Children's Home run by Solace Care Redbridge Limited in Redbridge

Inspection report for children's home: 2786434 1 Registered provider: Solace Care Redbridge Limited

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This privately run home provides care for up to four children with social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The home registered with Ofsted on 31 July 2024. The registered manager left in December 2024. A new manager was appointed by the provider in June 2025.

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Information about this children’s home

There were two children living at the home at the time of this inspection.

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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 inadequate

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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: 21 January 2025

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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: 2786434 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

21/01/2025 Full Good Inspection report for children's home: 2786434 3

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improvement to be good

Since the last inspection, seven children have moved into the home and five have moved out. Although the children’s moves into the home were planned, not all were well managed. The manager’s suitability assessments lack critical analysis and do not demonstrate a clear understanding of whether staff possess the necessary skills and knowledge to meet the needs of each new child. Similarly, when children have left the home, these moves have not always been planned or executed effectively, resulting in a negative impact on the children involved.

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improvement to be good

Although staff hold regular discussions with children through key-work sessions and children’s meetings covering a range of topics, frequent changes in staffing have affected the children’s ability to build and maintain trusting relationships with familiar adults.

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improvement to be good

Children have opportunities to take part in various activities, including going out for meals, going on shopping trips and visiting places of interest.

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improvement to be good

Staff ensure that children’s health and personal care needs are met. Medication is safely managed and administered in line with children’s individualised care plans. One child with a lifelong medical condition is supported to attend regular hospital appointments, with staff ensuring that their medication is reviewed to help maintain their health.

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improvement to be good

Staff promote children’s education. One child has successfully returned to full-time education after a period of absence and is making good progress. When arrangements are not yet in place for children to attend school, staff are proactive and ensure that educational activities are provided. This gives children structure and daily routine.

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improvement to be good

The standard of cleanliness in the home is inconsistent. For example, some children’s bedrooms are in poor condition, with large amounts of rubbish and dirty dishes covering the furniture and the floor. Staff do not take proactive or creative approaches to help children value their personal space, nor do they intervene effectively when the condition of a room poses potential health risks.

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improvement to be good

Children’s care plans are sufficiently detailed and individualised.

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improvement to be good

Each child has a bespoke behaviour management plan designed to help staff recognise and respond to emotional triggers. However, recent changes in the staff team have led to inconsistent practice, which is impacting the effectiveness of support and protection provided to children. Inspection report for children's home: 2786434 4 Although the registered manager ensures that staff are thoroughly vetted before working with children, insufficient consideration is given to their level of practical experience. Gaps in knowledge and experience affect their ability to have the confidence to engage effectively with children to ensure their needs are met.

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improvement to be good

There are currently no issues with bullying, and incidents of children going missing from the home have significantly reduced. Each child has an individual safety plan, which is regularly updated, and risks are clearly evaluated and recorded.

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improvement to be good

Ad-hoc ‘children’s chats’ are held in response to changes in children’s behaviours, providing a safe space for them to express their feelings and emotions. However, staff do not consistently spend enough time with the children to build the positive relationships needed to support ongoing meaningful engagement.

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improvement to be good

When allegations are made, the manager makes the necessary referrals to the local authority designated officer and engages with the multi-agency network.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Leaders and managers lack a clear vision and expectations aligned with the home’s statement of purpose. Staff are unable to articulate the home’s values and ethos of care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Since the last inspection, managers have not used monitoring systems effectively to strengthen oversight of care practices or improve the quality of records. Although the manager’s quality of care review report is updated, it does not provide meaningful insight into shortfalls in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Children have experienced several staff changes, leading to instability and inconsistency in care. Recruitment is ongoing, and while new staff have joined, delays in establishing a stable team have disrupted continuity of care for children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Leaders and the manager have not provided effective or supportive leadership. Staff supervision and team meetings are infrequent, limiting opportunities for professional development and contributing to inconsistencies in the care and support provided to children. When supervision has taken place, sessions have lacked reflective practice and have not supported staff in evaluating or improving their approach. These shortfalls have contributed to instability for the children living in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

A new responsible individual and head of service have recently been appointed. The responsible individual has initiated a plan to improve practice. While the plan is now in place, it remains in its early stages, and its impact on the quality of care is not yet evident in day-to-day practice. Inspection report for children's home: 2786434 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 leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that—

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Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

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Requirement Due date

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;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff work as a team where appropriate;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child;

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Requirement Due date

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;

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Requirement Due date

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(c)(f)(h))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered manager must ensure that they effectively monitor and evaluate the home, to understand the quality of care. The manager must ensure that staff receive regular supervision that addresses practice and where necessary supports and challenges practice through the disciplinary process. 18 November 2025 Inspection report for children's home: 2786434 6 The quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children;

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Requirement Due date

use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

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Requirement Due date

understand and apply the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

understand and apply the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

protect and promote each child’s welfare;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed and furnished so as to—

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Requirement Due date

enable each child to participate in the daily life of the home. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(i)(ii)(c)(i)(ii))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that all staff have a thorough understanding of the home’s statement of purpose. Additionally, the manager must ensure that children’s bedrooms are clean, well maintained and provide a suitable safe space for children. 18 November 2025

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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

that staff— 18 November 2025 Inspection report for children's home: 2786434 7 meet each child’s behavioural and emotional needs, as set out in the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to develop socially aware behaviour;

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Requirement Due date

encourage each child to take responsibility for the child’s behaviour, in accordance with the child’s age and understanding. (Regulation 11 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, staff need to ensure that they spend time with the children building relationships, to support children to engage.

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Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children—

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Requirement Due date

receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home; and

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Requirement Due date

have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home.

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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 children are admitted to the home only if their needs are within the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the home is to provide care and accommodation, as set out in the home’s statement of purpose. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person needs to ensure that they have effective planning when children are moving into the home. This includes considering the suitability of the placement and the staff’s ability to meet children’s needs. 18 November 2025

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees—

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Requirement Due date

undertake appropriate continuing professional development;

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Requirement Due date

receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience. (Regulation 33 (1) (4)(a)(b)) 18 November 2025 Inspection report for children's home: 2786434 8 In particular, the registered manager needs to ensure that staff receive regular supervision that supports their professional reflective learning and development.

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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

the individual has the appropriate experience, qualification and skills for the work that the individual is to perform. (Regulation 32 (1) (2)(a)(b) (3)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that, when recruiting new staff, consideration is given to the skills and experience needed in the home to meet the needs of the children living there. 18 November 2025

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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: 2786434 9

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Solace Care Redbridge Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Unit 2A, 420 Eastern Avenue, Ilford, Essex IG2 6NQ

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Inspector

Helen Daniel, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: 2786434 10 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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