Children's home run by Woodbridge Care Limited

Inspection report for children’s home: 2738824 1 Registered provider: Woodbridge Care Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is operated by a private provider. It offers care for up to three children who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of this inspection, three children were living at the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in April 2025.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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outstanding

How well children and young people are helped and protected outstanding

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outstanding

The effectiveness of leaders and managers outstanding

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outstanding

The children’s home provides highly effective services that consistently exceed the standards of good. The actions of the children’s home contribute to significantly improved outcomes and positive experiences for children and young people who need help, protection and care.

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outstanding

Date of last inspection: 14 January 2025

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outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2738824 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

14/01/2025 Full Good 26/02/2024 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2738824 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children live in a warm and nurturing home where they feel safe, valued and cared for. The environment reflects a strong sense of family, with staff and children working together to create a homely atmosphere. This includes the presence of family pets, which children are encouraged to care for, promoting their responsibility. The environment is calm and welcoming, and children benefit from consistent care routines. This stability helps children feel secure and supported, enabling them to build trusting relationships with staff and make meaningful progress in all areas of their development.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children are encouraged to maintain relationships with their family members. This is underpinned by a deep understanding from the manager and staff team of the importance and influence these connections have on children’s lives and futures. Staff prioritise developing meaningful and professional relationships with families, modelling positive interactions and promoting a collaborative approach to parenting. One parent said, ‘[Name of manager] does not make children feel like they are in care; they just feel like they are at home.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children’s education is a clear priority for the manager, who demonstrates unwavering commitment to ensuring that every child has access to the best possible learning opportunities. The manager’s tenacity ensured that one child was able to start at a new school at the beginning of term, despite only moving into the home during the school holidays. The manager also draws on expert advice and support to begin the process of seeking an education setting tailored to a child’s specific needs. This level of dedication ensures that children’s educational progress is actively promoted, with staff working in partnership with schools to support attendance, engagement and achievement.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children are encouraged to develop positive behaviours through a reward-focused approach. Consequences are minimal and, when required, are proportionate and restorative. The emphasis is placed on recognising and reinforcing positive behaviour, and children are actively engaged in earning rewards through their individual bank accounts. This system motivates children and has proven effective in promoting responsibility and achievement.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children benefit from enriching experiences, including day trips and holidays. Careful planning and preparation made it possible for two children to visit a popular entertainment resort in Paris recently. Remarkable work was carried out before these trips to ensure that children were emotionally and practically ready, allowing them to fully enjoy and benefit from the experience. These opportunities contribute significantly to children’s sense of self-worth and belonging and reflect the manager’s commitment to creating lasting, positive memories for those in her care. Inspection report for children’s home: 2738824 4

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

Children are kept safe through a strong safeguarding culture that is embedded in the ethos of the home. Staff demonstrate a deep understanding of each child’s individual risks and vulnerabilities, and they respond with sensitivity, consistency and professionalism. Risk assessments are thorough, regularly reviewed, and used effectively to inform care planning and daily routines.

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

Children’s friendships are actively promoted. They are encouraged to invite friends home, and staff go out of their way to make visitors feel welcome. This has a particularly positive impact for one child, whose incidents of being absent without permission have significantly decreased, as she is supported in spending time with people she cares about in a safe and familiar environment.

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

Safeguarding incidents are infrequent. Children respond well to de-escalation techniques, which are effective due to the nurturing and trusting relationships they have with staff. There has been one physical intervention during this inspection period, which occurred outside of the home. Staff acted swiftly and proportionately to ensure the child’s safety.

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

During a short period of increased risk, the manager decided to temporarily restrict access to the kitchen overnight to safeguard all children in the home. This measure was reviewed daily and lifted as soon as it was safe to do so. While the decision-making was appropriate, documentation does not fully reflect the rationale and review process.

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

Children who engage in self-harming behaviours are supported with compassion and vigilance. Staff are responsive and well informed, ensuring that children receive the emotional support and practical strategies they need to reduce and manage these behaviours safely.

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

The risk presented by one child led to a decision for her to move out of the home to safeguard herself and others. Despite this, staff continued to visit and advocate for her while she was living in unsuitable accommodation. Following detailed planning and multi-agency collaboration, the manager is now caring for the child again in her other registered home, ensuring continuity of care and a strong sense of belonging.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Leaders and managers have exceptionally high aspirations for children, which in turn inspires children to develop high aspirations for themselves. The registered manager leads with enthusiasm and creativity, implementing innovative ideas that engage children and help them recognise their potential. This proactive and child-centred approach ensures that children are consistently encouraged to aim high and believe in their ability to succeed.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager invests in her staff team to create a positive and supportive workplace. Staff feel valued from the outset of their employment, experiencing a robust induction Inspection report for children’s home: 2738824 5 process that sets the tone for their professional journey. Most staff are currently undertaking their level 3 diploma in residential childcare, and the manager places strong emphasis on its completion. Staff are given dedicated time during shifts to study, alongside regular one-to-one mentoring to support their progress.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

A strong culture of learning and development is embedded throughout the workforce. Team meetings are well attended and provide valuable opportunities for reflection, knowledge-sharing, and staying up to date with sector developments. The manager uses creative and engaging methods to check staff’s understanding and offers tailored support when needed.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff receive high-quality professional supervision that promotes reflective practice and professional growth. Where minor shortfalls have been identified in relation to staff conduct, prompt action has been taken to address these, and learning has been sensitively shared across the team.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager and staff team demonstrate excellent multi-agency working, often taking the lead in driving improvements and ensuring that children’s care plans are robust and effective. The manager is a strong advocate for children, confidently challenging decisions when she believes their needs and wishes are not being fully met by the wider network. Inspection report for children’s home: 2738824 6

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that children can access all shared areas of their home unless there are specific reasons why this would not meet their needs. Limits on privacy and access may only be implemented to safeguard each child in the home. Any decisions to limit a child’s access to any area of the home and any modifications to the environment of the home must only be made where the intention is to safeguard the child’s welfare. All decisions should be informed by a rigorous assessment of that individual child’s needs, properly recorded and kept under regular review. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.10)

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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: 2738824 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Woodbridge Care Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Spring Cottage, 55 West Road, Oakham, Rutland LE15 6LT

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Inspectors

Kayleigh Spinks, Social Care Inspector Rebecca Barker, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2738824 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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