Children's Home run by Oxfordshire County Council in Oxfordshire

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1244426 1 Registered provider: Oxfordshire County Council

p.1

Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

This children’s home is run by a local authority. It provides care for up to six children who experience social and emotional difficulties. The home provides short-term care for a period of assessment.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

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

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in October 2024.

p.1

This monitoring visit

This home was judged inadequate at the full inspection on 17 and 18 June 2025. Due to serious concerns about the leadership and management of the home, a compliance notice was issued in respect of regulation 13, the leadership and management standard. This visit took place to monitor progress after the inadequate inspection and to monitor what action the provider has taken since the compliance notice was issued.

p.1

This monitoring visit

Managers and staff have demonstrated a reflective and proactive approach, responding constructively to feedback from the full inspection. Several key developments have been initiated to enhance the quality of care and improve outcomes for children.

p.1

This monitoring visit

Managers and staff have developed new care plans, alongside revised behaviour management and risk assessment plans, particularly focusing on children going missing from care and criminal exploitation. Staff training on these new plans is pending. Once staff have completed the training, it is intended that the plans will be implemented, and this new way of working will be embedded into practice. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1244426 2 Managers are working to ensure that staff understand how to plan and deliver meaningful key-work sessions. These sessions will be outcome-focused, helping children recognise their progress and the value of their engagement.

p.1

This monitoring visit

Managers have established a working relationship with external agencies. These partnerships aim to provide children with enriching activities that prepare them to be education ready and encourage their personal development.

p.2

This monitoring visit

The home has developed a new referral process and has arranged for the registered manager to attend the referral meetings with the local authority. Following this, the registered manager will complete a matching risk assessment in line with the home’s statement of purpose. This process will reinforce the manager’s autonomy and ensure that admissions align staff skills with children’s needs.

p.2

This monitoring visit

The home’s statement of purpose has been revised to reflect the new arrangement to care for children long term rather than for short-term assessments. This needs to be submitted to Ofsted.

p.2

This monitoring visit

The team has made commendable progress in responding to inspection feedback. However, full implementation of the outlined initiatives is essential to evaluate their effectiveness and determine their impact on children’s outcomes. Continued staff development, monitoring and collaborative planning will be critical to sustaining improvements. Therefore, the requirements have been restated and will be reviewed at the next inspection. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1244426 3

p.2

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

17/06/2025 Full Inadequate 04/12/2024 Full Good 03/07/2023 Full Good 15/11/2022 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1244426 4

p.3

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 with the given timescales.

p.4

Requirement Due date

The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

p.4

Requirement Due date

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

p.4

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;

p.4

Requirement Due date

help each child to understand how to keep safe;

p.4

Requirement Due date

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

p.4

Requirement Due date

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

p.4

Requirement Due date

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

p.4

Requirement Due date

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

p.4

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;

p.4

Requirement Due date

that the effectiveness of the home’s child protection policies is monitored regularly. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(vi)(vii)(b)(e)) 30 September 2025

p.4

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— 30 September 2025 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1244426 5 helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

p.4

Requirement Due date

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

p.5

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;

p.5

Requirement Due date

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

p.5

Requirement Due date

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

p.5

Requirement Due date

ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child;

p.5

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;

p.5

Requirement Due date

feedback on the experiences of children, including complaints received; and

p.5

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)(d)(e)(f)(ii)(h))

p.5

Requirement Due date

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

p.5

Requirement Due date

an understanding about acceptable behaviour; and

p.5

Requirement Due date

positive responses to other children and adults.

p.5

Requirement Due date

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

p.5

Requirement Due date

that staff— 30 September 2025 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1244426 6 meet each child's behavioural and emotional needs, as set out in the child's relevant plans;

p.5

Requirement Due date

help each child to develop socially aware behaviour;

p.6

Requirement Due date

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

p.6

Requirement Due date

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

p.6

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;

p.6

Requirement Due date

help each child to understand, in a way that is appropriate according to the child's age and understanding, personal, sexual and social relationships, and how those relationships can be supportive or harmful;

p.6

Requirement Due date

help each child to develop the understanding and skills to recognise or withdraw from a damaging, exploitative or harmful relationship;

p.6

Requirement Due date

strive to gain each child's respect and trust;

p.6

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;

p.6

Requirement Due date

are provided with supervision and support to enable them to understand and manage their own feelings and responses to the behaviour and emotions of children, and to help children to do the same;

p.6

Requirement Due date

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

p.6

Requirement Due date

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

p.6

Requirement Due date

The health and well-being standard is that— 30 September 2025 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1244426 7 the health and well-being needs of children are met;

p.6

Requirement Due date

children receive advice, services and support in relation to their health and well-being; and

p.7

Requirement Due date

children are helped to lead healthy lifestyles.

p.7

Requirement Due date

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

p.7

Requirement Due date

achieve the health and well-being outcomes that are recorded in the child’s relevant plans;

p.7

Requirement Due date

understand the child’s health and well-being needs and the options that are available in relation to the child’s health and well-being, in a way that is appropriate to the child’s age and understanding;

p.7

Requirement Due date

understand and develop skills to promote the child’s well- being. (Regulation 10 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iv))

p.7

Requirement Due date

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

p.7

Requirement Due date

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

p.7

Requirement Due date

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

p.7

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;

p.7

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;

p.7

Requirement Due date

help each child to understand the importance and value of education, learning, training and employment; 30 September 2025 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1244426 8 promote opportunities for each child to learn informally;

p.7

Requirement Due date

maintain regular contact with each child’s education and training provider, including engaging with the provider and the placing authority to support the child’s education and training and to maximise the child’s achievement;

p.8

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;

p.8

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;

p.8

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)(x))

p.8

Requirement Due date

The quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who—

p.8

Requirement Due date

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

p.8

Requirement Due date

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

p.8

Requirement Due date

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

p.8

Requirement Due date

understand and apply the home’s statement of purpose;

p.8

Requirement Due date

understand and apply the home’s statement of purpose; protect and promote each child’s welfare;

p.8

Requirement Due date

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

p.8

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; 30 September 2025 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1244426 9 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)(v)(vi)(ix))

p.8

Requirement Due date

*These requirements are subject to a compliance notice.

p.9

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.

p.9

Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1244426 10

p.9

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Oxfordshire County Council

p.10

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: County Hall, New Road, Oxford OX1 1ND

p.10

Inspector

Shaheda Dhandia, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1244426 11 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.

p.10

Inspector

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.11

Inspector

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.11

Inspector

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

p.11