Children's Home run by Safe Haven (Childrens Homes) LTD in Nottingham

Inspection report for children’s home: 2836695 1 Registered provider: Safe Haven (Children’s Homes) 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 is operated by a private provider. It is registered to care for up to two children who may require support with social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in June 2025. He has submitted his application to voluntary cancel his registration and is currently working his notice period. A new manager has been appointed.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, two children who are siblings were living at the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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requires improvement to be good

How well children and young people are helped and protected requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The children’s home is not yet delivering good help and care for children and young people. However, there are no serious or widespread failures that result in their welfare not being safeguarded or promoted.

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requires improvement to be good

Date of last inspection: not previously inspected

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: not applicable

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: not applicable Inspection report for children’s home: 2836695 2

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improvement to be good

The overall experiences of children are impacted by shortfalls in the other two judgement areas. Despite this, children do have some positive experiences of living here.

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improvement to be good

Children live in a home environment that is maintained to a high standard. Bedrooms are personalised with belongings that reflect individual interests, helping children feel a sense of ownership and comfort. Staff make thoughtful efforts to celebrate special occasions, such as birthdays and Christmas, recognising that these times can evoke mixed emotions for children.

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improvement to be good

Moving into the home is managed with care and sensitivity. Staff plan introductions thoughtfully meeting children beforehand. For these children a visit from their mother was organised so she could see where her children would be living. This approach helped to make a difficult experience as respectful and reassuring as possible for the children and their family.

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improvement to be good

Staff continue to prioritise positive relationships with children’s immediate and wider family. This has been particularly important in helping children see that both staff and family are working together to support them to settle. Family time is facilitated in a way that considers the wishes of children and their relatives, and families are included in special occasions where possible.

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improvement to be good

Children have developed positive relationships with staff and enjoy spending time with them both at home and in the local community. However, recent staff turnover has affected continuity of care and, at times, disrupted the stability of these relationships. While staff have worked hard to minimise the impact, this remains an area for improvement.

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improvement to be good

Children do not frequently go missing from the home. However, on one occasion, a child was missing for 12 hours before staff noticed he was not in his bedroom. This raises serious concerns about staff practice, supervision, and the ability to meet children’s basic care needs. Once staff became aware, they followed the missing protocol, and the child was safely located and returned home. The subsequent investigation was robust, resulting in lessons learned and actions implemented to improve overall practice.

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improvement to be good

Staffing shortfalls and inconsistencies have led to discrepancies in setting and maintaining boundaries for children. Differing views between the manager and staff have caused conflict within the team and impacted decision-making. For example, some staff have been reluctant to use rewards during school hours, while the manager has wanted to Inspection report for children’s home: 2836695 3 prioritise engagement and relationship-building. These inconsistent approaches have affected the clarity and effectiveness of behaviour management.

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improvement to be good

Positive rewards and achievable incentives are the preferred strategies for supporting children to make positive choices. However, consequences have not been used consistently, and where they have been applied, they have sometimes been disproportionate and punitive. A lack of management oversight meant these incidents were not fully explored with staff or children.

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improvement to be good

One incident involved a child self-harming. The recording and response lacked sufficient detail and robustness. For example, a body map was available but not completed, and a room search was not considered as part of safeguarding measures. These gaps indicate weaknesses in staff practice and management oversight.

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improvement to be good

Children’s risk assessments and care planning documentation have recently improved and now better reflect current risks and behaviours. Staff who know the children well demonstrate good understanding of their needs, and newer staff are committed to building relationships to ensure children are supported effectively.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The manager has faced significant challenges since the home was registered, particularly in retaining a stable staff team. This has contributed to shortfalls in care delivery and impacted children’s experiences. While the manager’s vision and good intentions are evident in the initial set-up of the home and in his relationships with children, these have not always been shared or implemented consistently by the wider team.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The senior leadership team has taken steps to strengthen the running of the home. Experienced staff have been deployed to address identified shortfalls, and improvements are already evident. There are early signs of greater stability and consistency in care practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Staff supervision has not been regular or consistent, largely due to staffing difficulties. This has resulted in missed opportunities to address gaps in practice and support staff development. A supervision plan is now in place to ensure all staff receive effective oversight from experienced senior staff.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Team meetings have taken place monthly, but they have lacked clear agendas and structure. Minutes have reflected unproductive discussions and conflicting views among staff, some of whom are no longer employed. This has limited the effectiveness of team communication and planning.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Staff benefit from a comprehensive induction process, which has been further strengthened following lessons learned from recent investigations. In addition, staff have access to a range of training opportunities to enhance their skills and improve the quality of care provided to children. Inspection report for children’s home: 2836695 4 Leadership and management require further development to ensure consistent practice, effective oversight, and a shared vision across the team. The newly appointed manager and senior leaders are committed to achieving this, and progress is beginning to be seen. Inspection report for children’s home: 2836695 5

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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 protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— that staff—

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Requirement Due date

understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person;

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Requirement Due date

that the home’s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm. (Regulation 12 (1)(2)(a)(v)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to staff ensuring they are fully aware of the expectations of their role when completing welfare checks on children. This includes ensuring that children’s basic care needs are met if a child remains in their bedroom for an extended period. 11 January 2026

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Requirement Due date

The leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that—

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Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

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Requirement Due date

lead and manage the home in a way that is consistent with the approach and ethos, and delivers the outcomes, set out in the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff work as a team where appropriate; 11 January 2026 Inspection report for children’s home: 2836695 6 ensure that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child;

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Requirement Due date

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b)(2)(a)(b)(d)(e)(h))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring that consistent staff are in place to meet the needs of all children living in the home and to ensure that safe and supportive care can be delivered. Monitoring systems for the manager should be in place to ensure that any shortfall or learning can be addressed to improve care for children.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees—

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Requirement Due date

receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience. (Regulation 33 (4)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the manager ensuring that staff receive supervision in line with the homes Statement of Purpose and this is documented. 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 for children’s home: 2836695 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Safe Haven (Children’s Homes) Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 3.1 Clarendon Park, Clumber Avenue, Nottingham NG5 1AH

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Inspector

Kayleigh Spinks, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2836695 8 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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