Children's home run by Vines Support Services Limited

Inspection report for children’s home: 2794301 1 Registered provider: Vines Support Services 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

This privately operated home provides care for up to two children who have emotional and social difficulties. The manager is registered with Ofsted. The manager was not present during this inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, one child was living at the home and spoke with the inspector.

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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: inadequate

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Enforcement action since last inspection:

This home was judged inadequate at the homes first full inspection on 14 and 15 April 20245. Following the inspection, four compliance notices were issued in relation to regulation 10, the health and wellbeing standard, regulation 12, the protection of children standard, regulation 13, the leadership and management standard and regulation 40.

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Enforcement action since last inspection:

A notice to cancel the registration was also issued. Inspection report for children’s home: 2794301 2 A monitoring visit took place on 27 May 2025. That visit identified that no progress had been made and the compliance notices had not been met.

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Enforcement action since last inspection:

The provider submitted written representations to Ofsted, which were accepted. Inspection report for children’s home: 2794301 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

14/04/2025 Full Inadequate Inspection report for children’s home: 2794301 4

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improvement to be good

The relationships between the staff and the child has improved. Staff are acknowledging the child’s hobbies. For example, the child has an interest in making music. During the inspection, staff were dancing impromptu and, as a result, the child’s confidence was visible.

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improvement to be good

Staff understand the importance of the child spending time with their family. Family members visit the home regularly and say that they are welcomed by staff. On the child’s birthday, staff decorated the home and wore the colours to represent the child’s favourite football team. Family came to the home and a parent came with their BBQ. This supports the child to continue to make positive memories with their family. This has a positive effect on the child.

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improvement to be good

Staff have not supported the child to take part in any local activities or groups. Activities completed out of the home are identified by the child, and this often relates to shopping. This has limited the child’s ability to form friendships.

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improvement to be good

The child no longer sleeps in their bedroom and does not have a good nighttime routine, including using the equipment which would support this routine. The child said that they are often tired. This poor routine is not conducive to supporting the child’s emotional or physical health.

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improvement to be good

From the child’s starting point there is some progress, and the child likes being cared for by staff at the home. The child says this is the ‘best’ home they have lived in. This is progress for the child.

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improvement to be good

Leaders and the manager have ensured that important equipment is available to keep children safe from self-injurious behaviour. Staff have access to this if needed. The manager recognises the potential risk to the child and has ensured that several items of equipment are available.

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improvement to be good

The child is well supported by external professionals who can offer more specialist support. The child receives ongoing support to help them to understand their needs. The specifics of the work completed with the child will be shared with the staff and inform the care planning. This can support the staff to adapt their practice and offer a consistent approach to the child. Inspection report for children’s home: 2794301 5 Staff do not have regular one-to-one discussions with the child to help them to share their thoughts and feelings. The quality of these conversations varies, and staff have not educated the child on how to manage identified risks. Staff do not record all one-to-one discussions that have taken place with the child and this prevents a joined-up approach in direct work being completed in the future.

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improvement to be good

Staff do not manage challenging behaviours consistently or effectively. Staff have not been consistent in some behaviour management approaches. This does not support the child to reflect on their actions and coping strategies. The child is not consistently spoken with following incidents so that their perspective can be understood and reflected on.

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improvement to be good

Staff do not follow the correct procedures when administering medication to the child. During the inspection, the child was given their medication. However, staff did not complete the record to confirm that medication had been given. Managers did not understand the consequences of this and reported that the record could be updated at a later time. This does not support the child’s health needs to be met.

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

Following on from the last inspection an action plan has been compiled which identifies shortfalls. Immediate action has been taken, and leaders and the manager are communicating with the placing authority and professionals to address issues identified. This engagement has significantly helped to reduce the overall risk.

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

Staff have not been offered consistent senior managerial support. The responsible individual does not have oversight of the child’s care. The current auditing process of the home is not completed by a manager. This is a missed opportunity to recognise trends and patterns in behaviours and adapt practices to improve the care being offered.

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

Staff report that they feel well supported by the manager. Staff receive regular supervision and attend team meetings.

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

Professionals and parents spoken to said that the manager communicates with them effectively and advocates well for the child.

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

Overall, although there are positives in the quality of care being provided to the child, shortfalls remain. The responsible individual recognises that improvements need to be made to progress the overall quality of care for children.

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What does the children’s home need to do to improve?

Inspection report for children’s home: 2794301 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 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

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

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand how to keep safe. (Regulation 12 (1)(i)(iii)) 17 October 2025

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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

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; 17 October 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: 2794301 7 demonstrate that practice in the home is informed and improved by taking into account and acting on research and developments in relation to the ways in which the needs of children are best met; and

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Requirement Due date

feedback on the experiences of children;

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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)(f)(g)(i)(h))

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Requirement Due date

The children’s views, wishes and feelings standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

take their views, wishes and feelings into account in relation to matters affecting the children’s care and welfare and their lives.

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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

help each child to express views, wishes and feelings;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand how the child’s views, wishes and feelings have been taken into account and give the child reasons for decisions in relation to the child. (Regulation 7 (1)(c) (2)(a)(iii)) 17 October 2025

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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

communicate to each child expectations about the child’s behaviour and ensure that the child understands those expectations in accordance with the child’s age and understanding. 17 October 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: 2794301 8 (Regulation 11 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(v))

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that staff are familiar with the home’s policies on record-keeping, and understand the importance of careful, objective, and clear recording. Staff should record information on individual children in a non-stigmatising way that distinguishes between fact, opinion and third-party information. Information about the child must always be recorded in a way that will be helpful to the child. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards,’ page 62, paragraph 14.4)  The registered person should ensure that medicines are administered in line with a medically approved protocol. Records must be kept of the administration of all medication, which includes occasions when prescribed medication is refused. regulation 23 requires the registered person to ensure that they make suitable arrangements to manage, administer and dispose of any medication. These are

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Recommendations

fundamentally the same arrangements as a good parent would make but are subject to additional safeguards. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 35, paragraph 7.15)  The registered person should encourage children to share any concerns about their care or other matters as soon as they arise. Children must be able to take up issues or make a complaint with support and without fear that this will result in any adverse consequences. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 22, paragraph 4.13)

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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: 2794301 9

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Vines Support Services Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: C/O Quantum Uk Business Solutions Ltd, Breakspear Park, Regus, Breakspear Way, Hemel Hempstead HP2 4TZ

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Inspector

Corline Parker, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2794301 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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