Children's home run by Brighter-Futures-Cymru Limited

Inspection report children’s home: 2718354 1 Registered provider: Brighter-Futures-Cymru 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 owned home provides care for up to three children who may have emotional or social difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in June 2024. She holds a level 5 qualification in leadership and management.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of this inspection, two children were living at the home. The inspector saw and spoke with both children during the visit.

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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 children’s home: 2718354 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

23/04/2024 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: 2718354 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home provides a warm, welcoming and nurturing environment. Children’s contributions to the decor and atmosphere are evident, creating a homely feel that reflects their personalities and preferences. The home’s location further enhances the sense of calm and stability for children.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children make significant progress from their starting points. Those previously considered hard to place are now settled, demonstrating increased independence, aspiration and engagement in education. They have formed positive relationships with staff, and incidents have reduced.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff demonstrate a deep understanding of the children’s needs and have built trusting, positive relationships. Their practice is underpinned by a therapeutic model of care, which is consistently applied. This nurturing approach has significantly contributed to the children’s emotional well-being and overall development.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Despite initial barriers to education, children now attend regularly and enjoy learning. Staff show persistence and sensitivity in addressing individual needs, advocating effectively on behalf of the children. As a result, one child who had been out of education has re-engaged and requested to increase their hours. Children have sat exams and are preparing to start college.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children benefit from a wide range of enriching experiences. Staff ensure access to clubs, trips and activities that broaden horizons and support personal growth. Children are encouraged to explore interests, with staff adopting a flexible and supportive approach when preferences change.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff are proactive in ensuring children do not miss out on key life events. For example, a prom was held at the home, with friends invited. This helped children be able to celebrate as other children would at the end of term.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

When children experience emotional difficulties, staff respond swiftly and appropriately. Support is sought from the home’s therapy team and external professionals, demonstrating a strong multi-agency approach. This has led to children feeling more secure and expressing readiness to engage in therapeutic work to address past trauma.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff recognise the importance of family relationships and actively support children to rebuild these connections. One child now stays overnight at their family home and their sibling has overnight stays at the children’s home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Feedback from professionals and family members is overwhelmingly positive. Stakeholders consistently highlight staff’s dedication to going above and beyond, and the progress children have made, often exceeding expectations. Inspection report children’s home: 2718354 4

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

Staff demonstrate a strong commitment to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children. They understand individual children’s emotional needs and can recognise early indicators of distress. This enables timely and effective intervention, which prevents behaviours from escalating and supports children’s emotional regulation.

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

Children benefit from consistent and nurturing care, with clear boundaries and expectations. This consistency gives a sense of safety and predictability, allowing children to feel secure and supported. As a result, children are increasingly able to manage their emotions and seek help appropriately. Incidents within the home have reduced. Children do not go missing from home, and staff have not needed to use physical intervention to keep children safe for several months.

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

Following any incidents, staff and children engage in reflective discussions that promote emotional development and learning. These sessions help children to understand their feelings and develop strategies to manage their own emotions more appropriately.

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

When children raise concerns, leaders respond swiftly and appropriately. Safeguarding procedures are followed, with concerns reported to relevant agencies. Investigations are thorough, and children are kept informed of outcomes. When necessary, structured and sensitive mediation supports the rebuilding of relationships between children and staff.

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

Occasional conflicts between children are managed effectively by staff. Staff intervene promptly and appropriately and help children to develop conflict resolution skills and rebuild relationships.

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

Children experiencing mental health challenges receive sensitive, individualised support. Staff encourage open dialogue and respond with empathy. Where appropriate, referrals to external professionals are made without delay. Individual safety plans are in place, and children have access to resources that promote emotional well-being. Staff adopt a nurturing and non-judgemental approach that reinforces children’s sense of safety and belonging.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home is led by an experienced, child-focused manager who demonstrates consistently high expectations of herself and her staff team. When considering whether staff can meet children’s often complex needs in advance of them moving to the home, she ensures that the staff team possesses the necessary skills and resilience to support children effectively.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is a strong advocate for children. She is proactive in challenging external agencies to ensure that children receive the services they require, particularly in relation to education. Inspection report children’s home: 2718354 5 Children are central to the decision-making processes in the home. Their views are actively sought and incorporated into their care, including decisions about meals, activities and holidays. This inclusive approach ensures that children feel heard and valued, and that their preferences shape the environment and routines of the home. However, in relation to some requests from children, it is not always clear how these have been followed up.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff speak positively about the organisation and the leadership provided by the manager. They report feeling well supported, both formally and informally. Regular supervision is provided, and an open-door policy fosters a culture of openness and accessibility.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff retention is strong, and the team is stable. Staff feel valued and respected, which contributes to their commitment and investment in the care provided to children. This is evidenced by examples of staff going above and beyond, such as a key worker attending on their day off to support a child receiving exam results.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

A comprehensive induction programme is in place, incorporating both online and face-to- face learning, as well as shadow shifts. Staff receive annual appraisals following the completion of their probationary period. However, the manager has not yet received an appraisal.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The workforce development plan lacks clarity regarding the frequency of formal supervision and the scheduling of staff appraisals. This could lead to a lack of consistency and accountability in staff development.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has implemented monitoring systems to evaluate the quality of care and identify areas for improvement. While these systems are used effectively in many areas, some aspects require further development. For example, risk assessments need to be more accurate and consistently nurturing in tone and there is not clear guidance for staff as to how mood boards used by children are responded to appropriately. Additionally, the recording and evaluation of direct work with children, particularly during periods of unsettled behaviour, is not always consistent in quality. Inspection report children’s home: 2718354 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 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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Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

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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

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 (1)(a)(b) (2)(f)(h))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that risk assessments are accurate, wording in children’s documents is nurturing and there are clear audit trails of how requests from children are followed up. In addition, ensure that there are clear records of how staff support children who are going through periods of crisis. 17 October 2025

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees—

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Requirement Due date

have their performance and fitness to perform their roles appraised at least once every year. (Regulation 33 (4)(c)) 17 October 2025 Inspection report children’s home: 2718354 7

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Recommendation

 The registered person should have a workforce plan which can fulfil the workforce- related requirements of regulation 16, schedule 1 (paragraph 20). The plan should detail the timescales for supervision of practice and staff appraisals. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 53, paragraph 10.8)

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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 children’s home: 2718354 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Brighter-Futures-Cymru Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: The Malthouse Business Centre, Malthouse, Regent Street, Llangollen LL20 8HS

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Inspector

Debbie Bond, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children’s home: 2718354 9 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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