Children's Home run by Cedarways Residential Child Care Albury House Limited in Staffordshire

Inspection report children’s home: 2724258 1 Registered provider: Cedarways Residential Child Care Albury House 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

This home provides care for up to three children who have been affected by adverse childhood experiences that have led to associated trauma and complex behaviours.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in June 2023. She has obtained a level 5 management qualification.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of this inspection, two children were living in the home. Both children were spoken with and contributed their views.

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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: 17 September 2024

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: 2724258 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

17/09/2024 Full Good 03/10/2023 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: 2724258 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Managers ensure that children’s moves into the home are carefully planned and risk assessed. This enables children to quickly settle and to have long-term stable placements. Since the last inspection, three children have moved from the home in a planned way to live with family. All children made progress from their starting points.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Two children now live in the home. One child has lived at the home for 20 months and another for seven months. Children’s social workers are positive about the care their children receive and the progress they are making.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children benefit from living in a home that is warm and welcoming, and decorated and furnished to a high standard. The home is clean and tidy, with personalised touches throughout, including photos of the children and staff and access to board games that promote enjoyment and engagement. Children’s bedrooms are personalised, reflecting their interests and tastes. This allows children to take a sense of pride and ownership of their home and promotes their wellbeing.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff are supported by the home’s therapist to understand children’s behaviours. As a result, a therapeutic ethos is embedded in staff practice. Staff have a nurturing approach towards children, who say they like the staff and they like living in the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are growing in confidence and are developing key independence skills that will help them in later life. Staff regularly have conversations with children on important topics. These conversations support children to be healthier and safer and to acquire skills that will enable them to be more resilient.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s education is prioritised. Staff collaborate closely with children’s schools. This has enabled children to improve their attendance, engagement and achievement. Staff talk to children about their future career and help them to search for college courses. This has enabled one child to develop a sense of pride in their achievements and to be aspirational for their future. Staff are patient with children who struggle to engage in education and are innovative in the ways they support the child to learn. The manager consistently and strongly advocates with education professionals for children to have a school place that meets their needs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are registered with health services. Staff have demonstrated persistence and care in supporting one child to engage with visiting the dentist. Staff also ensure that children have support with any additional health needs when they need it. The home’s therapist is a consistent presence in the home. They sensitively build relationships with children and are available to support children when children feel the time is right.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have many opportunities to share their views in day-in-day discussions and planned meetings. Staff support children to explore their identities by talking with Inspection report children’s home: 2724258 4 children about their hobbies and interests and helping them to buy clothes that suit their tastes. Staff develop the children’s understanding of the world around them. For example, children are made aware of events such as Black History Month and celebrations such as Christmas and Diwali.

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

Children are kept safe by staff who understand the risks they face and how to manage them. Detailed risk management plans, reviewed by the therapist, emphasise the importance of strong relationships and therapeutic responses. Incidents are rare and children show respect for the home and for the staff.

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

Incidents of children having to be held are rare because of the positive relationships children share with staff, and staff are skilled in helping children when they are anxious and upset. Since the last inspection, there has been one incident of a child being held to keep them safe. The use of the intervention was necessary and proportionate.

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

Children are enabled to share their worries and concerns because staff have strong and trusting relationships with children. They benefit from regular planned and unplanned discussions with staff on how to recognise and respond to risk. This helps the child to understand how to stay safe. Consistent routines and well-defined boundaries help children regulate their emotions. As a result, children are safe and they say they feel safe.

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

When children go missing from the home, staff follow children’s plans and work with partner professionals to ensure that children are returned to the home safely. Staff speak to children to understand why they have gone missing, and work with them to help them make safer choices. Additionally, managers ensure that children have an opportunity to speak with an independent person about their experiences.

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

Effective partnership working and information-sharing help protect children from harm. When children’s risks in the community increase, managers escalate concerns. They then work collaboratively with safeguarding agencies, including the police, and implement agreed plans.

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

Staff receive training about online risks to children. Additionally, managers ensure that systems are in place to regularly update staff knowledge about these risks. Staff use a variety of approaches to manage children’s online risks, which include working in partnership with children to agree online safety plans and educating children to use their phone and other devices more safely.

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

On one occasion, a child made an allegation of harm against staff working in the home. Managers did not notify the regulator. This limits the regulator’s ability to maintain independent oversight of the home. Inspection report children’s home: 2724258 5

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is child focused and ambitious for the children in her care. She has robust oversight of all aspects of children’s care, which she uses to make improvements and to support children’s progress. The manager and deputy have worked at the home since it was registered and have been a consistent presence in the lives of both children. They have an open-door policy to ensure that they are available to staff and to children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is skilled at building positive working relationships with partner agencies. This promotes partnership working and ensures that children receive the correct support. External professionals speak highly of the manager, highlighting strong communication, good partnership working, advocacy and a focus on children as being particular strengths.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff say that they enjoy working at the home. They speak about the children with warmth and enthusiasm and are committed to creating an environment in which children can thrive. Staff feel valued by the manager and recognise her dedication to the home and the support she offers. Because staff enjoy working at the home, turnover of staff is low. This means that children develop meaningful relationships with consistent adults who know them well.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Management oversight of staff training is robust and supports a learning culture. Staff receive good quality training, including face-to-face training, relevant to children’s needs. Additionally, staff receive regular guidance in therapeutic care from the company therapist. This ensures that staff are knowledgeable and are well equipped to provide high-quality care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The staff team is well qualified. Five staff have a relevant qualification and five are enrolled. Managers recognise staff’s strengths and experience and use this to improve the quality of care for children. For example, one staff member, who has a background in psychology, supports a child to understand their care plan using adaptations that account for the child’s abilities.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Effective monitoring systems are in place. These provide the manager with detailed oversight of the care and support children receive. Where areas for improvement have been identified, appropriate changes to practice have been implemented. Inspection report children’s home: 2724258 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 notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if—

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Requirement Due date

there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there. (Regulation 40 (4)(c))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the registered person ensuring that Ofsted is informed of any allegation made by children against a person working in the home. 11 January 2026

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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 children’s home: 2724258 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Cedarways Residential Child Care Albury House Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 45 Burton Road, Branston, Burton-on-Trent DE14 3DL

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Karmen Buckerfield

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Inspector

Karen Gillingwater, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children’s home: 2724258 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.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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