Children's Home run by Sunlight Children’s Care Limited in Derby

Inspection report for children’s home: 2591911 1 Registered provider: Sunlight Children’s Care Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is privately owned and provides care for up to two children who experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of this inspection, two children were living at the home. One child has moved out of the home during this inspection period.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager is registered with Ofsted and is suitably qualified.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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inadequate

How well children and young people are helped and protected inadequate

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inadequate

The effectiveness of leaders and managers inadequate

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inadequate

There are serious and/or widespread failures that mean children and young people are not protected or their welfare is not promoted or safeguarded and the care and experiences of children and young people are poor and they are not making progress.

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inadequate

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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inadequate

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2591911 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

24/06/2024 Full Good 17/05/2023 Full Requires improvement to be good 04/01/2023 Full Inadequate 11/01/2022 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2591911 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Overall, the home environment is well presented, providing a warm and comfortable space for children. Children’s bedrooms have been personalised to reflect their individual tastes, creating a relaxed and safe environment. One child has proudly displayed their family photos in the living room, which adds a personal and homely touch to the space. An overspill of household waste in the garden area raised a health and safety concern. This posed a potential risk to children’s safety. However, staff promptly addressed the issue during the inspection.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Children do not feel that staff actively seek their views or wishes. They report not being consulted about decisions that affect their daily lives. One child stated that when staff carry out the food shop, they purchase items for themselves rather than for the children, despite specific requests being made. There is a disconnect between staff and children at mealtimes, which contributes to an environment where children feel isolated. Feedback from one staff member indicates that children would benefit from an increased food budget, suggesting that current arrangements may not be meeting their needs. The lack of meaningful consultation and involvement in daily routines undermines children’s sense of belonging in the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Children do not have relevant and up-to-date plans in place to support their progress towards independence. Plans lack clarity and do not reflect children’s individual needs or circumstances. As a result, children are unsure of what steps they need to take to develop their independence. For example, one child stated she still only has an hour of unsupervised time away from the home and does not know what she needs to do to increase this. Another child reported being restricted to how much cash she can have in hand, despite staff being aware that she has unrestricted access to other funds provided electronically by her family. This lack of oversight and personalised planning reflects a failure to consider children’s current risks and promote their autonomy in a safe and structured way.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

The manager has advocated for children to access education to meet their individual needs, resulting in provisions being sourced for the new academic year. However, staff have failed to provide children with the necessary preparation and support during their transitions to their new educational settings. One child reported that on one occasion, staff overslept, resulting in the child not receiving support to get up and arriving late for school. This reflects a lack of structure and consistency in daily routines. Children report spending significant lengths of time in their bedrooms, which further highlights the absence of a purposeful and engaging daily routine.

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

Children’s plans and risk assessments do not consistently reflect their current needs and behaviours. This lack of accuracy and detail compromises the effectiveness of care Inspection report for children’s home: 2591911 4 planning and risk management. As a result, some staff members are not fully aware of significant information relating to children’s vulnerabilities and risks. During the inspection, one member of staff stated that a child had ‘no risks’, which highlights a concerning gap in understanding and communication. This undermines the home’s ability to safeguard children effectively and respond to their individual needs.

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

There are serious failures in safeguarding practice. A child went missing from the home, and staff failed to report the incident in line with missing-from-home procedures. The lack of communication and poor recording meant that management was unaware of the child’s absence. During this time, the child suffered significant harm, having received three tattoos at an illegal event. The child later disclosed this to staff, but no action was taken to report the matter to the police or seek medical attention. This demonstrates a concerning lack of professional curiosity and understanding of safeguarding thresholds.

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

While staff support children in maintaining relationships with their families, there are inconsistencies in how care plans and supervisory arrangements are understood and implemented. Staff have not always adhered to agreed supervision levels during family time, which compromises children’s safety and well-being. One child’s social worker reported that staff lacked confidence when facilitating family time and were unclear about expectations. This has led to children receiving inconsistent messages and support, which undermines the stability and effectiveness of their care plans.

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

Children know how to raise concerns and complaints when they are unhappy. The manager has responded to complaints, and some actions have been taken to address issues raised. However, documentation of complaints is inconsistent, which undermines the staff’s ability to learn from incidents and improve practice. One child raised a concern about a staff member’s driving ability. The manager acted swiftly and discovered that the staff member had been driving without the appropriate licence. While this was addressed promptly, it raises serious concerns about staff practice and the adequacy of recruitment and vetting procedures.

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

Physical intervention is used only when necessary to ensure children’s safety and well- being. One child, who no longer lives at the home, was supported through a particularly challenging period. Records indicate that the child received nurturing care and that incidents requiring physical intervention reduced before they moved out of the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The manager demonstrates genuine warmth and nurture towards the children and clearly cares about their well-being and experiences in the home. Feedback from the children reflects that they like and value her presence in the home. Throughout the inspection, the manager remained receptive to feedback and openly acknowledged both her own and the team’s shortfalls in practice, identifying them as urgent areas for development.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The manager does not have effective systems in place to ensure robust monitoring of documentation or sufficient oversight of incidents. Although there are some good Inspection report for children’s home: 2591911 5 examples of monitoring and follow-up, this is not consistent. As a result, opportunities to address concerns and improve practice are missed.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Notifications of serious incidents have not been consistently submitted to Ofsted, and some incidents have not been reported at all. This failure to comply with regulatory requirements has adversely affected both management oversight and professional scrutiny of these incidents.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Staffing arrangements are also affecting the stability of the home. Staff from this setting are regularly deployed to cover shifts in other homes, which disrupts continuity and affects children’s ability to form consistent, trusting relationships with familiar adults. As a result, children report feeling unsupported and unable to build positive connections with staff.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Staff supervision and team meetings are effective and provide opportunities for reflection on practice and discussion around staff development. Supervision records demonstrate that staff feel able to raise concerns, including issues related to staffing arrangements in the home. These concerns highlight the impact that current staffing practices are having on the ability to build and maintain positive relationships with children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Staff speak highly of the manager, valuing her support and commitment to both them and the care of children. They report a positive team culture, with a shared goal of creating a positive atmosphere in the home. Staff feel they receive good-quality training to support them in their roles. Inspection report for children’s home: 2591911 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

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;

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Requirement Due date

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

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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

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

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Requirement Due date

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

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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)(a)(e)(f)(g)(ii)(h))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring that consistent staff are available to meet the needs of all children living in the home and to ensure that safe and supportive care can be delivered. Monitoring systems for the manager should be in place to 23 October 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: 2591911 7 ensure that any shortfalls or learning can be addressed to improve care for children.

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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 child;

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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

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

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

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

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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;

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

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Requirement Due date

In particular, staff must ensure that all incidents are reported and appropriate action is taken to safeguard children immediately after an incident has occurred. Plans and risk assessments for children must be in line with their current needs and behaviours, and staff must have knowledge of them. The outside of the property should be maintained to ensure that it is free of any household waste. 23 October 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: 2591911 8 The children’s views, wishes and feelings standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

develop positive relationships with them;

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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.

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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

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;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to express views, wishes and feelings; 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;

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Requirement Due date

regularly consult children, and seek their feedback, about the quality of the home’s care. (Regulation 7 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v))

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Requirement Due date

This particularly relates to ensuring that staff develop positive relationships with children and engage with them to seek their wishes and feelings. The manager should ensure that children’s wishes and feelings are considered regarding all aspects of their care. 23 October 2025

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

an understanding about acceptable behaviour; and

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Requirement Due date

positive responses to other children and adults.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— 23 October 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: 2591911 9 that staff—

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

help each child to develop socially aware behaviour;

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

strive to gain each child’s respect and trust;

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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;

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

This particularly relates to ensuring that staff develop positive relationships with children and help them develop healthy daily routines, taking into consideration their behavioural and emotional needs.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if—

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Requirement Due date

a child is involved in or subject to, or is suspected of being involved in or subject to, sexual exploitation;

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Requirement Due date

there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious.

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Requirement Due date

A notification made under this regulation—

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Requirement Due date

the other persons, bodies or organisations (if any) who or which have been notified; and any actions taken by the registered person as a result of the matter;

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Requirement Due date

must be made or confirmed in writing. 23 October 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: 2591911 10 (Regulation 40 (4)(a)(d)(e) (5)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(b))

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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: 2591911 11

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Sunlight Children’s Care Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Unit 8, Trinity Place, Midland Drive, Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands B72 1TX

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Inspector

Kayleigh Spinks, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2591911 12 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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