Children's Home run by Protea Care 2 Limited in Cambridgeshire

Inspection report for children’s home: 2766417 1 Registered provider: Protea Care 2 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 privately owned home provides care for up to six children aged between five and 18 who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

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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

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2766417 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

04/06/2024 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2766417 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Since the last inspection, four children have moved into the home, and three children have moved out. At the time of the inspection, six children were living at the home. The inspector met all the children. Four children contributed to this inspection.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s moves into the home are carefully planned. Staff review plans to consider the impact of children living together. Children living at the home are told when there are changes of who they will be living with. Children are provided with a welcome basket when they arrive. As a result, children feel comfortable and settle quickly.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

When children move out, staff hold parties for them. Staff provide children with gifts and memory books to celebrate the time children have spent living there.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children know each other well and enjoy spending time together. Staff help children to manage their relationships with each other in a healthy way. This helps develop children’s social skills.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff have high aspirations for children to achieve in their education. Staff understand the barriers to learning that children face and work with educational providers to overcome them. One child had not attended school before moving to the home. The staff provided good routines and practical support for the child. As a result, the child felt confident to take their GCSE exams, which is an excellent achievement. Children are helped to make considerable progress by staff who understand the importance of learning.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff organise a wide range of activities for children based on their interests. Children said staff create a great number of opportunities for them to take part in. Staff have created a vegetable patch in the garden that children enjoy tending to. Children are supported to attend local clubs and activities. Staff organise holidays for children and days out to theme parks. This helps children to build self-esteem and feel part of their community.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children benefit from regular access to a therapist employed by the company. The therapist contributes to children’s risk management plans and helps staff understand the home’s therapeutic approach to care. This approach is evident within children’s plans and the relationships staff have with children.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children speak highly of the staff. Staff make a point of celebrating children’s achievements with them, however small. Children have good-quality attachments with staff, indicative of the support and time given by staff in forming and maintaining positive relationships with children. Inspection report for children’s home: 2766417 4

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

Staff attend safeguarding training and are familiar with the home’s whistle-blowing policy. The staff’s understanding of safeguarding policies is regularly discussed in supervision. Careful and detailed management of allegations and whistle-blowing is demonstrated.

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

Staff know the children well. They understand children’s strengths and vulnerabilities. Risk assessments are detailed and reviewed regularly. Identified risks and strategies are clearly recorded. This helps staff to work consistently with children.

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

Staff empower children to share views about their care planning and input into meetings that shape their future. This helps children feel part of decisions made that help keep them safe. Children’s vulnerabilities have reduced as a result of living at this home.

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

Staff work closely with external health agencies to ensure that the children’s health needs are met. Staff have had specialist training to make sure they have the skills and knowledge to help one child manage their complex health condition. This consistent support and oversight means the child’s health condition is now stable.

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

Leaders and managers make sure reports detailing the use of physical intervention are written in detail and include clear rationale for the intervention. Children very rarely go missing from home. When they do, staff search for children to help them return safely. Staff talk to children about behaviour. However, staff do not always allow children to share their thoughts and feelings about incidents. This means learning is not always captured and used to inform future support for children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home is managed by a permanent, qualified and experienced registered manager. The responsible individual and other leaders in the home are actively engaged in children’s lives and experiences and know the children well.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is very proud of the children’s accomplishments. Leaders and managers hold high aspirations for the children. As a result, children are motivated to achieve.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff say that the management team is supportive and approachable. Staff receive regular, good-quality supervision sessions in line with the home’s therapeutic approach to help them to explore important topics and reflect on their everyday practice. This helps staff’s ongoing development and helps them feel valued.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff access a range of training to help them to understand children’s needs and how to support those needs. New staff benefit from a detailed induction. The team is well trained to meet children’s complex needs. Inspection report for children’s home: 2766417 5 Leaders and managers work closely with families and professionals, which has helped to build established relationships. Leaders and managers communicate effectively with other professionals. A professional said, ‘Communication is very good, managers will challenge the local authority and advocate for [child’s name] on their behalf. I really trust staff to make decisions in [child’s name] best interest.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager uses internal and external systems to monitor and record children’s behaviour, progress and overall experiences. Leaders and managers regularly review the strengths and weaknesses in the home to identify areas for continuous development for sustained high-quality care. As a result, progress that children have made from their starting points can be easily identified. This helps children receive individualised care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers have responded appropriately to incidents and allegations, although they have not always notified Ofsted in a timely manner. This limits Ofsted’s ability to monitor incidents. Inspection report for children’s home: 2766417 6

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Statutory requirement

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 notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if—

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Requirement Due date

there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there;

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Requirement Due date

there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40 (4)(c)(e)) 8 October 2025

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that staff help children to contribute to their records. In particular, staff should include the child’s voice within the record. (‘Guide to the Children’s Home Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 58, paragraph 11.19)

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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: 2766417 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Protea Care 2 Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 317 Horn Lane, London W3 0BU

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Inspector

Lexi Mitchell, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2766417 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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