Children's Home run by Jenevi Educare Limited in Wokingham

Inspection report for children’s home: 2821387 1 Registered provider: Jenevi Educare Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home registered with Ofsted in April 2025 and is privately owned. It provides care for up to three children.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of this inspection, one child was living at the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The post for a registered manager is currently vacant.

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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

Date of last inspection: not previously inspected

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: not applicable

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: not applicable Inspection report for children’s home: 2821387 2

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improvement to be good

Children are physically healthy, and staff support them in accessing primary health services, such as doctors, opticians and dentists. When children require specialist support, such as sessions with a clinical psychologist, the manager and the responsible individual strive to ensure that they receive it.

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improvement to be good

However, there was a recent incident whereby staff delayed seeking medical advice for a child and did not contact the manager immediately after learning about the child’s condition. After establishing communication with the health services, the staff adhered to their advice, ensuring that the child received appropriate medical attention. The manager addressed this incident appropriately with staff.

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improvement to be good

Staff offer age-appropriate activities in line with children’s interests. These activities support children’s independence and social skills. Staff consider children’s views regarding the day-to-day running of the home, such as when decorating and planning meals and activities.

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improvement to be good

Children are encouraged to engage in educational activities throughout the day. When children are not in education, the manager works with the children and their social workers, along with the virtual school, to identify the right education provision. For example, a child has been accepted at their preferred college, and the manager has arranged a multi-agency meeting to discuss how to best support the child’s attendance.

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improvement to be good

Children are making some progress, with improved social interactions and health, and they are sharing their feelings with some staff. Staff implement age-appropriate routines for children, which consider how sudden changes might affect them. A social worker provided positive feedback about the care that staff provide to a child and the manager’s understanding of the child’s needs.

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improvement to be good

The manager, the responsible individual and the deputy manager have a good insight into the children’s needs, and their approach is rooted in the therapeutic ethos detailed in the home’s statement of purpose. However, some staff members have a limited understanding of children’s emotional needs, and, as a result, their interactions with children do not always support a nurturing, empathetic and child-centred approach. There are inconsistencies between the care provided by these staff members and that offered by those who are more attuned to the children’s needs. This makes it more difficult for children to settle at the home and form secure, trusting relationships with staff. It also prevents children from overcoming past experiences and reaching their full potential. The manager and the responsible individual have a clear plan to address these shortfalls, which includes ensuring that a trusted staff member is always available at the

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improvement to be good

home, commissioning additional training for staff, and revising the recruitment process. Inspection report for children’s home: 2821387 3

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improvement to be good

Staff know how to protect children from neglect, abuse, bullying and exploitation. Children can identify at least one trusted staff member they can talk to about their worries and concerns. However, children do not feel emotionally safe with all staff, and managers are working to address this.

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improvement to be good

Staff promote positive relationships between children and their families. There was one incident when staff allowed unauthorised time between a child and their family. This was taken seriously by the management team and addressed appropriately to safeguard the child. Since then, staff have arranged safe family time, in line with the local authority’s care plan and in consultation with the children. Staff establish good collaboration with children’s parents.

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improvement to be good

Staff promptly and effectively respond to the risks associated with children going missing from the home. For example, staff search for children, support them once they return, and seek to understand the reasons behind their behaviours. There is good collaboration with the police, social workers and parents to reduce the risk of children going missing and help them manage their emotions in a safer way.

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improvement to be good

Staff have not used physical intervention. The home’s policy and ethos prioritise using physical intervention as a last resort to safeguard children and staff. Staff are trained in the home’s preferred de-escalation technique.

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improvement to be good

Children’s wishes and feelings are discussed when planning for their future or addressing risks and support needed. The risk assessments and behaviour support plans provide staff with clear guidance regarding the identified risks and the help children need from staff. Staff use these documents to inform their practice when addressing children’s behaviours. Children are supported in taking age-appropriate risks.

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improvement to be good

However, the risk assessments and behaviour support plans lack information about protective factors or strategies for fostering children’s resilience and helping them navigate crisis situations. Staff occasionally struggle to identify mitigating factors during crisis situations, and sometimes they assess the children’s behaviour based on their personal feelings about the incident. On one occasion, this resulted in unnecessarily involving the police to assist with behaviour management.

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

The manager has not yet submitted a completed application to Ofsted to become a registered manager. She has vast experience working with children, and her approach is child centred. The manager is supported by a committed responsible individual and a deputy manager, who are experienced practitioners. Inspection report for children’s home: 2821387 4 Both the manager and the responsible individual strongly support children’s needs and rights, such as advocating for them to be accepted and included in the local community.

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

This is a new home, and the first few months have been challenging. Staff say they feel supported by managers in meeting the children’s needs. Staff speak highly of the manager and see her as their role model.

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

Staff mandatory training is up to date. Supervision sessions are reflective, and staff feel able to be open and honest. Not all the team meeting minutes include the reflections and learning discussed during the meetings.

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

Children’s needs are carefully considered when moving into the home, and there is ongoing communication with the children’s social workers once they move in. Whenever possible, the manager obtains information about the children’s needs from other professionals involved with the child as part of the initial suitability assessment. Children are sensitively welcomed into the home. When transitions from the home cannot be planned, the manager ensures that children have a positive ending.

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

The manager, the responsible individual and the deputy manager can identify shortfalls and are aware of the weaknesses in the home. They have a clear plan to address these and use the monthly monitoring visits from the independent visitor as an additional tool for efficient scrutiny.

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

Some staff members do not have the relevant skills to support the children’s complex needs. On occasions, this has affected children’s emotional well-being. The manager promotes a culture that prioritises children’s safety and encourages whistle-blowing. Children feel they can confide in the manager about any concerns or worries they have about staff. Inspection report for children’s home: 2821387 5

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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 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—

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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

are provided with supervision and support to enable them to understand and manage their own feelings and responses to the behaviour and emotions of children, and to help children to do the same;

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Requirement Due date

de-escalate confrontations with or between children, or potentially violent behaviour by children. (Regulation 11 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(viii)(ix)(x)(xi)) 9 January 2026

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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

that staff— 9 January 2026 Inspection report for children’s home: 2821387 6 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 effectiveness of the home’s child protection policies is monitored regularly. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(iii)(v)(vi)(vii)(b)(c))

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that the behaviour management strategy is understood and applied by all staff, kept under review, and revised where appropriate. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 46, paragraph 9.34)

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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: 2821387 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Jenevi Educare Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 45 Chase Court Gardens, Enfield EN2 8DJ

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Jennifer Barker Hodges

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Inspector

Claudia Poienar, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2821387 8 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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