Children's Home run by Sunlight Children’s Care Limited in Derbyshire

Inspection report for children’s home: 2762777 1 Registered provider: Sunlight Children’s Care 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 home is privately owned and provides care for up to three children who may require support with social and emotional needs.

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Information about this children’s home

There has been no registered manager since 1 April 2025. A manager has applied to register with Ofsted.

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Information about this children’s home

One child was living at the home at the time of the inspection.

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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

Date of last inspection: 19 November 2024

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2762777 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

19/11/2024 Full Good 12/12/2023 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2762777 3

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improvement to be good

The home provides a warm and welcoming environment. Recent redecoration has enhanced the overall homeliness of the setting. When damage has occurred, prompt action has been taken to ensure that repairs are carried out without delay. The child currently living in the home has been actively involved in the redecoration process, which has enabled the child to personalise the space. This has contributed positively to their sense of ownership and belonging within the home.

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improvement to be good

There has been a successful transition for one child, underpinned by effective planning and support. Ongoing relationships with staff have been maintained, demonstrating the strength and continuity of these bonds. Staff are thoughtful in their approach to farewells, with leaving parties and meaningful goodbyes arranged, which reinforces the positive relationships children have formed.

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improvement to be good

Matching decisions are not always effective in protecting and promoting the welfare of all children. The admission of a new child into the home was not suitably matched with the needs of the existing child, which negatively impacted on their placement. The matching process completed by the manager did not sufficiently identify or evaluate potential areas of risk. This limited the manager’s ability to make a fully informed placement decision and to implement strategies to reduce those risks effectively.

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improvement to be good

Partnership working with families and professionals is not consistently effective. There have been instances of poor communication and inconsistent collaboration with both families and external professionals. Key documents, including risk assessments and weekly reports, were not routinely shared with the child’s social worker or parent. This lack of information-sharing contributed to misunderstandings and heightened concerns. As a result, the child experienced confusion and a lack of clarity, which adversely affected the stability and outcome of their placement.

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improvement to be good

During the inspection period, children have had varied experiences in the home. Positive feedback from a parent highlighted significant progress made by their child, with recognition of the support provided by staff in strengthening the parent–child relationship. However, contrasting feedback from a professional stakeholder raised concerns about the quality of care and experiences received for another child. This reflects an inconsistency in the quality of care provided and the outcomes achieved.

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improvement to be good

There has been one allegation during the inspection period. On this occasion, staff responded appropriately and in line with safeguarding procedures. Relevant professionals were informed promptly, and timely action was taken to safeguard the child and Inspection report for children’s home: 2762777 4 investigate the concern. This demonstrates the home’s ability to respond effectively to safeguarding issues.

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improvement to be good

Incidents of going missing have reduced for one child due to effective staff support. However, they have increased for another, with some incidents not managed or recorded in line with procedures. Despite some reflection by the manager, staff practice remains inconsistent and continues to raise safeguarding concerns.

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improvement to be good

Physical intervention reports do not clearly evidence the use of de-escalation strategies or justify the need for the use of physical intervention. Some interventions have been carried out by staff unfamiliar to the child and not trained in physical intervention. Management oversight has been delayed, and oversight of the report from the manager has not always been effective in addressing concerns.

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improvement to be good

A child left the home in the night without staff knowledge, posing a safeguarding risk. Although a lessons learned review was completed, concerns remain. Staff were lone sleeping, which is not included in the lone working risk assessment or the child’s behaviour support plan, indicating poor risk management.

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improvement to be good

Complaints from children or other stakeholders are treated with urgency and investigated thoroughly. Outcomes and clear responses are communicated promptly to the complainant. This reflects the manager’s commitment to transparency, accountability and continuous improvement.

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

Staff report high levels of job satisfaction and feel well supported by leaders and managers. Experienced staff, familiar with the children’s needs, demonstrate a strong commitment to providing compassionate care. Observations confirmed warm, nurturing and positive interactions between staff and the child, who expressed that they feel happy and comfortable with the team.

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

Staff working in the home have not consistently had the necessary knowledge and experience to meet children’s needs. Children have at times been supported by unfamiliar staff, resulting in inconsistent care. These issues are compounded by gaps in training and significant delays in the completion of required qualifications within expected timescales.

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

The manager has maintained a strong focus on ensuring that team meetings and supervision sessions with core staff are reflective and supportive. Additional resources and therapeutic approaches have been employed to enhance this practice. However, the involvement of multiple other staff working in the home has limited the effectiveness of these discussions, contributing to inconsistencies in practice.

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

Concerns regarding staff practice and record-keeping have not always been promptly identified by the manager. However, multiple issues have been investigated and Inspection report for children’s home: 2762777 5 addressed following concerns raised. Leaders and managers demonstrate awareness of areas requiring improvement and have begun implementing plans to drive necessary developments.

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

The manager and her deputy manager actively engage in community networking, enhancing knowledge and access to additional resources for both staff and children. Children have also participated in charity work, which has fostered a sense of pride and achievement. Inspection report for children’s home: 2762777 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

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)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring that measures are taken regarding the welfare of children and that steps are taken to keep them safe in line with risk assessments and behaviour management plans in place. 2 October 2025

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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;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child; 2 October 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: 2762777 7 ensure that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to 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 (2)(a)(b)(c)(d)(e)(f)(h))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to leaders and managers ensuring that there are sufficient staffing arrangements in place suitable to meet the needs of children. Leaders and managers must ensure that staff have suitable training and experience to meet children’s needs. Qualifications for staff must be completed within required time frames. This also relates to the manager ensuring there are robust systems in place for monitoring and identifying any concerns.

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Requirement Due date

within 24 hours of the use of a measure of control, discipline or restraint in relation to a child in the home, a record is made which includes—

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details of the child’s behaviour leading to the use of the measure;

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the date, time and location of the use of the measure;

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details of any methods used or steps taken to avoid the need to use the measure;

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within 48 hours of the use of the measure, the registered person, or a person who is authorised by the registered person to do so (“the authorised person”)—

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Requirement Due date

has spoken to the user about the measure; and

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Requirement Due date

has signed the record to confirm it is accurate. (Regulation 35 (3)(a)(ii)(iii)(v)(b)(i)(ii)) 2 October 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: 2762777 8 This specifically relates to physical intervention reports to highlight behaviour management strategies used, and support for children. Physical intervention reports must be evaluated within time frames, ensuring appropriate recording.

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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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understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children;

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use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential.

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

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understand and apply the home’s statement of purpose;

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understand and apply the home’s statement of purpose;

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protect and promote each child’s welfare;

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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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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. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(i)(ii)(iv)(ix))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the staff understanding and working in line with the ethos of the home’s statement of purpose. Arrangements of care and staffing in the home must be in place to meet children’s individual needs. 2 October 2025

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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. 2 October 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: 2762777 9 In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

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Requirement Due date

manage and review the placement of each child in the home; and

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Requirement Due date

plan for, and help, each child to prepare to leave the home or to move into adult care in a way that is consistent with arrangements agreed with the child’s placing authority;

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Requirement Due date

that each child’s relevant plans are followed;

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that, subject to regulation 22 (contact and access to communications), contact between each child and the child’s parents, relatives and friends is promoted in accordance with the child’s relevant plans;

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that the child’s placing authority is contacted, and a review of that child’s relevant plans is requested, if—

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the registered person considers that the child is at risk of harm or has concerns that the care provided for the child is inadequate to meet the child’s needs;

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the child is, or has been, persistently absent from the home without permission; and

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that staff help each child to access and contribute to the records kept by the registered person in relation to the child. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b)(ii)(iii)(c)(d)(e)(i)(ii)(f))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the matching of children moving into the home with children already living there. The registered person must ensure that the staff have access to reviews, care plans and assessments to ensure that they have sufficient information to formulate an up-to-date care plan and that staff have information required to support children.

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Requirement Due date

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; 2 October 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: 2762777 10 seek to secure the input and services required to meet each child’s needs;

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Requirement Due date

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; and

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Requirement Due date

seek to develop and maintain effective professional relationships with such persons, bodies or organisations as the registered person considers appropriate having regard to the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the children’s home is to provide care and accommodation. (Regulation 5 (a)(b)(c)(d))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to effective professional and family relationships for children on the part of the manager and staff. The manager must advocate for children where responses or support from professionals are inadequate.

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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: 2762777 11

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Sunlight Children’s Care Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Unit 8, Trinity Place, Midland Drive, Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands B72 1TX

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Inspector

Eleanor Quanbrough, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2762777 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

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