Children's home run by Premier Care Management Limited

Inspection report for children's home: 2819308 1 Registered provider: Premier Care Management Limited

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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 run home provides care for up to four children who have experienced childhood trauma and have emotional and behavioural difficulties.

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Information about this children's home

This is the first inspection after the home was registered in May 2025.

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Information about this children's home

The manager has been in post since May 2025 and is registered with Ofsted.

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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 that 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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inadequate

How well children and young people are helped and protected inadequate

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inadequate

The effectiveness of leaders and managers inadequate

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inadequate

There are serious and widespread failures that mean children and young people are not protected or their welfare is not promoted or safeguarded and the care and experiences of children and young people are poor and they are not making progress.

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inadequate

Date of last inspection: not previously inspected

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inadequate

Overall judgement at last inspection: not applicable

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inadequate

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children's home: 2819308 2

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

One child was living in the home at the time of the inspection and the inspector spoke with the child about their experiences.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

The home was registered in May 2025. Leaders and managers moved two children into the home in quick succession, despite having an inexperienced staff team. Staff did not have sufficient time to build a meaningful relationship with the first child and to develop a good understanding of their needs, risks and vulnerabilities before the second child moved in. The registered manager was unable to properly determine whether the children were compatible and if staff were able to meet both of their needs. The staff were unable to safely care for both children together. This resulted in serious incidents that placed both children and staff at significant risk of harm.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Due to the staff’s inexperience and communication barriers and cultural differences impacting practice, staff have struggled to develop positive relationships with the children. Consequently, children have not received nurturing care that makes them feel prioritised, respected and valued. This has significantly hindered their experiences and ability to make progress.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Leaders, managers and staff allowed the children’s relationship to become unhealthy. Sometimes, the children got on well and participated in activities together and on other occasions, they were aggressive towards each other. One child’s behaviour started to negatively influence and impact the other child’s behaviour, and staff did not have sufficient skill to prevent this from occurring. Staff failed to help children to process their emotions when they were over-stimulated, frustrated or distressed. On occasions, staff lost control of the home, and the environment was unsafe.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

When children express their views, wishes and feelings, they do not always feel listened to by staff. For example, a child voiced that they wanted to raise a formal complaint about their free time in the community. However, a member of staff obstructed them from doing this. Additionally, children voiced that they experienced communication barriers with staff who could not understand what they were saying. They found it incredibly difficult to bond with these staff members. This was not identified or addressed by leaders and managers.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Staff made some effort to meet children’s basic needs, such as helping them to participate in education and attend medical appointments. However, they lacked sufficient experience and skill in facilitating family time. For one child, this resulted in the police being called to manage their behaviour while spending time with their family. Staff were unable to attune to the child’s needs and help them to settle. Inspection report for children's home: 2819308 3

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

Children have made disclosures about staff physically assaulting them and when they have spoken with different professionals regarding this matter, their version of events have been consistent. The registered manager believes that some of these assaults likely occurred. However, he has allowed his professional autonomy to be curtailed by the decision-making of external agencies. He has failed to challenge outcomes and, in doing this, he has overlooked the children’s safety and best interests.

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

The registered manager and staff team have received training that aligns with the home’s statement of purpose. However, they are confused about the home’s trauma- informed model of care. They do not understand how to apply this in practice along with other training that they have also received, such as physical restraint training. This has adversely impacted staff’s decision-making and actions in critical moments where children needed parental authority and skilled interventions. Staff did not help children to feel emotionally contained and secure, and incidents escalated.

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

The managers and staff’s failure to implement boundaries, consistency and embed established routines has resulted in significant and protracted incidents. Staff are unable to safely respond to incidents where children show verbal and physical aggression. On occasion, staff have retreated to the office, leaving only one member of staff to respond to incidents where children are distressed and displaying aggressive behaviours. One staff member sustained a serious injury that required hospital treatment. Staff sought help from managers during this incident. However, the injured staff member remained in the home until his colleagues arrived the following morning, leaving both the children and staff member vulnerable.

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

Staff had a weak understanding of one child’s needs. After several significant incidents, the registered manager decided to serve notice on their placement and they quickly moved out. Staff are developing an understanding of the other child’s needs. However, they lack confidence in helping them to develop socially acceptable behaviours. They have a poor understanding of how the child’s lived experiences impact their cognitive functioning and presentation.

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

Safer recruitment is being completed. However, information contained in employee records is not always clear or legible.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The registered manager has no prior experience working in children’s homes, having previously worked in supported accommodation services for older children. He is struggling to fulfil his role as the registered manager because he spends most of his time working directly with the children as his team is inexperienced and lack confidence and skill. Actions to address these concerns have not been impactful. Inspection report for children's home: 2819308 4 The day-to-day care of children has not prioritised their needs or safety. Most staff are inexperienced in working in children’s homes. In addition, due to staff sickness and resignations, leaders and managers have arranged for staff from the company’s supported accommodation services to work in the home. These staff also do not have the necessary training or experience to work in a children’s home. One staff member had been employed by the company’s supported accommodation services for two days when

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

she was asked to lone work in the children’s home. As a result, children have received poor care from staff who do not have the knowledge or skills to meet their needs or to intervene to keep them safe.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The registered manager has not had the opportunity to demonstrate sufficient leadership and oversight of the home. He has not used monitoring and review systems to help him develop a clear understanding of children’s experiences and how these are impacted by the care they receive. The registered manager has not received sufficient oversight from the responsible individual, who rarely visited the home and was only available to provide virtual support and guidance.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

A new responsible individual was appointed three weeks ago, and he has started to visit the home. He recognises that the registered manager and staff team require considerable support and development to fulfil their roles and keep children safe. Inspection report for children's home: 2819308 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 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— that staff—

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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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manage relationships between children to prevent them from harming each other;

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

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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)(iii)(iv)(v) (b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered persons must:  take immediate action to ensure that managers have the knowledge and skills to recognise emerging concerns and take action to safeguard children and promote their well- being.  take immediate action to ensure that staff have the knowledge and skills necessary to safely implement the home’s behaviour management policies and plans, and to ensure that the actions taken are impactful.  take immediate action to ensure that staff have the knowledge and skills to recognise when relationships 29 August 2025 Inspection report for children's home: 2819308 6 between children are harmful and take appropriate action to help children to navigate this, while reducing risk in the home.  ensure that children’s safety is promoted, and where agencies are not acting to safeguard children, this is challenged appropriately.

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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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helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

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

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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;

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ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child;

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ensure that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child;

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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. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(c)(d)(f))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered persons must:  take urgent action to review the home’s model of care and behaviour management policies to ensure that the care provided to children meets the regulations and provides a coherent approach.  review their admissions and care planning procedures to ensure that these are effective and that children are only admitted to the home if their needs are within the range of needs set out in the home’s statement of purpose. 29 August 2025 Inspection report for children's home: 2819308 7  ensure that the registered manager has the capacity and skill to fulfil their role, while supporting the staff team to develop.  ensure that staff have the knowledge, skill and experience to perform their roles and provide a good standard of care and support to children living in the home. In addition, ensure that the training provided is effective and provides staff with the necessary skills to

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Requirement Due date

use the training effectively in practice.  ensure that children’s needs are prioritised and, at all times, children are cared for by staff who have the necessary experience, training and skills to meet their needs and keep them safe.  take immediate action to understand and address cultural differences and communication barriers to ensure that children’s needs are met.  ensure that children feel heard and understood by the staff supporting them.  ensure that monitoring and review systems are effective at improving the quality and impact of care delivered to children and that any identified shortfalls are addressed.

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

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an understanding about acceptable behaviour; and

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positive responses to other children and adults.

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

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

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help each child to develop socially aware behaviour;

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encourage each child to take responsibility for the child's behaviour, in accordance with the child's age and understanding;

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help each child to develop and practise skills to resolve conflicts positively and without harm to anyone; 29 August 2025 Inspection report for children's home: 2819308 8 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;

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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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de-escalate confrontations with or between children, or potentially violent behaviour by children;

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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)(v)(viii)(ix)(xi)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered persons must:  ensure that managers and staff have the knowledge and skills to understand how children communicate their experiences and emotions through behaviour.  ensure that staff and managers identify and interpret children’s behaviours to develop positive relationships with them and support them to make progress.  take immediate action to ensure that staff have the skill and confidence to assert consistent boundaries and build healthy relationships with the children that are based on respect and trust.  ensure that children’s behavioural and emotional needs are planned for and are consistently met.

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

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develop positive relationships with them;

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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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In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to— 29 August 2025 Inspection report for children's home: 2819308 9 ensure that staff—

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ascertain and consider each child's views, wishes and feelings, and balance these against what they judge to be in the child's best interests when making decisions about the child's care and welfare;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to express views, wishes and feelings;

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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;

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Requirement Due date

is enabled to provide feedback to, and raise issues with, a relevant person about the support and services that the child receives. (Regulation 7 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(b)(i))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered manager should ensure that he uses his knowledge about children's risks and vulnerabilities to make informed and safe decisions, while acknowledging the child's views and wishes. In addition, ensure that children are supported to make complaints and these are taken seriously and responded to appropriately.

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Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children—

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

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have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home.

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

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that children are admitted to the home only if their needs are within the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the home is to provide care and accommodation, as set out in the home's statement of purpose. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered persons should ensure that the home's statement of purpose accurately reflects the range of children's needs that the staff team is proficient and skilled in supporting. 29 August 2025 Inspection report for children's home: 2819308 10 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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seek to secure the input and services required to meet each child's needs;

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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 in accordance with the child's relevant plans. (Regulation 5 (a)(b)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person should challenge other professionals if he does not agree with the decisions and outcomes made by external agencies in response to safeguarding concerns. 29 August 2025

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Requirement Due date

*This requirement is subject to a compliance notice

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that employee records are clear and legible. ('Guide to Children's Homes Regulations, including the quality standards', page 61, paragraph 14.2)

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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: 2819308 11

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Children's home details

Registered provider: Premier Care Management Limited

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Children's home details

Registered provider address: 1 Grantham Lane, Kingswood, Bristol BS15 1EU

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Inspector:

Tara Webb, Social Care Regulatory Inspector Inspection report for children's home: 2819308 12 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:

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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