Children's home run by Benjamin UK Ltd in Hammersmith and Fulham

Inspection report for children’s home: SC484671 1 SC484671 Registered provider: Benjamin UK Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home provides care for up to four children aged between 11 and 18 who experience social and emotional difficulties. Three children were living at the home at the time of this inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

There is a registered school on site. The inspector only inspected the social care provision on this site.

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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

Overall judgement at last inspection: inadequate

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: At the last inspection in August 2025, there were serious shortfalls in respect of how children are helped and protected and the leadership and management of the home. Ofsted served a restriction of accommodation notice and two compliance notices under the protection of children standard and leadership and management standard. At the monitoring visit on 8 October 2025, the provider had met the steps in the compliance notice, and the restriction of accommodation notice was lifted. Inspection report for children’s home: SC484671 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

11/08/2025 Full Inadequate 02/09/2024 Full Good 12/12/2023 Full Good 07/02/2023 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: SC484671 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Two children spoke with the inspector during the inspection. Children have lived at the home for a long period of time. They have built positive relationships with the staff, and their interactions are warm and receptive. Two of the children said that they liked living in the home and identified staff they could raise their concerns with. These relationships have helped children to make progress from their starting points.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have education arrangements that support their individual needs. Staff encourage children to attend education daily and, as a result, children are actively learning. Staff speak to children about their future aspirations and support children with college open days. These approaches have supported children to think about their futures.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff provide regular children’s meetings and relaxed conversations with children. Staff respond to the children’s views. One child said, ‘Staff listen to me, everything I ask for is sorted.’ Two children wanted a recording studio at the home and additional free time. Staff consulted with the children’s local authorities to meet these requests. This response encourages children to share their views and helps them to feel listened to.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support children to maintain relationships with people who are important to them. Managers and staff have advocated on behalf of children to increase the time spent with friends. This has helped children to feel secure and connected to people who are important to them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff and managers have established good links with other professionals and agencies. There is good support from substance misuse workers, who have visited the home to speak to the children about the associated dangers. This approach has educated children about the dangers of substance misuse.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children try a wide range of new activities and experiences, including trips to theme parks, go-karting and the arcades. Children often take part in group activities. This helps them to build positive relationships with one another.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is welcoming and decorated to a high standard. Children have contributed to personalising the decor and their bedrooms.

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

Staff have a good understanding of the risks associated with child criminal exploitation. They work closely with partner agencies to share intelligence and monitor any patterns of concern. Staff support children with targeted key-work sessions relating to gang affiliation, healthy peer relationships and substance misuse. Inspection report for children’s home: SC484671 4 As a result of these approaches, children who were previously at high risk of exploitation have seen a significant reduction in missing-from-home incidents and, as a result, are safer.

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

There have been two incidents where children have gone missing from the home. The staff have responded appropriately. Staff try to locate the children, working with their social network and other professionals. When children return, they are welcomed home and staff ensure that they have an opportunity to speak with an independent person. This allows children to discuss the reasons why they went missing and share any concerns.

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

When children have struggled with their emotional well-being, staff have taken effective action. External agencies and professionals have been consulted. Managers have asked for additional advice from the organisation’s therapist to inform safety plans and approaches. Staff have put their advice into practice to ensure children have been supported holistically. This approach has helped to ensure that children are kept safe.

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

Room searches take place when there are significant identified risks for children. Children are spoken to about any items found in their rooms and are provided with support.

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

There have been no allegations made against staff and no complaints made by children.

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

Children receive praise for their behaviour and take pride in their progress and achievements. Consequences are rarely used in response to behaviour, but when they are, they directly relate to the behaviour. However, on one occasion, a consequence was given to a child but was not recorded. This does not ensure that the effectiveness or proportionality of the measure used is reviewed.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The previous registered manager left in February 2025. A new manager was appointed in June 2025, but left the role in September 2025. A new manager has been appointed and is currently being supported by an experienced senior management team.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The newly appointed manager has worked in the home for several years and knows the service and children well. Staff said that morale has improved following management changes. They said they now feel well supported by leaders and managers.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers are actively taking steps to improve the quality of care. They ensure that staff have the skills, knowledge and ability to meet the children’s Inspection report for children’s home: SC484671 5 individual needs. Professionals are positive about the progress children have made, their experiences and their relationships with staff.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The shortfalls identified at the last inspection have been addressed, and significant progress has been made to develop staff’s skills, knowledge and practice in a timely manner.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers confidently challenge other professionals to ensure that children’s wishes and feelings are heard, and that the right support is in place for them to succeed.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive regular supervision sessions and team meetings. These are detailed and explore topics relevant to the children. During team meetings, staff benefit from input from the home’s therapists and education team. Strategies are discussed to support children. This has developed the staff’s understanding and knowledge of how to enhance the care that they provide to the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers ensure safer recruitment checks are completed and that new staff are appropriate to work with the children. New staff are supported through inductions and mandatory training.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers have effective review and monitoring systems to oversee the children’s and staff’s practice. When improvements to practice have been identified for staff, leaders and managers support staff with practice reflection and additional training. However, the last quality of care review exceeded the regulatory period under review and was submitted late to Ofsted. Inspection report for children’s home: SC484671 6

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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 must complete a review of the quality of care provided for children ("a quality of care review") at least once every 6 months.

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Requirement Due date

In order to complete a quality of care review the registered person must establish and maintain a system for monitoring, reviewing and evaluating—

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Requirement Due date

the quality of care provided for children;

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Requirement Due date

the feedback and opinions of children about the children’s home, its facilities and the quality of care they receive in it; and

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Requirement Due date

any actions that the registered person considers necessary in order to improve or maintain the quality of care provided for children.

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Requirement Due date

After completing a quality of care review, the registered person must produce a written report about the quality of care review and the actions which the registered person intends to take as a result of the quality of care review ("the quality of care review report").

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Requirement Due date

supply to HMCI a copy of the quality of care review report within 28 days of the date on which the quality of care review is completed; and

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Requirement Due date

make a copy of the quality of care review report available on request to a placing authority, if the placing authority is not the parent of a child accommodated in the home.

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Requirement Due date

The system referred to in paragraph (2) must provide for ascertaining and considering the opinions of children, their parents, placing authorities and staff. 30 January Inspection report for children’s home: SC484671 7 (Regulation 45 (1) (2)(a)(b)(c) (3) (4)(a)(b) (5))

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that staff are familiar with the home’s policies on record-keeping and understand the importance of careful, objective and clear recording. In particular, they should ensure that all records are clear and detail the information in a concise and factual way. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4)

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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: SC484671 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Benjamin UK Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Coach House, White House Court, Hockliffe Street, Leighton Buzzard LU7 1FD

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Claudette Rudman

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Inspector

Syvanna Matthew, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC484671 9 inspects to 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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