Children's home run by Heartwood RSL Ltd

Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2528264 1 Registered provider: Heartwood RSL Ltd

p.1

Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

This privately owned home provides care for up to five children with social and emotional difficulties.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The home was registered with Ofsted in August 2019.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

Two children were living in the home at the time of this inspection.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

There is currently no manager in the home. The registered provider has appointed a new responsible individual, and Ofsted is currently assessing their suitability.

p.1

Inspection date: 28 August 2025

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

p.1

Information about this inspection

At this inspection, the inspector evaluated:

p.1

Information about this inspection

 the care of children  the safety of children  the effectiveness of leaders and managers. The inspector has looked closely at the experiences and progress of children, using the social care common inspection framework. This assurance 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’. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2528264 2

p.1

Findings from the inspection

This visit was conducted to address specific concerns received by Ofsted.

p.2

Findings from the inspection

We identified the following serious and widespread concerns in relation to the care or protection of children at this assurance inspection:

p.2

Findings from the inspection

 Significant shortfalls in safeguarding practices in the home.  Failure to ensure that the home is child friendly and that all children’s bedrooms are a safe environment for them.  Failure to ensure that leadership and management are effective in the home.

p.2

Findings from the inspection

Leaders, managers and staff are unable to suitably assess whether a child is in danger and make appropriate and effective arrangements to keep children safe. The condition of one child’s bedroom is a safeguarding concern. An external cleaner has been employed but this is not effective in helping the child to safely manage their living environment. Staff provide limited support as they are not routinely checking the conditions of the child’s bedroom or taking action when they have concerns.

p.2

Findings from the inspection

Staff do not understand children’s vulnerabilities. Children’s risk assessments and safety plans are not updated in relation to changing or emerging risks.

p.2

Findings from the inspection

When incidents occur, children are not always supported following the incident. If debriefs take place, they are ineffective in helping children to understand why professionals are worried about them. One child told staff that they had been physically harmed by another child in the home. However, this was not followed up to ensure the child’s safety, or to explore the relationship between the two children.

p.2

Findings from the inspection

When children go missing from the home, staff do not look for them. Staff call children on the phone, but they do not ask about their whereabouts. Police say that staff do not make suitable attempts to find out where children are. When children return, return home interviews are not requested and do not take place. Leaders and managers do not escalate this with the relevant authorities, meaning children miss important opportunities to speak with someone independent about their experiences and safety when away from the home.

p.2

Findings from the inspection

Leaders and managers do not ensure that the home is a child-friendly environment. There are delays in maintenance work being carried out. One child said that ‘The house is bland.’ Another child said, ‘The house needs a bit more decorating.’ Neither child knows who their key worker is. Children have mixed views about the staff team. They feel that one member of the leadership team makes limited effort to communicate with them.

p.2

Findings from the inspection

Staff are not proactive in supporting children with their learning or education. At the time of this inspection, both children planned to enrol at college. Staff delayed Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2528264 3 supporting this to the point where one child missed the enrolment deadline for a course that they wanted to take. Another child is at the age where they should be preparing for independence. The child is frustrated that staff are not supporting them to develop the necessary skills. The child has noticed that when the deputy manager is not in the home support from the rest of the staff team declines.

p.2

Findings from the inspection

Children’s wishes and feelings are not always properly explored. For example, one child wants to have meals that reflect their culture. Leaders and managers cannot evidence the menu planning in place that considers the child’s requests. The child has also asked for more hair care products, but there is no evidence to suggest that staff are taking action to ensure that they have the relevant products. The inconsistent management of the home is impacting on the quality of care that the children receive. There has been a significant turnover of staff and there are ongoing issues among the members of the staff team. During the inspection, a former staff member called a current staff member and there was a verbal altercation over the phone.

p.3

Findings from the inspection

Leaders and managers do not routinely consider the staffing in the home and the impact this has on the children. One child complained about a member of staff. This member of staff was not meant to return to the home; however, another manager authorised the staff member to work in the home. This unsettled the child and led to an incident taking place.

p.3

Findings from the inspection

Leaders and managers do not consistently alert social workers when there are changes to the way children are cared for. Leaders and managers have reduced the staffing at night, yet the child’s social worker is unaware of this. The social worker said that it is important they are aware of this so that the child has staff they are familiar with during the night. This has not been appropriately considered.

p.3

Findings from the inspection

Leaders and managers do not have effective monitoring and review systems in place. This means that they are unable to improve the quality of care provided to children in a timely way. The oversight of children’s records is poor. Children’s records are not up to date. For example, care plans do not reflect children’s current situation. When an incident involved both children, this was not reflected in both their records.

p.3

Findings from the inspection

Staff do not have suitable forums to support them with their practice. Not all staff have training that is deemed mandatory, or training related to the specific needs of the children. Not all staff receive an appropriate induction, supervision is infrequent, and some appraisals are not up to date. Team meetings are irregular. The workforce development plan was unavailable to view on inspection.

p.3

Findings from the inspection

The statement of purpose is not up to date with the new staffing arrangements in the home.

p.3

Findings from the inspection

Children’s records are not in a central place, and leaders and managers were not able to access all necessary information during the inspection. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2528264 4 As a result of this inspection, two compliance notices have been issued relating to regulation 12, the protection of children standard, and regulation 13, the leadership and management standard. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2528264 5

p.3

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

29/04/2025 Full Good 16/04/2024 Full Good 25/07/2023 Full Requires improvement to be good 20/06/2022 Full Good Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2528264 6

p.5

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.

p.6

Requirement Due date

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

p.6

Requirement Due date

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

p.6

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.6

Requirement Due date

help each child to understand how to keep safe;

p.6

Requirement Due date

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

p.6

Requirement Due date

understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person;

p.6

Requirement Due date

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

p.6

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.6

Requirement Due date

that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed, furnished and maintained so as to protect each child from avoidable hazards to the child’s health.

p.6

Requirement Due date

(Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(v)(vi)(b)(d))

p.6

Requirement Due date

In particular, leaders and managers must ensure that children’s risk assessments are thorough and include all 5 October 2025 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2528264 7 known risks for the child. Leaders and managers must ensure that risk assessments are regularly reviewed and updated in line with new or changing risks.

p.6

Requirement Due date

Staff must understand their role in protecting children from harm, especially in relation to keeping a child safe when they are missing from the home. Staff must understand the importance of gathering and analysing information following missing-from-home incidents.

p.7

Requirement Due date

Leaders and managers must ensure that staff have the skills and knowledge to understand the needs of children in the home and reduce risks to these children effectively.

p.7

Requirement Due date

Leaders and managers must ensure that any health and safety risks in children’s bedrooms are considered, and that action is taken to address the concerns. Leaders and managers must ensure that any maintenance work in the home is completed without delay.

p.7

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—

p.7

Requirement Due date

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

p.7

Requirement Due date

ensure that staff work as a team where appropriate;

p.7

Requirement Due date

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

p.7

Requirement Due date

demonstrate that practice in the home is informed and improved by taking into account and acting on—

p.7

Requirement Due date

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

p.7

Requirement Due date

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(b) (2)(b)(c)(g)(ii)(h))

p.7

Requirement Due date

In particular, leaders and managers must ensure that staff have the relevant skills and knowledge to provide safe and effective care to children. 5 October 2025 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2528264 8 Leaders and managers must ensure that there are effective monitoring and review systems in place, and that when shortfalls are identified, prompt action is taken to address them.

p.7

Requirement Due date

Leaders and managers must ensure that there is effective management oversight of children’s records and plans. This includes oversight and monitoring of significant incidents, ensuring that necessary follow-up actions are taken following these incidents and that learning taken from them is used to improve the quality of care provided.

p.8

Requirement Due date

Leaders and managers must ensure that there is oversight of the staff working in the home and reflect on how this contributes to children’s experiences in the home.

p.8

Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children—

p.8

Requirement Due date

receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home.

p.8

Requirement Due date

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

p.8

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;

p.8

Requirement Due date

that each child’s relevant plans are followed. (Regulation 14 (1)(a) (2)(b)(iii)(c))

p.8

Requirement Due date

In particular, leaders and managers must ensure that children are suitably supported to progress with their education and to develop their independence in line with their care plans. 5 October 2025

p.8

Requirement Due date

The registered person must maintain records (“case records”) for each child which—

p.8

Requirement Due date

include the information and documents listed in Schedule 3 in relation to each child;

p.8

Requirement Due date

are kept up to date. (Regulation 36 (1)(a)(b)) 5 October 2025 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2528264 9 In particular, leaders and managers must ensure that children’s records are accurate and up to date, reflecting the child’s current circumstances.

p.8

Requirement Due date

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

p.9

Requirement Due date

an understanding about acceptable behaviour.

p.9

Requirement Due date

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

p.9

Requirement Due date

meet each child’s behavioural and emotional needs, as set out in the child’s relevant plans;

p.9

Requirement Due date

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

p.9

Requirement Due date

strive to gain each child’s respect and trust. (Regulation 11 (1)(b) (2)(a)(i)(iv)(viii))

p.9

Requirement Due date

In particular, leaders and managers must ensure that they manage the dynamics between the children in the home. They must also strive to ensure that staff build positive relationships with the children. 5 October 2025

p.9

Requirement Due date

In meeting the quality standards, the registered person must, and must ensure that staff—

p.9

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;

p.9

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.

p.9

Requirement Due date

In particular, leaders and managers must ensure that when children go missing, they escalate to the local authority when return home interviews do not take place and work effectively with the police when children are missing from the 5 October 2025 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2528264 10 home. Leaders and managers must also ensure that they keep social workers up to date when there are changes to how a child is cared for.

p.9

Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that the following items, which may be kept in electronic form, are kept in an accessible manner—

p.10

Requirement Due date

children’s case records (see regulation 36). (Regulation 38 (1)(i))

p.10

Requirement Due date

In particular, leaders and managers must ensure that there is a central and organised place where all children’s records are kept. 4 November 2025

p.10

Requirement Due date

The children’s views, wishes and feelings standard is that children receive care from staff who—

p.10

Requirement Due date

develop positive relationships with them;

p.10

Requirement Due date

take their views, wishes and feelings into account in relation to matters affecting the children’s care and welfare and their lives.

p.10

Requirement Due date

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

p.10

Requirement Due date

ascertain and consider each child’s views, wishes and feelings, and balance these against what they judge to be in the child’s best interests when making decisions about the child’s care and welfare;

p.10

Requirement Due date

help each child to express views, wishes and feelings;

p.10

Requirement Due date

help each child to understand how the child’s views, wishes and feelings have been taken into account and give the child reasons for decisions in relation to the child. (Regulation 7 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii))

p.10

Requirement Due date

In particular, leaders and managers must ensure that children’s views, wishes and feelings are well considered and that appropriate action is taken to address this. 5 October 2025 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2528264 11 The registered provider must appoint a person to manage the children’s home if—

p.10

Requirement Due date

there is no registered manager in respect of the home (Regulation 27 (1)(a)) 2 December 2025

p.11

Requirement Due date

ensure that each employee completes an appropriate induction.

p.11

Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees—

p.11

Requirement Due date

receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience. (Regulation 33 (1)(a) (4)(b)) 4 November 2025

p.11

Requirement Due date

*These requirements are subject to a compliance notice.

p.11

Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that the home’s statement of purpose is kept under review and amended, especially when there are staffing changes. The reviewed statement of purpose should then be sent to the regulator within the appropriate timescales. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards,’ page 14, paragraph 3.5) Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2528264 12

p.11

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 416 Green Lane, Ilford, Essex IG3 9JX

p.12

Inspector

Chelsea Agyeman, Social Care Inspector Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2528264 13 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

p.12

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 .

p.13

Inspector

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.13

Inspector

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

p.13

Inspector

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

p.13