Social care · Children's home inspection (SCCIF)
Children's home run by Penn Inspires Ltd
Summary
What we read, and from where
Click a reading to see it highlighted in the report.
- Group verified
Penn Inspires Ltd
- Inspection date verified
18 Dec 2025
- Inspectors verified
Gill Rudkin
- Helped and protected verified
Good
- Leadership and management verified
Good
- Overall effectiveness verified
Good
- Name on report verified
2792559
- URN verified
2792559
Deep dive
What this report says
In plain English
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Grade profile
Hollow rings show the previous inspection, 2025.
- OverallGood
- Helped and protectedGood
- Leadership and managementGood
70% of comparable inspections in the last three years were graded Good (12,716 inspections).
Tone of the report
How positive or critical the inspectors' language is, from the words they chose. No AI involved.
Reads more warmly than most reports of this type graded Good.
Markers show where typical reports of each grade sit.
How the report reads, start to finish
Every paragraph in order, sized by length. Tap one to see it on the page.
Strengths
Quoted from the report. Tap to see it on the page.
- This approach promotes skilled, confident staff and consistent, high-quality care. p.4
- Photos of the child engaging positively with staff are displayed throughout, promoting a strong sense of belonging and acceptance. p.3
- The child is supported to feel safe and protected by staff, who are building strong, positive relationships with them. p.4
- Both share high expectations for the quality of care and demonstrate a strong commitment to the child’s wellbeing. p.4
- Feedback from education professionals is highly positive; they report that the child is more settled, engages well and benefits from clear boundaries alongside consistent support. p.3
Concerns
Quoted from the report. Tap to see it on the page.
No strong criticism found.
Next steps
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No next steps set out.
What the report dwells on
Topics by how often they come up, coloured by how they are described. Open one for an example.
Anatomy of the report
How the report is built, against others of the same type and grade.
- Pages
- 7
- Words of findings
- 1,032
- shorter than usual (typical 1319)
- Reading level
- Hard
- Flesch 44, typical 51
- Average sentence
- 17 words
- Next steps
- 0
- typical 4
- Hedged sentences
- 0%
- “some”, “not always”, “most”…
Where the words go
Full report text
Inspection report for children’s home: 2792559 1 Registered provider: Penn Inspires Ltd Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework
p.1
Information about this children’s home
The home is owned by a private company. It provides care to up to 3 children who may experience social and emotional difficulties.
p.1
Information about this children’s home
The manager registered with Ofsted in September 2024. The manager is also registered to oversee another children’s home in the company.
p.1
Information about this children’s home
A new responsible individual has joined the home. However, they have yet to have their suitability assessed.
p.1
Overall experiences and progress of
children and young people, taking into account
p.1
good
How well children and young people are helped and protected good
p.1
good
The effectiveness of leaders and managers good
p.1
good
The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.
p.1
good
Overall judgement at last inspection: good
p.1
good
Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2792559 2
p.1
Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement
18/03/2025 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2792559 3
p.2
Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good
The home is spacious, welcoming and maintained to a high standard. It is well cared for and provides a calm, organised environment that supports children’s sense of safety and stability. The décor is personalised to reflect the child’s individuality and interests, creating a homely atmosphere. Photos of the child engaging positively with staff are displayed throughout, promoting a strong sense of belonging and acceptance.
p.3
Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good
At the time of this inspection, one child continues to live in the home, and there have been no children moving in or out since the last visit. The child has made good overall progress since moving in. They attend school regularly and approach learning positively. Feedback from education professionals is highly positive; they report that the child is more settled, engages well and benefits from clear boundaries alongside consistent support. This approach helps the child to build trust and experience stability from key adults, promoting emotional security and confidence.
p.3
Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good
Family time is prioritised and takes place regularly and consistently. When strong emotions arise for the child in relation to family contact, these are recognised and responded to sensitively. Key staff offer direct work to help the child prepare for family time and to develop coping strategies where needed. This proactive approach ensures the child feels supported and emotionally equipped to manage these experiences.
p.3
Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good
The child’s health needs are actively managed within the home, alongside any emotional support identified as appropriate. Staff hold regular discussions focused on the child’s individual needs and stage of development. Where necessary, they work collaboratively with external agencies, including child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) and the school’s pastoral support team, to strengthen emotional wellbeing and build resilience. This joined-up approach ensures the child receives consistent and holistic care.
p.3
Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good
Staff actively promote and encourage the child to develop age-appropriate independent living skills across key areas. This includes tasks such as shopping, cooking and managing their own laundry. These opportunities are important in building the child’s confidence and preparing them for adulthood in the future.
p.3
Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good
There are mechanisms in place for the child to express their views, wishes and feelings around their care. This is integrated into discussions and children’s meetings, which take place on a regular and structured basis. As a result, the child feels listened to and respected and can have a safe space to express their individual needs. Inspection report for children’s home: 2792559 4
p.3
How well children and young people are helped and protected: good
The child is supported to feel safe and protected by staff, who are building strong, positive relationships with them. Staff receive targeted training specific to the child’s needs, equipping them with the skills, knowledge and understanding to respond effectively. This enables staff to gain valuable insight into the child’s experiences and provide care that promotes trust, emotional security and stability.
p.4
How well children and young people are helped and protected: good
Staff demonstrate genuine care for the child, which helps them manage strong feelings and emotions and supports their overall safety. As a result, safeguarding incidents are rare. When concerns do arise, they are managed promptly and effectively, with appropriate actions taken to ensure the child’s welfare.
p.4
How well children and young people are helped and protected: good
Staff provide effective support to the child during times of crisis, reflecting the home’s positive and consistent approach to behaviour management. They use therapeutic strategies, including the playfulness, acceptance, curiosity and empathy (PACE) model, to help reduce escalation and maintain emotional stability. This approach enables the child to manage and regulate their emotions more positively, promoting resilience and trust in the care provided.
p.4
How well children and young people are helped and protected: good
The child is provided with clear opportunities to raise any concerns. This includes access to complaints forms and regular meetings where they can share their views. In addition, the child has consistent contact with their social worker, who has known them for a significant period and visits regularly at the home. This trusted relationship ensures the child feels listened to and supported.
p.4
The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good
The home benefits from an experienced and committed manager who is supported by a trainee manager. Both share high expectations for the quality of care and demonstrate a strong commitment to the child’s wellbeing. Their leadership ensures a positive culture within the home and promotes consistent, child-focused practice.
p.4
The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good
Leaders demonstrate pride in the achievements of their staff team. They have high aspirations and invest in staff development. This contributes to a positive and motivated workforce that is consistent and stable. This ethos creates a child-centred culture of improvements and outcomes for children to thrive as they have safety and predictability and feel their needs are met and understood.
p.4
The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good
The home has a full and stable staff team. Leaders prioritise training and professional development, ensuring staff have time to complete required qualifications so they can meet the child’s needs effectively. In addition to comprehensive training, staff benefit from access to the clinical support team, which provides guidance and strategies to enhance care practice when appropriate. This approach promotes skilled, confident staff and consistent, high-quality care. Inspection report for children’s home: 2792559 5 There is a thorough and robust induction programme for all new employees, with mandatory and specialist training available. Staff feedback is positive, and they say that they are well supported by the leadership team and feel listened to. There are regular and structured team meetings held, which involve reflective case studies to drive improvements and knowledge in practice.
p.4
The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good
Regular supervision and appraisal sessions are in place and used effectively to support staff development and improve practice within the home. These processes focus on individual performance and professional growth, ensuring staff have the guidance and feedback needed to meet the child’s needs. The manager has a clear understanding of the skills and experience within the team, which is aligned to a workforce development plan that is continuously reviewed and updated to maintain high standards of care.
p.5
Information about this inspection
Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people, using the social 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: 2792559 6
p.5
Inspector
Gill Rudkin, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2792559 7 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.
p.6
Inspector
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Inspector
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Inspector
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