Children's Home run by Excellence Consulting Services Limited in Essex

Inspection report for children's home: 2818768 1 Registered provider: Excellence Consulting Services 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

The home registered with Ofsted in January 2025 and is privately owned. It offers care for up to four children who experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of this inspection, no children were living in the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in January 2025.

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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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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: At the last inspection, in April 2025, two compliance notices were issued regarding the help and protection of children and the leadership and management of the home. A restriction of accommodation was served. Ofsted carried out a monitoring visit on 8 July 2025. Following the visit, the compliance notices were met, and the restriction of accommodation was lifted. Inspection report for children's home: 2818768 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

15/04/2025 Full Inadequate Inspection report for children's home: 2818768 3

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improvement to be good

At the last first full inspection, serious concerns were identified. These have since been addressed and assessed during two monitoring visits. However, this has meant that since April 2025, children have not lived at the home. Therefore, there is very little evidence to demonstrate children’s progress and experiences.

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improvement to be good

One child moved out after being issued immediate notice following the previous inspection. Immediate notice was given to the child, as the manager and staff identified they were unable to meet the child’s specific and escalating needs.

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improvement to be good

The child moved to another home. The child went missing from their new home and returned to see the manager and staff. The staff provided care and support to the child. Staff worked with the carers at the new home to ensure the child’s safe return.

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improvement to be good

The staff team is multi-cultural with a diverse mix of age and gender. This provides a good combination of staff to support children’s needs.

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improvement to be good

The manager has created a children’s guide. The information for a child moving to the home is available and written in a child-friendly language with accompanying images. This supports the child’s smooth transition to the home.

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improvement to be good

The home is maintained to a good standard. There is a large, enclosed garden, which has the addition of outdoor activities. However, throughout the home are fire notice signage and fire equipment, which detract from the homeliness and give a more institutionalised feel.

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improvement to be good

The manager and staff have a good understanding of the risks in the local area. The location risk assessment has up-to-date information gathered from multiple agencies. It considers the historical and current risks. It also highlights the available services and resources for children. This tool provides staff with the necessary knowledge to manage local risks for children.

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improvement to be good

The manager and staff carry out routine and regular fire drills and equipment checks, which ensure that fire safety in the home is maintained.

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improvement to be good

Safer recruitment procedures have not been followed. The exploration for gaps in staff employment has not been consistent or captured in records. This does ensure that staff are suitable to work with children or prevent unsuitable adults from working with children. Inspection report for children's home: 2818768 4 When the child moved on from the home, they called staff at the home on multiple occasions. This information was not shared with the appropriate professionals and services to safeguard the child.

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

The manager is now supported by a newly appointed deputy manager and a team leader. A new responsible individual has also been appointed. This ensures that there is a leadership team to provide stability and consistency to the staff and children.

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

The leaders and managers have been reflective of the previous care provided and identified the strengths and areas requiring development. Continuing plans are in place to ensure that the quality of care provided to children improves.

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

Managers and staff have thorough reflective supervision sessions, which aid personal and professional development.

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

Managers have facilitated workshops and sourced external training for all staff. Staff said that they are feeling equipped and confident to implement better care to children following the training and support that has been provided.

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

Team meetings are held frequently. Managers encourage reflective and collaborative discussions as well as sharing necessary information. This ensures open communication in the team and provides the opportunity for continued learning and development.

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

Staff enjoy working at the home. One staff member said that they feel that they have used the time without children at the home to bond and grow together as a team. Another staff member said that they have learned to communicate well with each other and now feel like a family. Inspection report for children's home: 2818768 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—

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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 help each child to understand how to keep safe;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand how to keep safe;

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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

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(vi)) 18 September 2025

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety.

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Requirement Due date

employ an individual to work at the children’s home; or

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Requirement Due date

if an individual is employed by a person other than the registered person to work at the home in a position in which the individual may have regular contact with children, allow that individual to work at the home, if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3).

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Requirement Due date

The requirements are that— 18 September 2025 Inspection report for children's home: 2818768 6 full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2. (Regulation 32 (1) (2)(a)(b) (3)(d)

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that gaps in employment are explored and a satisfactory explanation of any gaps is recorded.

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that the home is a nurturing and supportive environment that meets the needs of their children. Children’s homes must comply with relevant health and safety legislations (alarms, food hygiene etc.); however, in doing so, homes should seek as far as possible to maintain a domestic rather than ‘institutional’ impression. In particular, fire signs and equipment should not be a prominent feature of the home. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards,’ page 15, paragraph, 3.9)

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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: 2818768 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Excellence Consulting Services Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 71-75 Shelton Street, Covent Garden, London WC2H 9JQ

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Inspector

Sarah Cooper, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: 2818768 8 inspects 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.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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