Children's Home run by Treehouse Educare Limited in West Sussex

Inspection report for children’s home: 1241023 1 FOR PUBLIC RELEASE

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Registered provider: Treehouse Educare 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 children’s home is operated by an organisation that also operates a registered school on the same site.

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Information about this children’s home

The children’s home provides care for up to eight children, across two different houses. One home provides care for up to four children who may experience social, emotional or mental health difficulties. One home provides care for up to four children who have learning disabilities.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, six children were living at the children’s home. The inspector only inspected the social care provision on this site.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in December 2021.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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requires improvement to be good

How well children and young people are helped and protected requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The children’s home is not yet delivering good help and care for children and young people. However, there are no serious or widespread failures that result in their welfare not being safeguarded or promoted.

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: Good

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 1241023 2 FOR PUBLIC RELEASE

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

18/03/2025 Full Good 21/02/2024 Full Good 14/12/2022 Full Good 15/02/2022 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 1241023 3 FOR PUBLIC RELEASE

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improvement to be good

The service was judged requires improvement primarily due to ineffective management oversight and intervention. Not all concerns are responded to in a timely manner, and this creates some vulnerabilities in the systems that are designed to ensure all reasonable efforts are made to investigate and act on concerns.

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improvement to be good

The living conditions for one child are unsuitable. Their bedroom was dirty, extremely cluttered and messy, with clothes, rubbish and items scattered across the floor. This created an unhygienic environment that is conducive to promoting children’s well-being.

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improvement to be good

There are inconsistencies in care afforded to children between the two houses. One child shared that for a period the home did not offer food options they preferred. The registered manager attributed this to changes in staff and has now addressed this by ensuring that senior staff members take responsibility for overseeing food shopping.

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improvement to be good

Children have opportunities to share their views. This is through regular young people’s house meetings, key worker sessions and surveys. Any issues or suggestions raised by the children are actively followed up, and outcomes are communicated back to them. However, one child expressed that the registered manager was not consistently available to engage with children when needed.

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improvement to be good

Children are actively supported to engage in education. One child that had not been in education prior to moving into the home is now attending school. Children that have recently moved to the home are receiving home tutoring and appropriate schools are being actively sought to meet their needs. This approach promotes educational stability and helps children transition into formal education settings.

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improvement to be good

Children are generally healthy. They are supported to attend and engage with health professionals and to live a healthy lifestyle. One child that had been misusing substances was no longer doing so since moving to the home. Children needing support with their mental health are appropriately referred to counselling and specialist mental health services.

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improvement to be good

Children are encouraged to take part in activities that they enjoy, such as going to theme parks, aqua parks, swimming, the cinema, coin collecting and a train club. These activities help them have fun, build confidence and feel more settled. For some children, taking part in these activities also helps promote positive behaviour by giving them positive things to focus on.

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improvement to be good

Some managers wear lanyards with ID badges while working in the home. This does not help create a homely atmosphere. Inspection report for children’s home: 1241023 4 FOR PUBLIC RELEASE

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improvement to be good

Leaders and managers do not consistently act promptly when there are safeguarding concerns. One child disclosed that they had overridden the online security measures in place. However, managers did not act promptly to address this or ensure that there was a safety plan in place to reduce the risk that this presented to children.

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improvement to be good

Staff and managers are not confident or consistent in setting and maintaining clear boundaries. This means that children do not always know what is expected of them and there are missed opportunities to de-escalate situations to avert children in moments of crisis.

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improvement to be good

Leaders and managers respond well to allegations. They involve the local authority designated officer (LADO), social workers and relevant professionals when required. The LADO and social workers have no concerns about the management of allegations.

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improvement to be good

When children go missing, staff take proactive steps to find them and keep them safe. Managers oversee each incident. After each event, there are discussions with staff and children to build trust and encourage accountability. Managers also work with specialist services, such as exploitation police officers, to provide education and support. Children respond well to this input, which helps them understand these risks and make safer choices.

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improvement to be good

Recruitment processes are effective, and managers take all reasonable steps to ensure that only suitable individuals can work in the home and provide care for children. When agency staff are used, managers ensure that the same staff are used to maintain consistency for children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The home is led by a registered manager and a house manager. This is because there are two houses. Senior leaders shared that the organisation is restructuring, therefore the plan is for the home to be led by one registered manager with support from two deputy managers.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Leaders and managers across the two houses are not working effectively as a team. Poor communication, relating task completion, has led to delays in meeting children’s needs and putting safeguards in place. Tensions between some team members have resulted in grievances being raised, with some staff refusing to work with others.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Practice concerns have not been consistently addressed by managers. Inspection report for children’s home: 1241023 5 FOR PUBLIC RELEASE

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Management oversight is not consistent and there are no clear monitoring systems to best support staff afford good quality care to children. Some tasks are not taking place as they should which led to some children’s bedrooms not being safe and clean. On occasion where there have been shortfalls in care practice, managers do not always follow up to make sure that concerns are addressed and that learning takes place.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Managers do not share safeguarding concerns with Ofsted in a timely manner. This undermines the regulator’s role in monitoring safeguarding incidents and concerns.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Most staff speak highly of senior leaders and managers. They receive regular supervision and shared feeling supported by managers. They said they felt truly appreciated and listened to by leaders. However, some staff reported that they feel that managers are inconsistent and do not always provide the support that they need.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Staff receive training in line with children’s needs. However, one staff member has not completed their level 3 Diploma for Residential Childcare within the required timescales. The manager said there was a plan in place to support the staff member complete the course.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Managers work well with professionals. Feedback from professionals is positive highlighting that communication with the home is effective and positive. Professionals attributed the progress that some children are making to support from staff. Inspection report for children’s home: 1241023 6 FOR PUBLIC RELEASE

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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, 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— that staff— 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; help each child to understand how to keep safe; have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm; take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare; and 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; 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; and

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered manager should ensure that children’s are rooms are clean, safe and free from hazards and children are supported to do so. Additionally, ensure that when safeguarding concerns arise, staff and managers take immediate action to prevent further harm. 31 October 2025

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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— promotes their welfare. 30 January 2026 Inspection report for children’s home: 1241023 7 FOR PUBLIC RELEASE

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to— 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; ensure that staff work as a team where appropriate; ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child; 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; use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home.

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Requirement Due date

Regulation 13 (1)(b) (2)(a)(b)( c)(f)(h)

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered manager should ensure that they provide consistent oversight within the home to ensure the children receive good quality care. Systems in place to support children should be reviewed to ensure they remain effective in meeting children’s needs. All staff to complete their level 3 within the required timescales. Additionally, leaders and managers to communicate and work well together.

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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

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

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure for children’s homes to be nurturing and supportive environments that they meet the needs of their children; they will in most cases be homely, domestic environments. In particular, ensure that staff do not wear lanyards within the home to maintain a homely environment. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9) Inspection report for children’s home: 1241023 8 FOR PUBLIC RELEASE

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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: 1241023 9 FOR PUBLIC RELEASE

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Treehouse Educare Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: New Barn School, Guildford Road, Broadbridge Heath, Horsham, West Sussex RH12 3PQ

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Inspector

Chido Mangava, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 1241023 10 FOR PUBLIC RELEASE

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Inspector

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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