Children's home run by Blossom Children’s Homes Limited

Inspection report for children’s home: 2705504 1 Registered provider: Blossom Children’s Homes Limited

p.1

Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

This home is privately owned and provides care for up to four children with learning disabilities.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The home was registered with Ofsted in March 2023. The manager registered with Ofsted in November 2024.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, four children were living in the home.

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account outstanding

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

How well children and young people are helped and protected outstanding

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

The effectiveness of leaders and managers outstanding

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

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.

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2705504 2

p.1

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

09/07/2024 Full Good 11/07/2023 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2705504 3

p.2

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

All children are very settled in the home and are making excellent progress in all areas of their lives from their individual starting points. Some children have lived in the home since it opened and are experiencing long-term, high-quality and consistent care. The home is warm, welcoming and highly personalised to reflect each child’s identity, interests and hobbies. Staff ensure that the home environment is maintained to a very high standard, with the children at its heart.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The registered manager and staff have high aspirations for the children in their care. They are focused on promoting children’s development and helping them to achieve their goals. Consequently, all children are making exceptional progress with their social skills and overall development. For example, three children have developed independent toileting skills and many now manage their personal care with minimum support. One child is learning how to travel independently in the community, with a plan to move into supported accommodation. Staff support children to develop essential life skills, including cooking, washing clothes and cleaning. These are significant achievements for children.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children are looked after by a nurturing staff team that knows them extremely well. Staff work well with others to make sure that children are safe and happy in the home. Parents and professionals speak positively about the care that staff provide. The atmosphere in the home is lively and fun, and children access a range of opportunities to help them thrive. Staff have enabled children to enjoy activities for the first time, such as holidays to new places and away from home. Children consistently enjoy outings and trips to new places such as the seaside, theme parks and social groups such as scouts and girl groups.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children’s voices are heard, and their views are central to the home. Staff use visual aids and social stories to help children to communicate and make decisions, as well as increasing their level of understanding. Children’s wishes and feelings are listened to on all aspects of their lives. Children are actively encouraged to contribute to their care plans with staff and set personal goals and targets. Staff celebrate children’s successes and achievements with them and talk about the children with love and pride. They show good understanding of children’s individual personalities.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

All children attend full-time education, and staff support them to promote their attendance and progress. One child is studying for her GCSEs and wants to be a paramedic. The registered manager advocates strongly on the children’s behalf to ensure that they are given the same opportunities and support as other children. School meetings show that children are making good academic progress and their communication has improved since moving into the home.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children with complex health needs receive exceptional care from the staff team. Staff support all children to access the healthcare and treatment that they need. Staff’s Inspection report for children’s home: 2705504 4 support enables some children to learn how to manage their health conditions more independently. One child with significant health needs is making exceptional progress in relation to their diet and is now able to eat a range of foods that they could not eat before.

p.3

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

Safeguarding practice is both exceptional and creative. Staff receive training on a wide range of safeguarding topics and have a good understanding of children’s vulnerabilities. They show excellent understanding of children’s communication needs and respond effectively when children are unwell. Staff work well with relevant people to understand children’s needs and have developed strong relationships with children that enables them to provide effective, individualised care in response to any safeguarding issues raised.

p.4

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

Children are safeguarded well in the home. Staff help children to understand risks and how to keep themselves safe. They talk to children about important topics such as body changes, online safety, healthy lifestyles and community safety. Children engage well with staff and have positive relationships that enable them to have open conversations. The stable and consistent home environment, together with the warmth and confidence of the staff, makes the children feel safe and secure. Children say that they feel safe in the home.

p.4

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

Children’s social workers speak highly about the prompt and effective level of communication they have with staff when issues arise that may have an impact on a child’s well-being or safety. External agencies are promptly informed of any incidents to ensure that children are safeguarded in the home.

p.4

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

Staff support children to understand boundaries and routines. This is done in a child- friendly way, using children’s preferred methods of communication. Incidents are well managed by staff and are always reviewed by the registered manager. Challenging situations are discussed in team meetings, to review if there are any lessons to be learned to improve future practice. Staff see behaviour as a form of communication and use restorative approaches in place of consequences and reward positive behaviour. This approach to behavioural support means that children with the most significant needs have positive experiences in the home.

p.4

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

Staff regularly update children’s individual risk assessments following incidents. Each child has a risk assessment that provides staff with clear guidance and individualised strategies on how to manage risks. Staff consistently talk to children following incidents to reflect on behaviour and gather their views. Effective planning by staff minimises risks and ensures that children are supported by staff who understand how to keep them safe.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Inspection report for children’s home: 2705504 5 The registered manager is dedicated, passionate and advocates endlessly to ensure that children lead positive and fulfilling lives. Leaders, managers and staff know children very well and the progress they are making.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff are inspirational and ambitious in promoting positive experiences for all children and helping them to overcome any barriers. There is a strong emphasis on helping children to develop their independent skills. All staff speak of the genuine desire to improve and enhance children’s life chances. One child said, ‘The manager is very good, she cares for everyone like her own children.’

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff morale is very high. They speak highly of the management team. They feel well supported, valued and equipped to fulfil their roles. The staff team is very stable and staff receive regular, child-focused supervision. Supervision guides staff with a strong focus on their own development. Staff have completed relevant training and work well with families and professionals. Staff say that training is effective and helps them to understand children’s individual needs.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Leaders and managers have addressed all the recommendations raised at the last inspection. There is meaningful management oversight of records, which are regularly reviewed. Internal and external monitoring systems are used to review the home’s progress. Currently, feedback from children and professionals is not included in the quality-of-care report. Leaders and managers have a plan to ensure that all feedback in the future is reflected in the review of the care provided to children. This oversight contributes to the ongoing improvement and development of the home.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Feedback from professionals is very positive. They describe the quality of care provided to children as ‘exceptional’ and say that the staff go above and beyond to support children. Professionals say that communication with staff is very good and that this results in a shared approach to providing children with good-quality care and support.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Leaders and managers keep up to date with current research and best practice guidance to ensure that staff have relevant knowledge. For example, leaders and managers have embedded a trauma-based theory as a model of working with children. There is an in- house therapist who supports staff to understand children’s diagnosis and past trauma and how these impact on children’s behaviour. Research-informed practice is explored and discussed at team meetings, to ensure that there is a strong and confident practice base within the staff team.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

No requirements were raised at this inspection. Inspection report for children’s home: 2705504 6

p.5

Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that the review of quality-of-care reports demonstrates how the views of children and relevant people have been obtained and used to inform the review. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards,’ page 64, paragraph 15.2)

p.6

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: 2705504 7

p.6

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Blossom Children’s Homes Limited

p.7

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Blossom Children, Unit 7-8, Moran House, 449-451 High Road, London NW10 2JJ

p.7

Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Matthew Wakeling

p.7

Children’s home details

Registered manager: Lasharna Chin-Den-Coy

p.7

Inspector

Dorothy Thompstone, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2705504 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.

p.7

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 . 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.8

Inspector

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

p.8

Inspector

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

p.8