Children's home run by Worcestershire County Council

Inspection report for children's home: 2812372 1 Registered provider: Worcestershire County Council Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children's home

This home is registered to provide short breaks for up to 6 children with learning difficulties and/or physical disabilities. At the time of this inspection, a total of 20 children were accessing the services of the home. Four children were having a short break during the inspection, and all were seen by the inspector.

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Information about this children's home

The manager registered with Ofsted in September 2024. She is a qualified social worker and holds a level 5 diploma in leadership and management.

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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: 18 February 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: 2812372 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

18/02/2025 Full Good Inspection report for children's home: 2812372 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children benefit from care provided by a staff team that knows them well. Staff demonstrate warmth and playfulness in their interactions, which helps children feel valued and secure.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children enjoy visiting the home, describing it as fun and welcoming. Observations confirm that children are relaxed and happy during their stays.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff provide a wide range of stimulating activities both in the home and in the community. The recent addition of a minibus has significantly enhanced opportunities for children to access social and leisure experiences. As a result, children who previously had limited outings now enjoy trips to places such as the cinema, parks and places of interest. Plans are in place for further experiences, including attending a pantomime.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Seasonal celebrations are well promoted. For example, the home was decorated for Christmas, and children took part in themed activities during Halloween. These all contributed to a sense of belonging and enjoyment.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home environment is welcoming and well maintained. Children have access to a variety of toys, games, arts and crafts, a sensory room and outdoor space. The bathroom has recently been refurbished. It now has a larger specialist jacuzzi-type bath, which children enjoy. Staff prepare children's bedrooms in advance with personalised items and bedding, ensuring that children feel comfortable and valued.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children's views are actively sought and acted on. Staff consult children daily about activities and meals. Children can use the home's suggestion box and questionnaires to share feedback and make requests. Feedback is considered carefully, and, where possible, requests are implemented, promoting children's voice and choice.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff work closely with families and education professionals to support children's progress. Individual targets, drawn from education, health and care plans, are incorporated into play and themed activities, enabling children to learn and develop in a fun and engaging way.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Moves into and out of the home are well managed. The manager considers carefully which children are at the home at the same time to ensure positive experiences and friendships. When children move on to the next stages of their lives, staff provide sensitive support, including farewell celebrations and memory books. This helps children understand and reflect on their time at the home. Inspection report for children's home: 2812372 4

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

Staff know children well and demonstrate a good understanding of their health, communication and behavioural needs. This ensures that children receive care tailored to their individual requirements. However, some records lack complete information or contain inconsistencies. This shortfall has the potential to cause confusion and may mean that staff, particularly those new to the home, do not have a full understanding of risks.

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

Careful matching of children by the manager contributes to a calm and positive environment. As a result, incidents are rare, physical intervention is not used and children do not go missing from the home.

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

Children's health needs are managed effectively. Staff follow specialist feeding plans and support specific dietary requirements as directed by families and professionals. They understand the actions to take should a child become unwell, including responding appropriately to medical emergencies such as seizures.

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

When family members provide food for a child, staff do not consistently check that it is at a safe temperature. This creates a potential risk to children's health.

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

Staff understand the fire safety arrangements for the home. Children have personal emergency evacuation plans, and staff and children participate in annual fire drills. The manager has strengthened emergency preparedness by improving the grab bag, which now includes items such as blankets and a high-visibility vest for the lead person. However, the use of doorstops on upstairs office doors compromises fire safety arrangements because these doors would not automatically close in the event of a fire.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home is led by an experienced and knowledgeable registered manager who sets high expectations for herself and the staff team. Her commitment to continuous improvement is evident in the quality of care provided and the positive experiences of children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager maintains strong and effective relationships with families and professionals. Feedback from all stakeholders is overwhelmingly positive, with many praising the registered manager's dedication and the welcoming atmosphere that is created in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Complaints from parents are managed promptly and effectively. The manager ensures that concerns are resolved to the satisfaction of families and that they are fully informed of actions taken.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Parents and professionals consistently report that children enjoy their stays and have fun. One staff member was frequently mentioned for her positive impact. Inspection report for children's home: 2812372 5 The registered manager is proactive in developing both her own knowledge and that of the staff team. She undertakes research and shares learning through team meetings, covering topics such as attachment, and signposts staff to further training opportunities.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

When children's needs change, the registered manager ensures that staff receive relevant training before the child's arrival. Examples include sessions delivered by speech and language therapists to support feeding regimes and communication strategies. Additional learning, such as understanding Down's syndrome, has been incorporated into staff development plans.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff progression is well supported. The registered manager mentors staff, shares her expertise and encourages professional development through qualifications such as level 4 and 5 diplomas. This approach promotes a skilled and confident workforce. Inspection report for children's home: 2812372 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 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—

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Requirement Due date

assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the child's relevant plans, and, if necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child;

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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)(i)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This relates to plans for children. In particular, that they contain all the information needed of known risks and action staff are to take to keep children safe; that epilepsy plans are correct on all documents; that food brought in from a child's home is at the correct temperature on arrival; and that fire doors are not propped open in a way that means they will not automatically close in the event of a fire. 16 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: 2812372 7

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Children's home details

Registered provider: Worcestershire County Council

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Children's home details

Registered provider address: County Hall, Spetchley Road, Worcester WR5 2NP

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Inspector

Debbie Bond, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: 2812372 8 regulates 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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