As a result, children understand their plans and make the expected progress.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff work hard to help children develop a range of skills to prepare them for the transition into adult life. This starts with small steps to support children to undertake daily tasks and develops as children master these. When children meet their targets, this is captured in their progress reports.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The manager and the responsible individual appropriately challenge professionals when children are not having their needs met. They are robust in their approach to seeking services to support children, which makes their commitment to the children clear.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children enjoy participating in decision-making in the home. They have weekly meetings to share their views and are involved in day-to-day decisions, such as choosing activities and meals. Children also have regular key-work sessions, where they can make their opinions clear. Children appreciate this involvement and say that this helps them to really feel part of the home. It also helps them to develop positive relationships with staff, who listen and act on their views.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff have supported children back into education with great success. Both children are currently sitting their GCSEs and are looking forward to starting college and apprenticeships in September.

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

The manager and staff have a good understanding of each child’s individual risk. The children’s risk assessments are comprehensive. There is a good practice system, which links information and the support sessions that staff and children complete to their risk assessments. This is regularly reviewed to measure progress.

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

Staff work well with other professionals to understand the contextual risk for children when they are in the community. Staff talk with children about risk and help them understand why staff may be concerned about any risks or vulnerabilities. This openness and honesty helps children to make positive choices that reduce these risks. Inspection report for children's home: 2708415 4 One child has significantly reduced their risk-taking behaviour over a sustained period of time, and staff are rightly proud of them for this achievement. Children now rarely go missing from the care of staff. They have developed positive, trusted relationships with the adults around them, and this has helped them to feel secure.

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

When serious incidents do occur, there is a swift response from the manager and staff. The staff use a multi-agency approach to managing risk as well as having clarity within the home about their own approach. This is achieved through having missing person plans, individual risk assessments and clear behaviour support plans that guide staff practice. The proactive approach from the new manager to gain support when children are at risk has successfully helped safeguard children.

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

Staff told the inspector that the previous manager created an environment that was blaming and not supportive for staff to work in. At points, this impacted on children’s care. A new manager has been appointed and has created a reflective, learning approach to the care of children. This is relatively recent but is noted by staff as a positive development.

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

The senior leadership team has a good understanding of the needs of the children. The responsible individual is particularly knowledgeable and offers reliable support and guidance to the newly appointed manager. The appointment of a new quality assurance manager and a better system for review have improved the accuracy and usefulness of documents and reports. Leaders’ recent clarity of oversight has contributed to improving practice.

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

Staff have access to a range of mandatory and specialist training. This helps staff to ensure that they have good unpinning knowledge for their practice and can meet the needs of children living in the home as they develop.

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

Staff have not always felt confident to challenge some behaviours. This has led to inconsistency in staff practice and approach, meaning that at times, staff are not working effectively to meet the aims and objectives of the home. This has been affected by the instability in leadership since the last inspection. The newly appointed manager is aware this is an area for development.

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

Staff have created a homely environment for children to live in. Staff could do more to help children to improve the personalisation of their rooms, for example by putting photos into frames. There are some areas of the home that require redecoration. Inspection report for children's home: 2708415 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 work as a team where appropriate; and

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(e))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, leaders should ensure that staff use a consistent approach to managing children’s behaviours in the home. 10 July 2025

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that the home environment meets children’s needs and children are supported to personalise their space. In addition, the registered person should ensure that maintenance tasks are completed in a timely manner. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9) Inspection report for children's home: 2708415 6

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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: 2708415 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Solace Care Morden Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Unit 2A, 420 Eastern Avenue, Ilford, Essex IG2 6NQ

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Inspector

Helen Daniel, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: 2708415 8 regulates 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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