Children's Home run by CareTech Community Services Limited in Dudley

Inspection report for children’s home: SC483662 1 SC483662 Registered provider: CareTech Community Services Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This homes privately owned and forms part of a larger social care organisation. It provides care for up to six children with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has been registered with Ofsted since July 2020. She is suitability experienced and holds a leadership and management qualification.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of inspection, five children were living in the home and spent time with the inspector.

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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

Date of last inspection: 11 February 2025

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: outstanding

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC483662 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

11/02/2025 Full Outstanding 13/12/2023 Full Good 11/01/2023 Full Good 07/12/2021 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: SC483662 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children experience living in a stable home and are making good progress from their starting points.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff understand children’s different communication needs. Where children are non- verbal, staff use observations and can interpret the child’s body language and emotions to determine their needs. One child has started to use words to communicate; staff encourage the child and offer lots of praise. This good support enables children to express their choices and feel heard.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children have complex health needs and are registered with relevant health services. Staff work closely with health professionals and support children to attend their appointments. For example, staff ensured that one child’s epilepsy medication was reviewed following observations in a change in seizure length. As a result, the child is safer and now has access to rescue epilepsy medication.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff speak positively about the children and are proud of them. Children are given certificates and awards to celebrate their achievements. Interactions between staff and children are warm and relaxed, with shared laughter and play. These positive relationships contribute to an environment where children have fun and feel emotionally secure.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Education arrangements are in place for all children, and staff work effectively with education professionals. When there has been a barrier for one child travelling to and from school, the staff have worked with teachers to support the child. For example, staff now use visual supports to help the child to feel more prepared. This practice has reduced the child’s anxiety.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Families are welcomed into the home, and staff support and encourage children to spend time with people who are important to them. This practice helps them to maintain important relationships.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children access fun activities in the home. There are a wide range of toys and sensory items that support their engagement and development. However, limited access to the community does not fully support children to explore the world around them and benefit from wider social opportunities. Children occasionally enjoy activities in the community. They have enjoyed visiting the cinema and going bowling and to the safari park.

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

Staff respond well in the event of a medical emergency. They have a good understanding of children’s health needs and follow agreed protocols. When children need to stay in Inspection report for children’s home: SC483662 4 hospital, staff remain with them to offer support to the medical staff and help care for the children. This ensures children feel safe and loved.

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

When children hurt themselves, staff respond well. They use effective support strategies that de-escalate situations. For example, one child who hits their head is supported with distraction techniques, and staff ensure that safety head equipment is always available. This helps the child to calm quickly and helps keep them safe.

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

Medication is managed carefully in the home, and staff competency checks are regularly carried out by the managers. As a result, there have been no medication errors in the home, and staff are confident in administering medication in line with prescribers’ directions.

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

Many of the children have specialist equipment. The manager ensures that equipment is well maintained and serviced regularly. Staff receive training in areas such as gastrostomy feeding, manual handling and seizure management. This ensures that children’s complex health needs are understood and managed well.

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

There are effective safer recruitment processes in place. This reduces the risk of children being cared for by unsuitable people. Furthermore, there is a detailed induction for all staff working in the home.

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

Staff speak confidently about safeguarding responsibilities. However, on one occasion, staff did not follow the home’s safeguarding procedures, and there was a delay in reporting a concern that had the potential to place children at risk. Managers have investigated the concern with staff to prevent a reoccurrence.

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

Three children use restrictive sleep devices (safe beds). One child has had this reviewed recently by an occupational therapist. However, for two other children, their restrictive sleep devices have not been reviewed by the manager or professionals for some time. This impacts on the manager’s ability to know if the safe bed is still appropriate and the least restrictive option.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Managers speak confidently about the children and know them well. They are dedicated and passionate. Staff speak positively about the support they receive. One staff member said, ‘They are there for me and listen if I need any help.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Regular, effective supervision takes place with staff. This supports them to reflect on their practice and identify any areas for development. Additionally, monthly team meetings are informative and are used to have open discussions about the children and improve staff practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Managers use effective monitoring systems. This means that they have a good understanding of the home’s strengths and areas for development. Furthermore, Inspection report for children’s home: SC483662 5 managers use research to inform practice, which helps to improve the care children receive. For example, a new night protocol was implemented to ensure night staff understand their responsibilities and the possible risks posed to children with complex health needs when they are sleeping.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There is good multi-agency working with professionals and parents. They speak positively about the manager and staff. They recognise the progress children make. One child’s social worker said, ‘[Name of child] always seems really happy and content when I visit.’ Inspection report for children’s home: SC483662 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 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

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. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(v)(vi)(vii))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that staff understand their roles and responsibilities in relation to safeguarding, that they report concerns without delay and that the home’s child protection policies are followed. 30 October 2025

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Requirement Due date

Restraint in relation to a child is only permitted for the purpose of preventing—

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Requirement Due date

injury to any person (including the child);

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Requirement Due date

serious damage to the property of any person (including the child);

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Requirement Due date

or a child who is accommodated in a secure children’s home from absconding from the home.

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Requirement Due date

Restraint in relation to a child must be necessary and proportionate. 30 October 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: SC483662 7 (Regulation 20 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that mechanical restraints in place for children, such as safe beds, are reviewed regularly, that appropriate professionals are involved in the planning of their use and that these are deemed the least restrictive option.

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Requirement Due date

The enjoyment and achievement standard is that children take part in and benefit from a variety of activities that meet their needs and develop and reflect their creative, cultural, intellectual, physical and social interests and skills.

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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

develop the child’s interests and hobbies;

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Requirement Due date

participate in activities that the child enjoys and which meet and expand the child’s interests and preferences;

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Requirement Due date

that each child has access to a range of activities that enable the child to pursue the child’s interests and hobbies. (Regulation 9 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that children are able to access activities in the wider community and that any barriers are identified and addressed. 30 October 2025

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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: SC483662 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: CareTech Community Services Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 4th Floor, Parkview, 82 Oxford Road, Uxbridge UB8 1UX

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Inspector

Kirsty Truesdale, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC483662 9 regulates and 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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