Children's Home run by Positive Outcomes Childcare Ltd in Dudley

Assurance inspection report for children's home: SC483958 1 SC483958

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Registered provider: Positive Outcomes Childcare Ltd

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This is a privately owned children’s home that provides care for up to 3 children who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in November 2025. She was not present during the inspection.

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Inspection date: 18 December 2025

Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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Inspection date: 18 December 2025

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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Information about this inspection

At this inspection, the inspector evaluated:

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Information about this inspection

 the care of children  the safety of children  the effectiveness of leaders and managers. The inspector has looked closely at the experiences and progress of children, using the social care common inspection framework. This assurance 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’. Assurance inspection report for children's home: SC483958 2

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Findings from the inspection

We did not identify any serious or widespread concerns in relation to the care or protection of children at this assurance inspection.

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Findings from the inspection

Two children were living at the home at the time of the inspection and both were spoken to. Interactions between staff and children are positive, and a consistent therapeutic approach is used. This has ensured that children feel happy, safe and cared for in the home.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff work well with external professionals and families to promote children’s best interests. For example, staff have completed specific training to support a child’s significant health needs. Also, they maintain regular contact with the health team to ensure the child’s health needs are met. This proactive approach helps to reduce risks associated with the child’s medical condition.

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Findings from the inspection

Children are confident in raising concerns about staff practice and sharing worries with staff and the manager. The manager follows safeguarding procedures, and senior managers complete thorough internal investigations to ensure children’s safety. However, children are not always involved in these investigations or informed about the findings and outcomes. This limits children’s ability to feel heard and valued.

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Findings from the inspection

Since the last inspection, two children have moved into the home. Both children experienced supportive moves into the home, including opportunities beforehand to meet staff and visit the home. This provided reassurance to the children during important moments in their lives.

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Findings from the inspection

Children’s moves out of the home are not always planned effectively. One child’s move was sudden and unplanned following a significant incident, while another child’s move was more planned. Leaders and managers have not ensured that staff receive sufficient risk management information or the support needed to understand children’s presenting and changing risks. As a result, staff were not consistently able to assess children’s risks dynamically or provide safe, responsive care. This contributed to children having to leave the home.

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Findings from the inspection

Leaders and managers have not ensured that children live in a clean and welcoming home environment. Staff do not support children to maintain their bedrooms effectively. For example, children’s clothes and other items were scattered on the floor, and dirty plates and cutlery had not been removed. This does not promote a therapeutic, nurturing environment where children feel valued and cared for.

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Findings from the inspection

Leaders and managers have implemented monitoring and review systems to oversee the care and support provided to children, and their evaluation of incidents is improving. However, these systems do not consistently assess the impact of care on children’s experiences, identify shortfalls in staff practice or capture learning to drive Assurance inspection report for children's home: SC483958 3 improvement. As a result, opportunities to enhance the quality of care are missed, particularly when children’s needs change or safeguarding concerns emerge.

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Findings from the inspection

Since the last inspection, there have been some changes to the staff team. At times, this has had an impact on some children’s experiences in the home. Leaders and managers are aware of this and are working closely with one child to manage their anxiety. They are actively recruiting and strengthening support for staff to improve stability and ensure children receive good care.

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Findings from the inspection

As a result of the shortfalls identified at this inspection, two requirements have been restated and one additional requirement raised.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

14/07/2025 Full Requires improvement to be good 10/09/2024 Full Good 30/05/2023 Full Good 27/04/2022 Full Good Assurance inspection report for children's home: SC483958 4

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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

help each child to understand how to keep safe;

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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; and

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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)(ii)(v)(b))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that children’s risks are known, reviewed and updated after incidents and any changes are communicated effectively to staff. Also, the registered person must ensure that children are supported in understanding how to keep safe.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated. 18 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 18 January 2026 Assurance inspection report for children's home: SC483958 5 promotes their welfare.

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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;

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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

understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home.

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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)(e)(f)(h))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that they consider the impact of the care provided by staff, along with children’s wishes and feelings, to inform the development of the quality of care provided. The registered person must ensure that they are supporting the staff team in line with the home’s statement of purpose and ethos.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated.

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Requirement Due date

The quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children;

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Requirement Due date

use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential.

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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

ensure that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed and furnished so as to— 18 January 2026 Assurance inspection report for children's home: SC483958 6 meet the needs of each child; and

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Requirement Due date

enable each child to participate in the daily life of the home. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(c)(i)(ii))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that the home environment is well maintained and, specifically, staff support children to maintain the cleanliness of their bedrooms more effectively. Assurance inspection report for children's home: SC483958 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Positive Outcomes Childcare Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 1 Agriculture House, Southwater Way, Telford, Shropshire TF3 4NR

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Inspector

Hayley Booth, Social Care Inspector Assurance inspection report for children's home: SC483958 8 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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