Children's home run by Silver Birch Care (Residential Services) Limited

Inspection report for children's home: 2743668 1 Registered provider: Silver Birch Care (Residential Services) 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 children’s home provides care for up to five children with social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children's home

The children’s home was registered with Ofsted in January 2024. The registered manager has been in post since the home’s registration.

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Information about this children's home

There were five children living at the home at the time of this inspection. The inspectors spoke to all of the children.

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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 outstanding

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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: 2743668 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

25/06/2024 Full Good Inspection report for children's home: 2743668 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children make good progress in all areas of their lives. The home has a friendly and welcoming atmosphere. Its key strength lies in the positive and trusting relationships that develop between the children and the staff. Staff provide nurturing and compassionate care, underpinned by a therapeutic approach that embraces playfulness, acceptance, curiosity and empathy. One child said of staff, ‘They helped me go to school, together we plan activities and we go out; they really do give 100% and try their best.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s records and risk assessments are comprehensive. Children receive highly individualised care, as reflected in the home’s care plans, and they are helped to make progress. They are encouraged to contribute to their plans, with one child saying that this helps staff to ‘get to know me’.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff are attuned to each child’s moods and behaviours, and adjust their approach with sensitivity and empathy. This enables children to develop strong relationships with staff, resulting in a sense of stability and trust. Staff support children in managing their emotions effectively, leading to a reduction in behavioural incidents.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children lead fun and busy lives. They participate in activities, such as playing board games, gaming, cooking, baking, visiting attractions and theme parks and going on holiday. Children’s interests and hobbies are encouraged. This has resulted in two children being supported to develop their own small businesses in baking and design, with staff helping with business plans and financial management. Staff celebrate children’s achievements consistently, including small steps in progress, using ‘proud clouds’ and certificates, as well as capturing celebrations and activities by displaying photos in the home. This helps to reinforce children’s self-esteem and sense of belonging.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are encouraged to share their views during regular house meetings and to plan their weekly activities and meal choices alongside staff. Observations and discussions with children indicate that they feel able to express their opinions freely. Staff listen respectfully to their views and negotiate effectively to meet their requests. This is not just restricted to the home, but also across the provider organisation as a whole, with one child attending monthly child panel meetings to share children’s views with senior management. This initiative helps children to invest in and care for their home, providing opportunities to develop new skills, as well as increasing their confidence and self- esteem.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff work hard to ensure that all children attend education. For those children not in formal education, alternative arrangements, such as home tuition, are in place. Staff foster a positive learning environment and proactively identify educational activities that align with children’s education plans. Staff sensitively support children if they feel anxious about going into school, and they work closely with education professionals to Inspection report for children's home: 2743668 4 improve children’s experiences. An education professional, commenting on the huge improvement in school attendance for a child, said, ‘I believe one of the biggest strengths of the home is that they can re-engage young people who were previously disengaged with professionals, and rebuild that trust.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is modern, well decorated and furnished to a high standard. It maintains a homely atmosphere with large communal spaces inside and out, and bedrooms that are personalised by the children.

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

Children say that they feel safe at the home. Staff are aware of the children’s vulnerabilities and know how to keep them safe. Individualised safety plans and risk assessments are robust and regularly reviewed.

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

Incidents are managed effectively, with appropriate and timely action. Staff are attuned to each child’s behaviours and intervene sensitively when children are anxious or concerned. Staff encourage children to think about how to manage their own safety. They incorporate these ideas into the children’s plans, using strategies that work best for the children when they are upset or overwhelmed. This helps to reduce children’s worries, resulting in fewer behavioural incidents.

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

All staff undertake safeguarding training and receive ongoing professional development in areas such as risk management and contextual safeguarding. They demonstrate a clear understanding of policies and procedures relating to the management of allegations and whistle-blowing. Allegations are addressed promptly by senior managers and they are shared with the appropriate external agencies.

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

Staff are trained in de-escalation techniques and, when necessary, they use physical intervention techniques to keep the child safe from harming themselves or others. When these techniques are used, the intervention is appropriate and safe. Following incidents, sensitive and reflective discussions take place to address concerns with the child. However, incident reports do not always include an evaluation of the event, which could mean that staff may miss themes or patterns in children’s behaviour that indicate the need for further support.

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

Positive behaviour is promoted through incentives and rewards. When consequences are used, they are restorative in nature, encouraging the child to reflect on their behaviour, communicate with staff and learn from the experience.

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

Staff respond appropriately if children go missing. Children’s individual missing-from-care risk management plans and protocols are updated following incidents. Staff are confident in following the missing-from-care protocol. Police and other involved professionals who spoke to inspectors do not have any safeguarding concerns regarding the care of the children at the home. Inspection report for children's home: 2743668 5

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Leadership and management at the home are highly effective. The registered manager is experienced, dedicated and committed to achieving the best outcomes for children. Despite overseeing two homes, the manager maintains a strong and visible presence, ensuring that the home operates with consistent values, high standards and a clear focus on each child’s needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The home’s responsible individual is a regular presence in the home. He knows the children well and offers valued support to the registered manager.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Together with the responsible individual, the manager has cultivated a positive staff culture where the home’s ethos and therapeutic approach are consistently embedded in practice. Staff can clearly articulate how their work supports each child’s progress and aligns with the home’s therapeutic model. One staff member said of the registered manager, ‘She gives us the confidence to continue doing our best. Her support fosters a positive atmosphere where staff and young people thrive.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager leads with integrity and compassion, fostering a culture of trust, pride and continuous learning. Children are placed at the centre of decision-making, and staff feel confident in their roles and supported in their development. Supervision is regular, reflective and focuses on enhancing staff competence and confidence. The manager invests time in developing staff practice and building a cohesive, resilient team.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager advocates effectively on behalf of children and works collaboratively with other professionals. Daily practice clearly reflects the home’s statement of purpose, and staff consistently uphold the home’s values in their work.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager knows the children exceptionally well and maintains close oversight of their care and progress. Monitoring systems are robust and used effectively to identify strengths and address emerging concerns. Management decisions are informed by reflection and analysis, contributing to each child’s well-being and progress. Leaders and managers regularly review the quality of care through both internal and independent monitoring, which supports continuous improvement. Inspection report for children's home: 2743668 6

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that staff’s recording of physical intervention incidents consistently details effective practice, and they should respond promptly when any issues or trends of concern emerge. ('Guide to the Children's Homes Regulations, including the quality standards', page 49, paragraph 9.59)

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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: 2743668 7

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Children's home details

Registered provider: Silver Birch Care (Residential Services) Limited

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Children's home details

Registered provider address: S B C H House, 212 Ballards Lane, London N3 2LX

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Inspectors

Amanda Burrows, Social Care Inspector Salean Bryant, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: 2743668 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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