Children's home run by Archways Care Limited in Wolverhampton

Inspection report for children’s home: SC061837 1 SC061837 Registered provider: Archways Care Ltd Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is owned by a private company. It provides care for up to four children who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in July 2025 and is suitably qualified.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, four children were living at the home. All the children spoke to the inspector during the inspection.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

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good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

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good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC061837 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

13/08/2024 Full Good 30/05/2023 Full Good 18/01/2023 Full Good 07/09/2021 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: SC061837 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff actively support children’s equality, diversity and inclusion. This creates a nurturing and inclusive living environment where children feel valued and respected. For example, staff are supporting one child to explore their preferred gender and supporting another child to attend church. As a result of this personalised care, children develop positive relationships with staff. These relationships help children to share their views, wishes and feelings about their home and their future.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home environment is comfortable, with spacious communal areas where children enjoy relaxing and spending time with each other and staff. Children’s bedrooms are designed to reflect their individual needs. For example, en-suite bathrooms have been built to meet the needs of two children. The home’s location is kept under review by the manager and responsible individual to ensure the ongoing safety of the children.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support children to visit their family members and friends. Staff advocate for changes to these arrangements when required, which ensures children’s safety is prioritised. This helps children to feel confident in sharing any concerns they have and to feel safe. Staff encourage children to take part in a variety of different activities, such as hiking, baking, bowling, visiting animal centres, creative arts and going on day trips with each other and with staff. These activities help to develop children’s independence and confidence.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported by staff to understand daily routines. Staff help children to learn how to keep their living environment clean and tidy and to develop their self-care skills. This encourages children’s independence skills and confidence.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support children to attend school. When children experience difficulties in school, the manager liaises effectively with education professionals to address these. However, when children experience barriers to accessing education, staff do not always provide children with bespoke support. Consequently, children do not consistently have individual education plans in place to meet their needs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Since the last inspection, four children have moved into the home and five children have moved out. Staff support children effectively when they are ready to move out of the home. One child returned to live with their parent, one child moved to a specialist residential setting and three children moved into independent accommodation. The manager recognises that consistent planning for children moving into the home is an area for ongoing development.

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

Staff are supported by a clinical team to understand children’s needs well. This helps them provide children with individualised care that carefully balances their diversity and protection. For example, children are supported to have access to mobile phones and Inspection report for children’s home: SC061837 4 electronic devices in line with their ages and identified needs. Children’s support plans are regularly reviewed and updated to provide effective guidance for staff to follow.

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

Allegations are meticulously investigated by the manager, with effective liaison with the local authority designated officer. This ensures children feel safe living in their home. Complaints are promptly explored with children by the responsible individual. For example, one child did not agree with the decisions about their time with friends in the community. Discussing this with the responsible individual led to the child’s views being shared with external professionals.

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

When children go missing from their home, staff are proactive in helping children to understand the risks by exploring their views, wishes and feelings. The manager recognises that arrangements for children to have independent return home interviews need to be addressed to ensure these are taking place. When children go missing from school, staff work together with the school to safely locate them. This helps children to feel safe and ensures all professionals understand their needs.

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

Physical intervention is only used to ensure children’s safety. When it is used, staff help children to understand the reasons why and support them to understand their feelings. There are effective management reviews and reflections with staff to explore what support children need. For example, two children have been assisted to access specialist services for personalised support.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager and staff team are united in their vision to provide children with a safe and nurturing home environment. The manager is dedicated to developing her skills and those of the staff team. The responsible individual provides effective support to the manager and staff. External professionals speak positively about the quality of care provided to children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers have developed an effective and safe recruitment process. This ensures children are being cared for by safe adults. Detailed inductions and training plans help to develop staff learning and practice. For example, all staff have either achieved the required qualifications or are enrolled and will complete these within the regulatory timescales.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff speak positively about the support they receive from leaders and managers. Reflective supervision and team meetings enhance staff practice. Consultations with the clinical team help to develop the emotional resilience and therapeutic practice of the manager and staff team. As a result, children are provided with a nurturing and inclusive living environment.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has effective monitoring and review systems in place. A tracking system ensures all supervision sessions for staff are planned and take place. This helps to identify additional support and training for staff. A system is in place for children to Inspection report for children’s home: SC061837 5 receive written reports each week. The manager is committed to children being supported to read their records and that and their views, wishes and feelings are taken seriously. This ensures that children are involved in their care planning. Inspection report for children’s home: SC061837 6

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that staff work closely with the placing authority so that children are supported and enabled to resume full-time education as soon as possible. In the interim, children should be supported to sustain or regain their confidence in education and be engaged in suitable structured activities. If no education place is identified by the placing authority, the registered person must challenge them to meet the child’s needs under regulation 5 (engaging with the wider system to ensure children’s needs are met). (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 28, paragraph 5.15).  The registered person should ensure that when a child returns to the home after being missing or away from the home without permission, the responsible local authority must provide an opportunity for the child to have an independent return home interview. Leaders and staff should take account of information provided by

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Recommendations

such interviews when assessing risks and putting arrangements in place to protect children. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 45, paragraph 9.30).

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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: SC061837 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Chamberlain House, Focus Foster Care, Stoneleigh Park, Kenilworth, Warwickshire CV8 2LG

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Inspector

Siân Heffey, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC061837 8 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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