Children's home run by SSH Homes Ltd

Inspection report for children's home: 2830923 1 Registered provider: SSH Homes Ltd

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is operated by a private provider. They provide care for up to three children with social and emotional support needs. There were two children living in the home at the time of the inspection, who are siblings. Both children were seen and spoken to by the inspector.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in June 2025, which is when the home opened.

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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: not previously inspected

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: not applicable

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: not applicable Inspection report for children's home: 2830923 2

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s moves into the home are managed with sensitivity and are robust. The staff show commitment to providing stability for the children and helping them to develop a sense of belonging. Staff have built positive, trusting relationships with children. They take time to listen to them, showing a genuine interest in their lives. This helps children to feel safe, valued and understood, offering them emotional security.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The staff provide clear structure and positive routines for children that include being active. One child enjoys weekly karate classes and attends an allotment after-school club. Another child plays for a local football team and trains each week and attends a weekly youth group. Staff provide children with opportunities for positive experiences during their time living at the home. They have recently been on a holiday with staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support children to maintain their identity. They understand the importance of children maintaining relationships with their family. Family time is appropriate and carefully assessed and there are no unnecessary restrictions. Staff collaborate with parents and professionals to ensure this is meaningful and safe. The children also spend time with their friends and have both enjoyed sleepovers.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The staff value education. Staff support both children to attend a local mainstream school and they are doing well. The staff show an interest in the children’s experiences of school. They know what subjects children enjoy and the areas where they struggle. One child is making progress with their attendance. School staff said that the child is beginning to reach out to them for support, something that they would not do before.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home environment is welcoming. Children’s bedrooms are clean, tidy and personalised. One child was proud to show the plants they had brought to make their room more homely.

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

There is a positive safeguarding culture in the home. The home has effective links with local authorities and safeguarding agencies.

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

The care and support provided to children helps them to be safe. The home has robust systems in place including parental controls to enable effective monitoring of the children’s mobile phones. When staff have identified concerns, they have taken take prompt action to ensure that children are safe. However, staff do not have conversations with children about online safety and healthy relationships.

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

When a child left the home without permission, the response from staff was robust. Staff followed protocols and the child was located quickly. Staff updated all key professionals Inspection report for children's home: 2830923 3 and parents. Managers completed reflective conversations with staff and children. There have been no further incidents.

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

The home uses door alarms on children’s bedroom doors and locks on windows. The risk assessments in place lack a clear rationale for their use, and the manager has reflected on their use.

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

The staff are beginning to develop an understanding of the children’s past experiences and how this can impact on behaviour. Staff maintain firm boundaries that help give them a sense of safety. Children respond well to the boundaries in place and say they feel safe living at the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager and deputy manager demonstrate commitment to the children. They are ambitious for children and helping them to achieve positive outcomes. This is a new home and staff have varying levels of experience. The manager has a strong presence in the home. This provides support to staff as they develop in their roles.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff say they enjoy working at the home and feel supported by the management team. Supervisions are robust and focus on the well-being of staff, key updates for children and safeguarding. The staff also attend fortnightly team meetings. These provide staff with a reflective space and help to ensure consistency.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager ensures that the children receive individualised care and support. As the staff get to know the children, approaches and responses are adapted. The manager is a strong advocate for children and ensures that staff capture their views, wishes and feelings daily. These help to inform and further develop the care planning.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers have a good understanding of the home’s strengths and areas for development. However, the recording processes currently in place are not sufficiently robust. The electronic recording system does not enable significant incidents to be captured effectively. This limits managers’ ability to demonstrate thorough review and oversight.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff working in the home have a range of skills and experiences that contribute to meeting children’s needs. Safer recruitment processes are in place and followed. However, the manager has not obtained a satisfactory explanation for gaps in employment history for one member of staff. This weakens the overall strength of safer recruitment practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager and deputy have developed positive working relationships with external professionals and the children’s family. One parent said they are happy with the care provided by the home. They talk positively about the support from staff that ensures they remain an important part of their children’s lives. Inspection report for children's home: 2830923 4

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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 registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety.

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Requirement Due date

employ an individual to work at the children’s home; or

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Requirement Due date

if an individual is employed by a person other than the registered person to work at the home in a position in which the individual may have regular contact with children, allow that individual to work at the home,

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Requirement Due date

if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3).

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Requirement Due date

full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that full and satisfactory explanations for any gaps in employment are consistently obtained and recorded as part of the recruitment process. 14 October 2025

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that the home is a nurturing and supportive environment that meets children’s needs. In particular, the registered person should ensure that there is clear rationale for the use of door alarms on children’s bedroom doors and locks on windows throughout the home. Where no clear rationale exists, door alarms should be removed or turned off, and windows should be unlocked. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9) Inspection report for children's home: 2830923 5  The registered person should ensure that recording systems are strengthened. These should provide managers with the ability to have a clear overview of the risks that staff are managing and enable effective management review and oversight. In addition, the manager should ensure that the processes for recording incidents are clear for staff. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality

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Recommendations

standards’, page 55, paragraph 10.24)  The registered person should ensure that children are offered advice, support and guidance around online safety and healthy relationships, to help them to understand the risks and how to be safe. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 35, paragraph 7.18)

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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: 2830923 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 72 High Street, Halesowen B63 3BA

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Inspector

Carly Parry, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: 2830923 7 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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