Children's home run by Physis Care Service Ltd

Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2754135 1 Registered provider: Physis Care Service Ltd

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

A private company owns this children’s home. It is registered to provide care for up to two children who may have emotional and social difficulties. At the time of this visit, there was one child living in the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The home and manager registered with Ofsted in February 2024.

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This monitoring visit

The home was judged inadequate at a full inspection on 8 April 2025. Serious and widespread failures were found in relation to safeguarding practice and the leadership and management of the home. As a result, Ofsted issued two compliance notices, under regulation 12 (the protection of children standard) and regulation 13 (the leadership and management standard).

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This monitoring visit

A monitoring visit was carried out on 12 May 2025 to examine the progress made in meeting the compliance notices. The inspector found that the steps in the compliance notice had not been met. A notice of proposal was subsequently issued to cancel the registration of the home.

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This monitoring visit

This monitoring visit was carried out to consider the representations made by the provider in response to the notice of proposal to cancel the registration of the home. Some progress has been made to address the shortfalls identified at the previous visit and inspection. However, improvements are yet to be fully embedded.

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This monitoring visit

The provider has invested heavily in training to ensure staff are better equipped to meet the needs of children and keep them safe. This has included a range of online and face-to-face refresher training and training to upskill staff in areas such as therapeutic approaches, managing behaviours and restraint. Staff have started to implement this learning in their day-to-day practice and are more confident in Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2754135 2 instilling better routines and boundaries. External support has also been sourced to help understand staff training needs and provide a bespoke training package for staff.

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This monitoring visit

There had been some reflective practice following previous incidents, but this had not always fully considered how staff could have supported children more effectively. For example, when a child had gone missing, there was no clear analysis as to why it had taken so long for staff to go out and collect the child. Further training and support for managers is being put in place to make improvements in this area.

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This monitoring visit

There is a plan in place to support improvements to the leadership and management of the home. This provides clear expectations of the registered manager and responsible individual to deliver improvement. Support is also being provided by an external consultant, along with additional training courses specific to leadership and management skills. A deputy manager is being recruited to help support the registered manager in the running of the home.

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This monitoring visit

Monitoring processes have been reviewed but have yet to be embedded in practice. The responsible individual has introduced a new comprehensive audit. They are in the process of completing the first audit, which has started to identify actions for the registered manager to make improvements to the quality of care provided.

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This monitoring visit

The child living in the home has been supported to stay safe. When the child has free time, staff have established a safety plan to help minimise risks to their safety. Staff work with the child to ensure they understand what they need to do to stay safe. When the child has deviated from the plan, staff have taken action to establish their whereabouts and shown professional curiosity to identify if they have come to any harm.

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This monitoring visit

Staff are aware of the action they need to take if a child is missing from home. When this has occurred, staff have promptly followed up on information they received about where the child may be. Leaders have implemented new missing person protocols and risk assessments which provide staff with information and set out actions required to support them to respond to incidents. However, this does not provide all the necessary steps and details for staff to follow. While this has not impacted on the child, it could cause confusion and potential delay in securing the child’s safe return.

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This monitoring visit

Staff have supported the child to maintain their engagement in education. The child had recently returned to education following a long absence. Although attendance is sporadic, staff have met with the child’s school to discuss their progress and attendance so that they can best support them.

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This monitoring visit

Following this monitoring visit, a case review was held, and the decision was made to accept the provider’s representations in response to the notice of proposal to cancel the registration of the home. Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2754135 3 Requirements made at the last inspection have been restated and will be considered further at the next inspection.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

08/04/2025 Full Inadequate 21/08/2024 Full Good 14/05/2024 Full Inadequate Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2754135 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 protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the child’s relevant plans, and, if necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand how to keep safe;

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Requirement Due date

have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm;

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Requirement Due date

understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person;

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Requirement Due date

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare; and

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Requirement Due date

are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies; and

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Requirement Due date

that the home’s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(v)(vi)(vii)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person should ensure staff are clear about the risks to children who are missing and at risk of exploitation and the action they must take to safeguard them. 4 August 2025 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2754135 5 The registered person should take immediate action to reduce risks in relation to children and others coming to harm from fire, including risks arising from children smoking in the home.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person should ensure that appropriate action is taken when children raise allegations, apply professional curiosity in understanding what has happened and, where appropriate, seek external advice. Any learning from the investigations should be used to improve staff practice and reduce the risk of further harm to children.

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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

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)(h))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person should ensure they implement systems that provide them with clear oversight of children’s care, including risks to children, children’s plans and the progress children are making, and that they take action to improve children’s care.

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Requirement Due date

Staff should be supported to develop the skills needed to provide safe, good-quality care to children. Staff should 4 August 2025 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2754135 6 receive appropriate training that meets the children’s specific needs.

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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

understand and apply the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

understand and apply the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

protect and promote each child’s welfare;

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Requirement Due date

treat each child with dignity and respect;

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Requirement Due date

provide personalised care that meets each child’s needs, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans, taking account of the child’s background;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand and manage the impact of any experience of abuse or neglect;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to develop resilience and skills that prepare the child to return home, to live in a new placement or to live independently as an adult;

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Requirement Due date

provide to children living in the home the physical necessities they need in order to live there comfortably;

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Requirement Due date

provide to children personal items that are appropriate for their age and understanding; and

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Requirement Due date

make decisions about the day-to-day arrangements for each child, in accordance with the child’s relevant plans, which give the child an appropriate degree of freedom and choice; 4 August 2025 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2754135 7 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. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(viii)(ix)(c)(i)(ii))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person should provide children with the support and skills needed to help them to progress, which includes the development of clear routines, boundaries and opportunities to promote their well-being.

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Requirement Due date

The home environment should be developed to provide a homely feel that is not institutional. The home should provide age-appropriate items that reflect the children’s interests and help them to engage.

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Requirement Due date

The education standard is that children make measurable progress towards achieving their educational potential and are helped to do so.

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

help each child to achieve the child’s education and training targets, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

support each child’s learning and development, including helping the child to develop independent study skills and, where appropriate, helping the child to complete independent study;

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Requirement Due date

understand the barriers to learning that each child may face and take appropriate action to help the child to overcome any such barriers;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand the importance and value of education, learning, training and employment;

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Requirement Due date

promote opportunities for each child to learn informally;

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Requirement Due date

maintain regular contact with each child’s education and training provider, including engaging with the provider and 4 August 2025 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2754135 8 the placing authority to support the child’s education and training and to maximise the child’s achievement;

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Requirement Due date

raise any need for further assessment or specialist provision in relation to a child with the child’s education or training provider and the child’s placing authority;

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Requirement Due date

help a child who is excluded from school, or who is of compulsory school age but not attending school, to access educational and training support throughout the period of exclusion or non-attendance and to return to school as soon as possible;

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Requirement Due date

help each child who is above compulsory school age to participate in further education, training or employment and to prepare for future care, education or employment; and

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Requirement Due date

help each child to attend education or training in accordance with the expectations in the child’s relevant plans. (Regulation 8 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(viii)(ix)(x))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person should seek to understand the barriers to children making progress in education and take action needed to support them. This includes supporting children to re-engage in education and implementing positive routines to support this.

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Requirement Due date

The positive relationships standard is that children are helped to develop, and to benefit from, relationships based on—

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Requirement Due date

an understanding about acceptable behaviour; and

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Requirement Due date

positive responses to other children and adults.

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

meet each child’s behavioural and emotional needs, as set out in the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to develop socially aware behaviour; 4 August 2025 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2754135 9 encourage each child to take responsibility for the child’s behaviour, in accordance with the child’s age and understanding;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to develop and practise skills to resolve conflicts positively and without harm to anyone;

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Requirement Due date

strive to gain each child’s respect and trust;

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Requirement Due date

understand how children’s previous experiences and present emotions can be communicated through behaviour and have the competence and skills to interpret these and develop positive relationships with children;

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Requirement Due date

that each child is encouraged to build and maintain positive relationships with others. (Regulation 11 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(viii)(ix)(b))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person should seek to improve the relationships between staff and children. They should seek to reduce barriers that prevent children from speaking openly about their feelings so that staff can better support them. This includes equipping staff with the skills to better understand and respond to children.

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Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children—

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Requirement Due date

receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home; and

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Requirement Due date

have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person should ensure that an adequate assessment is undertaken before children move into and on from the home. This should determine whether the home can suitably meet children’s needs and ensure that any risks identified are adequately mitigated. In addition, this includes staff having the appropriate skills, training and competencies to meet children’s needs.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person should ensure any presenting risks of a child moving into the home are assessed in relation to other children already living in the home, to determine whether it is appropriate for them to live together. 4 August 2025 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2754135 10

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Information about this inspection

The purpose of this visit was to monitor the action taken and the progress made by the children’s home since its last Ofsted inspection.

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Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000. Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2754135 11

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Physis Care Service Ltd

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Inspector

Louise Naylor, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2754135 12 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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