Children's Home run by Cornerways Care Limited in Hertfordshire

Inspection report for children’s home: 2491062 1 Registered provider: Cornerways Care Ltd

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Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is privately operated. It provides care for two children who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, two children lived at the home, and both were spoken with.

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Information about this children’s home

A manager has been in post since September and has submitted their application to register with Ofsted.

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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: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2491062 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

10/03/2025 Full Good 21/02/2024 Full Good 08/11/2022 Full Good 21/09/2021 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2491062 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children feel safe and secure in the environment and see it as their home. They talk with warmth about staff and say they feel cared for and understood. Children take part in local activities, which helps them feel part of their community, and they enjoy holidays of their own choosing.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support children to learn in ways that match the children’s needs. Staff understand the barriers children face and ensure the children’s education helps them succeed. One child gained their GCSEs and now studies at sixth-form college. Another child will start a tailored learning plan in the new year.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff help children understand and take responsibility for their own health needs, which helps children make informed choices. Children arrange and attend their own health appointments and ask staff for support only when needed. Staff encourage children to manage their own medication when this is appropriate.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff help children prepare well for their futures. They help to equip children with the skills and knowledge they need to stay safe as they learn to be independent. Children are involved in any plans for moving on from the home, and their wishes, feelings and preferences are listened to.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children build trusting relationships with staff. Staff support positive relationships between children in the home and help them keep strong links with their families and loved ones. Families visit the home, and staff make sure children are kept up to date with any developments or changes.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home feels warm and welcoming. Children help shape their bedrooms and communal spaces, which reflect their interests, hobbies and personalities. Children say the home is their ‘safe space’ and that staff respect their privacy.

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

Staff act quickly when risks arise and help children understand the reasons for any safeguarding actions. Safeguarding is regularly explored with staff in a variety of ways to ensure they stay alert to signs of harm and think carefully about what they see.

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

Staff respond appropriately when children make allegations or share any worries or concerns they have. The manager carries out fact-finding work and talks with other professionals to plan and agree any actions or next steps. Staff keep children informed and check they are satisfied with any outcomes. Staff accept when things could have been done better and make changes to improve the care provided to children. Inspection report for children’s home: 2491062 4 Staff use calm and consistent approaches to help children better understand big feelings. Staff have the skills to identify early signs of distress and prevent situations from escalating. This approach means staff have not needed to use physical intervention since the last inspection.

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

Children learn to manage conflict and strong feelings through regular discussions with staff. Staff use clear and fair boundaries to help children understand what safe relationships look like. Staff support children to use coping strategies that fit their needs. When children face stressful times, staff plan ahead and put extra support in place.

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

Staff teach children about external risks and how to keep themselves safer. As a result of this, children do not display any self-harming behaviours. There has been no substance misuse or missing episodes where children’s whereabouts are unknown. Children can identify risks and will speak with staff if anything concerns or bothers them.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is new to their role but has been well received by children and the staff. The manager has the knowledge, experience and skills to ensure the home operates effectively. In addition, the manager has developed an in-depth knowledge of the home and the children living there.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Children’s views, wishes and feelings are central to the home and direct the way care is provided. There are processes embedded into the home that ensure the children’s voices are regularly captured. Children can raise anything, from how their day has been to how they would like to receive therapy and their daily routines.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home is appropriately staffed. The manager ensures there is a focus on team culture, bonding and well-being services for staff. This ensures that staff feel valued and are more likely to remain at the home, and this creates stability for children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Children receive care from a staff team that they respect and trust to support them. Children feel that staff give them professional and caring advice. The manager pre- emptively increases staffing levels when required if they feel children may require additional support.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager ensures that meetings in the home are child focused and tailored to ensuring that children’s needs are met. Team meetings are sometimes directed and chaired by the children to ensure the staff are led by the children’s voices and wishes.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager uses staff supervision sessions to create a better care experience for children. Supervision sessions clearly identify each child’s needs. The manager and staff use this to plan focused, therapeutic key-work discussions that review the child’s feelings and any related risks throughout the month.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There were no requirements or recommendations made following this inspection. Inspection report for children’s home: 2491062 5

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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: 2491062 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Cornerways Care Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Eastway Enterprise Centre, 7 Paynes Park, Hitchin, Hertfordshire SG5 1EH

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Inspector

Vikki Thwaites, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2491062 7 and 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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