Children's home run by Five Rivers Chid Care Limited in Wiltshire

Inspection report for children's home: SC362965 1 SENSITIVE-OFSTED USE ONLY

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SC362965 Registered provider: Five Rivers Chid Care 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

The home is run by a private company that operates several children’s homes in the region. It provides care for one child who experiences social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

Since the last inspection, one child had a planned move out of the home in February 2025. Another child lived in the home briefly from March to May 2025. The child currently living in the home has lived there since August 2025 and was present during the inspection, spending time alone with the inspector.

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Information about this children’s home

The current manager has been registered with Ofsted since November 2024 and is in an interim role, providing stability through a secondment while recruitment of a permanent manager is underway.

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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 good

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good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

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good

Date of last inspection: 21 January 2025

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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: SC362965 2 SENSITIVE-OFSTED USE ONLY

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

21/01/2025 Full Good 29/11/2023 Full Good 05/12/2022 Full Good 17/12/2019 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report for children's home: SC362965 3 SENSITIVE-OFSTED USE ONLY

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children benefit from living in a home that feels warm and welcoming. The child’s laughter, chatter with staff and the encouragement they receive to complete tasks can be heard in the home. Staff and the manager have worked hard to remove institutional features and create a space that reflects a family home. The child’s bedroom is personalised with their chosen bedding, cuddly toys and possessions, helping them feel secure and valued.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The garden is spacious and well equipped, with a trampoline, play frame, and a new pod that provides a private space for therapeutic work. Staff encourage the child to enjoy play and make happy memories. The child also takes part in activities in the community, such as swimming lessons and beach visits, and has annual passes to local attractions. These experiences are captured in memory books, although these are not always updated consistently and with consistent detail.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s health needs are monitored effectively, and referrals are made when required. Children’s individualised therapeutic needs are understood with insight by the home’s clinician and child psychotherapist. They provide direct therapy for the child, clinical space for staff support and reflection and attend meetings to support individualised planning collaboratively.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff understand the importance of children’s academic and social progress. A child who recently moved into the home is now attending a local primary school and is expected to complete their phased timetable to reach full-time attendance. The manager works collaboratively with education professionals to ensure that the child’s needs are understood and met.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Since the last inspection, two children have moved from the home. One child’s move was a planned move to another home. This was well supported with visits and information- sharing as well as actions to celebrate the child’s time living at the home. Another child moved from the home to live with a parent, and although this was not planned, the manager and staff ensured they worked collaboratively with the family and professionals to support this move.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s time with family is supported sensitively, with decisions focused on the child’s needs.

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

The managers and staff understand their safeguarding duties and keep children safe.

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

The managers have taken robust action to investigate concerns about staff practice with appropriate referrals to partners in line with their safeguarding and regulatory duties. Inspection report for children's home: SC362965 4 SENSITIVE-OFSTED USE ONLY

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

These actions are supported by corporate services and organisational protocols, with actions to oversee safe employment and to improve the safeguarding culture in the home.

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

Staff understand the home’s core value of relationship-based care. They support and engage children in activities that support their growth, with recognition of the impact of their previous life experiences.

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

There have been seven incidents detailing the use of physical intervention on 11 occasions with the child currently living in the home. The manager’s oversight identifies them to be necessary and proportionate but also notes that some of the physical interventions could have been avoided if staff used known strategies and nurturing care more consistently.

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

Safety measures in the home are not always proportionate. Door alarms are in place without a risk-based assessment or clear justification. While locking away sharp knives is appropriate, other items such as tin openers and pizza cutters have been unnecessarily restricted. These practices create an institutional feel.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager and responsible individual are ambitious for children and committed to providing safe, stable care. They demonstrate reflective leadership and use challenge effectively to advocate for children’s rights. A permanent manager has been appointed and is completing a thorough induction and training programme alongside the current manager. They have applied to register with Ofsted. This recruitment reflects the responsible individual’s ambition for workforce stability and permanency.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has improved the inclusion of children’s views in plans. Short- and long- term aims are documented, and the child has a personalised, child-friendly plan. However, plans lack consistency and detail, with few specific, measurable or timely actions. Management oversight does not fully track impact and learning.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has addressed staffing sufficiency and shortfalls. They communicate well the impact of staff changes and that this prioritises safe staff employment and the care of children. The manager has used opportunities effectively to model good practice and supported consistency in care by working additional care shifts. They are supporting a developing open and accountable safeguarding culture at the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff feel well supported by managers. Staff joining the home are well supported with induction, probation and training, which is overseen and monitored for compliance with regulations and organisational expectations. Supervision takes place regularly, but records do not consistently capture reflective discussions or track agreed actions. Inspection report for children's home: SC362965 5 SENSITIVE-OFSTED USE ONLY

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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 registered person may only use devices for the monitoring or surveillance of children if—

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Requirement Due date

the monitoring or surveillance is for the purpose of safeguarding and promoting the welfare of the child concerned, or other children;

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Requirement Due date

the child’s placing authority consents in writing to the monitoring or surveillance;

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Requirement Due date

so far as reasonably practicable in the light of the child’s age and understanding, the child is informed in advance of the intention to do the monitoring or surveillance; and

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Requirement Due date

the monitoring or surveillance is no more intrusive than necessary, having regard to the child’s need for privacy. (Regulation 24 (1)(a)(b)(c)(d))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person should ensure that the use of any door alarms to external areas of the property is assessed and that the rationale for the restriction is documented, that children are consulted and know when systems are in operation and that there is a plan to reduce and remove the restriction within set timescales. 30 December 2025

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that staff continually and actively assess the risks to each child and the arrangements in place to protect them. In particular, this includes ensuring that, if due to the age or development of the child, it is decided that sharp knives are locked away, monitoring of this should also include a review of the necessity and risk of this measure and ensure that additional items are not unnecessarily restricted to avoid institutional practice. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 42, paragraph 9.5) Inspection report for children's home: SC362965 6 SENSITIVE-OFSTED USE ONLY

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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: SC362965 7 SENSITIVE-OFSTED USE ONLY

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Five Rivers Chid Care Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 47 Bedwin Street, Salisbury SP1 3UT

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Inspector

Ashley Arkless, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: SC362965 8 SENSITIVE-OFSTED USE ONLY

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Inspector

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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