Children's home run by The Children’s Trust

Inspection report for children’s home: SC062079 1 SC062079 Registered provider: The Children’s Trust

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Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This service provides residential care for children who have an acquired brain injury, multiple disabilities and complex health needs. The service is registered as a children’s home to provide care for up to 66 children across seven houses. The types of residential care provided include long-stay care as well as short-break services. The home also provides rehabilitation services for children who have recently been diagnosed with an acquired brain injury. There is a non-maintained school on site that is registered with the Department for Education, which some of the children attend. The home is also registered with the Care Quality Commission because it provides nursing care. There were 50 children staying in the home at the time of this inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

The home has been without a registered manager since February 2025.

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Information about this children’s home

Only the social care provision was inspected at 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 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: 15 October 2024

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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Enforcement action since last inspection:

Ofsted undertook a monitoring visit on 22 January 2025 following the incredibly sad death of a child and safeguarding incidents. Ofsted does not investigate incidents of this Inspection report for children’s home: SC062079 2 kind. The focus of the visit was on the support provided to staff and children, training and supervision, alongside actions taken following a child’s death and the safeguarding incidents. No serious or widespread failures were identified at this inspection. Inspection report for children’s home: SC062079 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

15/10/2024 Full Good 19/09/2023 Full Good 18/05/2022 Full Good 24/08/2021 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: SC062079 4

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children experience high-quality, consistent care and nurturing relationships with staff who know and understand them well. Staff are highly attuned to the individual needs of children. This provides children with safety and security, which supports them to develop and achieve. Staff interact warmly with the children, who were observed to be relaxed in the homes.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff have a wide-ranging knowledge of models of communication. Staff promote and respect the evolving capacities of children to take increasing responsibility for decision- making in their own lives. This ensures that children are equipped with whatever communication approach is needed to help them to express their wishes, likes and dislikes.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff have high aspirations for the children and help them to believe that they can achieve. For some children, these are small steps, but they represent substantial progress that enhances their life experiences, enjoyment and well-being. The implementation of goal setting, in collaboration with children and their families has helped them to be involved in decision making. This enables children to have their voice heard and ensure that their dreams and next steps on their journey are incorporated into their daily lives, helping them to succeed.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported by staff to take part in a range of fun activities, both inside and outside the homes. Themed activities are planned throughout the year, with flexibility for children to access them at their own level and pace. Staff use innovative and creative ways to match each child’s interests. There are many examples of children achieving and enjoying new things, such as going to music recording studios, using sensory rooms and gaming stations. Other opportunities to enrich children’s experiences include an art festival, cultural celebrations and family fun days. Children were observed enjoying playing tennis and then ate strawberries and cream.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The processes that are followed when children move into and out of the home are thorough and thoughtful. Multi-disciplinary planning ensures that the children’s well- being needs are assessed and met. Staff work closely with the child, their families and other professionals to create plans to ensure that children have the support they need in all aspects of their life. Early intervention, effective advocacy and strong partnership work ensures that the in-depth knowledge and assessment of children’s needs are at the forefront of decisions and placement choice. Children move to placements that meet their needs. Staff plan this well so that children have positive endings. They often stay in touch and children know that staff will always hold them in mind.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have access to a range of specialist support services on site and healthcare professionals. This ensures that, overall, their complex health needs are met effectively by well-trained staff in the home. These staff work alongside nurses who are also based Inspection report for children’s home: SC062079 5 at the home to meet children’s complex health needs. Children’s healthcare plans are child centred and specific to their individual needs.

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

There are good systems in place to promote a healthy safeguarding culture in the home. Incidents of concern are shared appropriately with relevant safeguarding agencies. All incidents are reviewed by the safeguarding leads in the setting to explore if there is any learning or changes to practice needed. Managers have good oversight and are alert to any patterns or recurring themes that need to be considered to ensure safe care.

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

Staff feel confident to raise concerns with managers, knowing that their concerns will be acted on. The provider has introduced an independent person appointed as a ‘freedom to speak up’ guardian. This enables staff to share any worries in confidence. Staff report that they find this extremely helpful. Managers have used staff feedback and concerns to identify improvements to the service and to examine their own practice in terms of how they communicate with and support staff.

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

Care staff carry out delegated healthcare tasks for children with complex health needs. There are good systems in place to ensure that staff competencies are continually assessed by a healthcare professional to ensure that they can carry out these tasks safely. There are good management systems in place to ensure that staff who undertake these tasks receive the training and support they need. This training is practical as well as theory based, and is assessed in relation to the specific needs of each child being supported.

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

The provider has implemented significant changes to clarify staff responsibilities in relation to providing safe levels of supervision and support to each child. Plans are now clear as to how, when, what and why each child is supported in accordance with their individual needs. Routine checks and audits by senior staff ensure that staff are implementing plans in practice.

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

The provider has embedded a comprehensive approach to investigating concerns and complaints. This approach focuses on the entire system, rather than individuals, to understand what went wrong and what needs to change. There is a focus on shared learning rather than blame. This has enabled staff to feel safe to self-report errors and has resulted in supportive measures, such as additional floating staff to allow for breaks, being introduced to reduce the risk of incidents.

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

Staff meet at the start and end of each shift to handover information. These meetings have been improved to ensure that there is a clear focus on allocating staff to each child in accordance with their needs. This is particularly important in this setting as many children have very complex health needs. This ensures that they have a suitably experienced, dedicated staff member taking responsibility for providing continuous care. Inspection report for children’s home: SC062079 6

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers have delivered a significant amount of change. This includes restructuring the staffing and management arrangements and adopting new systems to monitor care practice. Leaders have demonstrated a good insight, considerable knowledge and effective leadership. Some staff have been unsettled by recent changes. Managers have reflected on this to consider how they can better communicate with staff to help them adapt to change.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff feel well supported in their roles and new staff complete a thorough induction. Staff receive supervision, and regular team meetings are held that enable staff to reflect on their practice. Leaders have a strong, child-centred ethos. This is reflected in the way that staff provide care to the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers recruit new staff safely. Staff are thoroughly vetted and assessed before any appointment is confirmed. Health and safety systems are robust to ensure safety in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There have been significant improvements made to enhance practice to keep close oversight of care practice and promote a positive safeguarding culture. Leaders and managers are reflective, open to learning and listen to feedback from staff, children, parents and professionals.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Managers have improved responses to parents who voice concerns. One parent, who previously felt unheard, said that they feel that there has been an improvement in communication and staff listen and respond better to feedback’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Significant changes to leadership and management have caused staff to feel unsettled and sometimes unable to raise concerns. Staff feel there is ‘a light at the end of the tunnel’; however, some staff in some houses are still unsure of the changes ahead.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers are constantly seeking to improve the quality of care and are currently considering how best to implement trauma-informed approaches. This is innovative in this type of environment. However, parents have commented that while staff are supportive, they do not always identify when parents are struggling.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Managers make sound use of the reports completed by the independent visitor. They recognise that they do not provide the level of oversight and scrutiny they would like and are discussing this with the independent visitor. Currently, the reports still lack rigour and suitable levels of professional challenge. Inspection report for children’s home: SC062079 7

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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 registered person must ensure that an independent person visits the children’s home at least once each month.

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Requirement Due date

The independent person must produce a report about a visit ("the independent person’s report") which sets out, in particular, the independent person’s opinion as to whether—

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Requirement Due date

children are effectively safeguarded; and

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Requirement Due date

the conduct of the home promotes children’s well-being.

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Requirement Due date

The independent person’s report may recommend actions that the registered person may take in relation to the home and timescales within which the registered person must consider whether or not to take those actions. (Regulation 44 (4)(a)(b) (5))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that the independent visitor provides suitable scrutiny of the safety and welfare of children, as well as the quality of care provided to children, seeking the views of children, parents and external professionals, and that reports make recommendations of areas that require further development or improvement. 29 August 2025

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Recommendations

 The registered person should consistently develop staff skills and awareness to be able to support children and their parents in a trauma-informed approach to care. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 33, paragraph 7.3)

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Recommendations

 The registered person should consistently record the actions and outcomes when they have had consultations with parents about the improvement of the service. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 52, paragraph 10.3) Inspection report for children’s home: SC062079 8

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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: SC062079 9

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Children’s home details

Provision sub-type: Residential Special School

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: The Children’s Trust

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Inspectors

Jennie Christopher, Social Care Regulatory Inspector Hannah Cox, Social Care Compliance Inspector Lee Kirwin, Regulatory Inspection Manager Inspection report for children’s home: SC062079 10 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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