Children's Home run by Ruby Lodge Limited in Derbyshire

Inspection report for children’s home: 2822638 1 Registered provider: Ruby Lodge Limited

p.1

Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

This home is managed by a private company. It provides care for up to four children who have learning disabilities.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

Two children were living at the home at the time of the inspection. The inspector spent time with one child as part of the inspection.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in April 2025.

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

p.1

requires improvement to be good

How well children and young people are helped and protected requires improvement to be good

p.1

requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

p.1

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.

p.1

requires improvement to be good

Date of last inspection: not previously inspected

p.1

requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: not applicable

p.1

requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: not applicable Inspection report for children’s home: 2822638 2

p.1

improvement to be good

This is the first inspection of the home since registration in April 2025. The first child moved in during August 2025. At the time of inspection, two children were living in the home. Since registration, one child has moved on, and notice on another child’s placement was given to the local authority during the inspection.

p.2

improvement to be good

Managers and staff are not yet providing consistently good care. Children have not experienced stability due to placement decisions that did not fully consider the staff team’s ability to meet children’s complex needs.

p.2

improvement to be good

Since registration, three children have lived in the home. One child left in an unplanned way after three days, and another will soon move on following the manager’s recognition that the staff cannot meet their needs. Despite the second move being planned, children have not experienced a settled or consistent environment.

p.2

improvement to be good

Impact risk assessments are completed before new placements; however, they do not sufficiently evaluate staff experience or confidence in meeting children’s needs. Some staff lack the necessary skills and experience to support children with complex needs effectively.

p.2

improvement to be good

Although a six-week transition period was planned for one child and relevant training was provided, staff did not consistently implement the child’s communication plan. The child, who is nonverbal, did not always have their communication aids or routines followed. This inconsistency reduced the quality and personalisation of care.

p.2

improvement to be good

Neither child was in education before moving to the home. One child is now engaging with a tutor, and the other has applied for college. This represents appropriate progress given the short time they have been living at the home.

p.2

improvement to be good

Key-work sessions cover important topics such as children’s views, mental health and children’s identity. Staff approach these discussions sensitively and encourage children to discuss their past experiences openly.

p.2

improvement to be good

The home environment is welcoming and personalised for the children who live there. Some maintenance issues, including damage to the front door and a broken window, are being appropriately addressed, with plans to install reinforced glass to prevent further damage. Inspection report for children’s home: 2822638 3

p.2

improvement to be good

Behaviour management practice is inconsistent. Some staff lack confidence in managing behaviour or using physical intervention when necessary, despite receiving relevant training. In one instance, the child’s behaviour support plan was not fully implemented. Physical intervention was initially omitted from another child’s safety plan. As a result, the police were called on occasions that could have been managed internally. This reliance on external intervention undermines children’s sense of safety and stability.

p.3

improvement to be good

During one incident, several staff withdrew from the situation, leaving one staff member unsupported with a distressed child. While no direct harm came to the child, this critical situation could have placed both the staff member and the child at risk of harm.

p.3

improvement to be good

One physical intervention was used appropriately; however, the recording was poor and did not include the duration of the hold. The child was not spoken to afterwards about the incident, which was a missed opportunity to reflect and learn.

p.3

improvement to be good

Staff understand safeguarding procedures and have received appropriate training. They understand what to do if a child goes missing. There have been no incidents of children going missing since the home opened. For one child, this is progress, as they had gone missing from home in previous placements.

p.3

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

The manager holds a suitable leadership qualification and is experienced. They are supported by a committed deputy manager and responsible individual. Staff want to provide good care for children. However, there have been notable shortfalls in leadership and management since the home opened.

p.3

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

Managers ensure that staff have a thorough induction. While most staff feel supported, less-experienced team members have not yet received sufficient guidance or role modelling. Staff morale is low. Several staff members lack experience in residential childcare and do not feel confident in meeting children’s complex needs. Managers recognise this and have plans to address workforce development.

p.3

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

A social worker has been generally positive about care provided for one child. She said that communication is good and that the child is starting to talk openly to the staff. She recognised that the staff are struggling to manage the child’s behaviour.

p.3

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

Following the unplanned ending of the first placement, managers carried out a ‘lessons learned’ review. Although generally thorough, it did not identify a lack of staff skills and experience as a contributing factor. Subsequently, another child was placed whose needs the team could not meet, leading to another placement breakdown. Inspection report for children’s home: 2822638 4 Children’s records are not consistently clear, accurate or child centred. Some important documents, such as clinical meeting minutes and referral paperwork, were unavailable during the inspection. The manager has not consistently addressed poor-quality recording with staff.

p.3

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

Serious incident notifications to Ofsted are made but are sometimes delayed or lack clarity. This prevents the regulator evaluating the safety of children effectively.

p.4

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

The independent visitor’s monthly reports are of generally good quality; however, they do not include consultation with parents or professionals, limiting external oversight. Inspection report for children’s home: 2822638 5

p.4

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.

p.5

Requirement Due date

The quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who—

p.5

Requirement Due date

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

p.5

Requirement Due date

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

p.5

Requirement Due date

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

p.5

Requirement Due date

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

p.5

Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that before accepting children into the home, children’s needs are fully considered and that staff experience is accounted for during decision-making.

p.5

Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered manager must ensure that children’s communication methods are fully understood and implemented by staff.

p.5

Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered manager must ensure that children receive individualised, consistent care. 30 January 2026

p.5

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—

p.5

Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; 30 January 2026 Inspection report for children’s home: 2822638 6 and promotes their welfare.

p.5

Requirement Due date

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

p.6

Requirement Due date

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(c))

p.6

Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered manager must ensure that all staff have appropriate guidance and positive role modelling from experienced staff, so that they feel confident to carry out their role.

p.6

Requirement Due date

The registered person must prepare and implement a policy (“the behaviour management policy”) which sets out—

p.6

Requirement Due date

how appropriate behaviour is to be promoted in the children’s home; and

p.6

Requirement Due date

the measures of control, discipline and restraint which may be used in relation to children in the home.

p.6

Requirement Due date

within 24 hours of the use of a measure of control, discipline or restraint in relation to a child in the home, a record is made which includes—

p.6

Requirement Due date

a description of the measure and its duration;

p.6

Requirement Due date

within 5 days of the use of the measure, the registered person or the authorised person adds to the record confirmation that they have spoken to the child about the measure.

p.6

Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered manager must ensure that all staff can confidently and competently implement behaviour support strategies and only use police as a behaviour support strategy as a last resort.

p.6

Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered manager must ensure that physical intervention records are accurate and include duration of holds and that children are spoken to using their preferred method of 30 January 2026 Inspection report for children’s home: 2822638 7 communication following any physical intervention, to take into account their views.

p.6

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—

p.7

Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

p.7

Requirement Due date

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

p.7

Requirement Due date

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home.

p.7

Requirement Due date

In particular, the manager must ensure that staff and children’s records are accurate, relevant documents are available to those that need access to them and that language in records is child friendly and if they are not, this is addressed with staff.

p.7

Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered manager must ensure that when reviewing why a child’s placement has been unsuccessful that the review includes all relevant contributing factors, to help prevent further reoccurrence. 30 January 2026

p.7

Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if—

p.7

Requirement Due date

an incident requiring police involvement occurs in relation to a child which the registered person considers to be serious;

p.7

Requirement Due date

or there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious.

p.7

Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that an independent person visits the children’s home at least once each month.

p.7

Requirement Due date

When the independent person is carrying out a visit, the registered person must help the independent person— 30 November 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: 2822638 8 if they consent, to interview in private such of the children, their parents, relatives and persons working at the home as the independent person requires.

p.7

Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered manager must ensure that parents and professionals are regularly consulted and that their views are recorded in the report.

p.8

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: 2822638 9

p.8

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Unit A, 82 James Carter Road, Mildenhall, Suffolk IP28 7DE

p.9

Inspector

Amy Miles, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2822638 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.

p.9

Inspector

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.10

Inspector

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.10

Inspector

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.10

Inspector

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.10