Children's home run by Hebron House Limited

Inspection report children’s home: 2842893 1 Registered provider: Hebron House 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

The home registered with Ofsted in July 2025 and is operated by a private company. It offers care for up to three children who may experience social and emotional difficulties and/or learning disabilities.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in July 2025.

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Information about this children’s home

This is the home’s first full inspection after registration.

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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: not previously inspected

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: Not applicable

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: 2842893 2

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

At the time of this inspection, three children were living at the home and spoke to the inspector.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Planning for children to move into the home is thorough and well thought out. Detailed plans were developed alongside multi-agency professionals. Plans were shared with children and adapted to meet their individual needs. Staff were able to reassure children and build trust. As a result, children settled in quickly.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are helped to make memories of their time living in the home, both individually and with each other. Staff support children to take part in new activities, including caravan holidays, trips to the beach and trampolining. Each child has a memory book containing photos that capture their experiences. This helps children to feel valued and remember their positive experiences.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children spend time with people who are important to them. Staff supervise this time to ensure that children are safe. Family members spend time in the home. Managers and staff adopt a ‘whole family’ approach to caring for children. One family member said, ‘Managers support me as much as they can. They keep me involved. Children see we’re all working together.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children enjoy positive relationships with staff, who know them well. Staff ensure that children’s wishes and feelings are heard. They use creative methods to communicate with children. This includes role play, educational videos and books. Direct work with children is individualised and helps them to explore their feelings.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s educational needs are understood by managers and staff. They ensure that children attend full time education. One education professional said that staff have built strong lines of communication with them. As a result, children are supported to overcome any challenges that they may experience.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children live in a spacious, comfortable home that has a family feel. Photos of children are displayed throughout the home. Children’s bedrooms are personalised according to their individual tastes. Space in the home is utilised well and allows for children to spend time together and individually with staff.

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

Staff safeguard children effectively. Children’s risk management and support plans are detailed and individual to each child. They provide staff with clear direction about how children need to be supported. Plans are regularly reviewed and updated. Inspection report children’s home: 2842893 3 Managers and staff identify risks that may impact on children’s safety effectively. Concerns are escalated to safeguarding professionals to ensure that plans keep children safe.

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

Staff are skilled in using verbal de-escalation methods. Physical intervention is rarely used. When children need to be held to keep them safe, the least intervention is used. Managers speak to children after incidents to help them to understand why it was necessary. Managers evaluate these incidents to consider staff practice and identify any learning.

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

Consequences help children recognise the impact of their behaviour on themselves, and others. Managers review all consequences to ensure that they are proportionate and effective. Reward charts promote positive behaviour and staff give children regular verbal praise. A ‘positive box’ contains a selection of items for children to choose from when they have done well. These strategies help children to learn new skills and build self-esteem.

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

Children are supported by a stable staff team. However, when one member of staff started working in the home, a gap in their employment history was not fully explored.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager has the best interests of children at the centre of her decision- making. She is supported by a strong deputy and together they provide effective leadership to staff. Managers know the children well and their progression is the priority.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff attend regular training in line with the home’s statement of purpose, alongside training to meet children’s individual needs. Monthly clinical supervision is used to discuss children’s needs and consider how they can be met. This supports staff to provide safe and effective care to children and feel confident in their roles.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers support staff to develop and progress in the organisation. There is a culture of ‘growing your own’ that helps staff to feel valued and motivated. Staff are allocated specific areas of responsibility in the home. This creates a sense of shared ownership about how the home operates. The knowledge staff members have is used to enhance the practice of the whole team.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Managers have robust systems in place to monitor the quality of care being provided by staff. Managers evaluate the work staff complete with children and share any learning. Team meetings take place regularly and are well attended.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Children’s records are thoughtfully written and help children to understand their experiences. Managers and staff develop creative ways to gain children’s views, wishes and feelings. Feedback from professionals and family members is valued. However, visits to the home by an independent person did not take place in a timely way. This limits the opportunity for an impartial assessment of the home’s arrangements for caring for children. Inspection report children’s home: 2842893 4 Children are cared for by staff who know them well. Agency staff have not been used. A robust induction helps staff to understand their roles and responsibilities. Staff performance is regularly reviewed. However, feedback from children and professionals is not used to inform this process.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive regular reflective supervision. The health and wellbeing of staff is a priority for managers. The emotional impact of the work on both staff and managers is recognised by leaders. Leaders and managers develop innovative ways to ensure that staff are enabled to provide high-quality care to children. Inspection report children’s home: 2842893 5

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered persons must take to meet the Care Standards Act 2000, Children’s Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the ‘Guide to The Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’. The registered persons must comply within the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety.

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Requirement Due date

full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2. (Regulation 32 (1) (3)(d))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that any gaps in employment are explored in full, and in writing. 21 January 2026

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that an independent person visits the children’s home at least once each month.

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Requirement Due date

The independent person must provide a copy of the independent person’s report to—

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Requirement Due date

upon request, the local authority for the area in which the home is located;

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Requirement Due date

the registered provider and, if applicable, the registered manager; and

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Requirement Due date

the responsible individual (if one is nominated). (Regulation 44 (1) (2)(a)(b)(c)(d)) 21 January 2026

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Recommendations

Inspection report children’s home: 2842893 6  The registered person should ensure that staff appraisals take into account, where reasonable and practical, the views of children and other professionals who have worked with the staff member over the year. (‘Guide to The Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.5)

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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 children’s home: 2842893 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 1 Brewershill Road, Dunstable, Bedfordshire LU6 1AA

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Inspector

Anna Belshaw, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children’s home: 2842893 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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Inspector

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