Children's Home run by Bethel Children’s Care Ltd in Luton

Inspection report for children's home: 2639632 1 Registered provider: Bethel Children’s Care 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 privately owned home provides care for up to two children who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager has been in post since October 2025.

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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 inadequate

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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

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children's home: 2639632 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

29/04/2024 Full Good 10/05/2023 Full Requires improvement to be good 31/08/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good 07/12/2021 Full Good Inspection report for children's home: 2639632 3

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improvement to be good

Since the last inspection, two children have moved out of the home and three children have moved in. At the time of this inspection, two children were living at the home. One child was spoken to as part of the inspection. The manager was present for the duration of the inspection.

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improvement to be good

Staff are not always clear regarding their care roles. One child’s care plan states that the child needs to be ready for education at a certain time in the morning. On both days of the inspection, staff did not ensure that the child was awake, and no effort was made to wake the child up until directed by the manager. Staff failed to recognise that one child’s bedroom needed to be cleaned and tidied. These basic aspects of children’s care are missing.

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improvement to be good

Children’s educational progress is mixed. One child attends school regularly. However, another child is not attending school. The child has six hours of tutoring a week, agreed with the social worker and parent. No other learning opportunities are provided for the child. Managers have not ensured that a structure is in place to provide learning or enrichment opportunities at the home. This limits the child’s educational progress.

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improvement to be good

Staff do not ensure that children have consistent health appointments. Staff had been advised that a child needed a follow-up health test. This was not booked. Staff also failed to follow up advice from a GP for a separate matter. This means that important health matters are not taken seriously, and children’s health may suffer.

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improvement to be good

Key-work sessions take place with children regularly. However, these are not linked to goals and targets in the care plan. The language focuses on the child needing to change rather than acknowledging that staff need to develop their approach. Key-work sessions demonstrate staff’s inexperience. One child is awaiting an assessment for neurodiversity. A key-work session took place with the child about routines, during which the member of staff failed to recognise the child’s neurodiverse needs.

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improvement to be good

Staff support children to see their families. Family time is captured and celebrated through photos. Staff have recently begun to travel long distances to ensure that one child spends time with their family. This is especially important as the child is moving back to live with their family.

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improvement to be good

Staff take children on holiday. Earlier in the year, the children were taken to Cornwall for three nights. Children have also been taken on seasonal days out to local theme parks. This provides children with meaningful memories. Inspection report for children's home: 2639632 4 Staff understand one child’s identity well. Staff ensure that they refer to the child using their preferred pronouns. This demonstrates that their preferences are fully understood by staff.

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improvement to be good

Children are safe. There have been no incidents of children going missing from home or any incidents of restraint. Children do not engage in substance misuse and rarely leave the home alone. The risks are minimal. However, the management oversight of some incidents and complaints does not fully ensure that children are receiving the best care.

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improvement to be good

A parent has made two complaints about the care provided to their child. These include allegations about staff practice. These allegations were investigated by the manager. The local authority designated officer was not contacted. This means that these allegations were not given any oversight from external safeguarding partners.

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improvement to be good

The risk assessments for both children advise that a staff member who has been trained in ligatures will be on shift. This is not the case, as staff have not been trained in ligatures. Staff were unable to identify where the ligature cutters were located. At the time of the inspection, the risk assessment could not be fulfilled, meaning that children could be at risk of harm.

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improvement to be good

It is unclear why the reference to ligature training is made, as this is not documented in either child’s referral paperwork. Parts of children’s risk assessments are identical, which reduces the veracity of the information. Risks that are relevant, such as behaviour that challenges, are documented in risk assessments. However, there is no guidance provided to staff on how they should respond to children. This means that staff do not have useful instructions to follow when children demonstrate that they are angry or upset.

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improvement to be good

The staff do not respond to children in helpful ways. During one incident, records show that one child swore at a member of staff. The staff member removed the child’s internet use for an hour. This is not a relevant consequence. During another incident, one child locked themselves in their bedroom for 30 minutes. Staff remained outside the child’s room ‘listening’. It is not clear what they were listening for. Two weeks before this incident, the child collapsed in the kitchen. Despite this, whilst the child was in their room, the staff did not attempt to intervene in any way. Alongside this, there has also been insufficient support to ensure the child’s emotional well-being after the incident. Staff are unclear on how to help children when they are in an emotional crisis.

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improvement to be good

The May 2025 fire risk assessment identified several actions. It is not clear that these have been met. One action stated that fire doors needed remedial work and a professional inspection every six months. This is overdue, and therefore it is unclear if the remedial work is satisfactory. A second action related to a new fire alarm system being required. This was requested over two months after the fire risk assessment took place. There is no evidence to demonstrate whether the system has been changed. Inspection report for children's home: 2639632 5 Leaders and managers have not ensured that children will be kept safe in the event of a fire.

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improvement to be good

One child has a mobile phone. They are expected to hand this to staff overnight. After a period of the child not agreeing, the staff have helped the child to understand the reasons for needing to hand over their phone at night, alongside their gaming controller.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

This is the manager’s first role as a registered manager. She is currently undertaking her level five qualification. She is supported by an experienced responsible individual. They both recognise the shortfalls identified at this inspection.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Oversight of the home is poor. There have been minimal incidents in the home. However, there is no management oversight of the incident records. This includes an incident that happened in August 2025. As a result, there is no evidence to demonstrate whether the manager has identified poor practice and how staff are being helped to improve their practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Several staff have recently left, leaving agency staff working at the home. Agency staff are not provided with any induction into the home. Only one staff member has signed risk assessments and care plans. Both children are neurodiverse, and it is not clear how the changes in staff are explained to them or how agency staff understand the children’s needs. This has led to children spending most of their time in their bedrooms.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The manager has not ensured that staff are provided with training that is relevant to children’s needs, such as disordered eating. Not all staff have completed training in neurodiversity. This means that staff working with children do not have the knowledge of their needs and risks.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Allegations against staff and incidents involving emergency services have not been notified to Ofsted. The visits carried out by the independent visitor are not thorough and do not help managers to understand the shortfalls in the service provided. Combined, these mean that Ofsted has not been receiving appropriate information about the service. This limits the oversight that Ofsted has.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Three requirements were set at the last inspection. None of them have been met. Leaders and managers have not taken effective action to make the necessary improvements.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Team meetings and supervision sessions take place regularly. These spaces are used to discuss children’s care and talk about strategies that the staff feel work best. Inspection report for children's home: 2639632 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 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

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of 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

demonstrate that practice in the home is informed and improved by taking into account and acting on—

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Requirement Due date

feedback on the experiences of children, including complaints received; and

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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)(c)(f)(g)(ii)(h))

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Requirement Due date

Ensure that leaders and managers identify allegations against staff and that safeguarding partners are consulted with;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that investigations into staff practice are completed appropriately and demonstrate clear outcomes and whether formal performance measures are needed; 1 February 2026 Inspection report for children's home: 2639632 7 ensure the manager provides effective oversight of the service and staff practice that is clearly evidenced;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff, including bank and agency staff, are trained in topics related to children’s needs such as eating disorders, neurodiversity and ligature use;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that agency staff receive a full recorded induction, including time to discuss children’s needs; and

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Requirement Due date

ensure that, through effective care planning, staff are provided with clear instructions on the expectations of their role to include healthy daily routines and consideration of children’s neurodiversity.

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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

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

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare; 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)(v)(vi)(b))

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Requirement Due date

Ensure that risk assessments are a true reflection of children’s current needs and behaviour;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that risk assessments provide staff with clear guidance to take when children are upset and angry; and 1 February 2026 Inspection report for children's home: 2639632 8 ensure that when staff do not follow risk assessments, this is identified by the manager and followed up appropriately.

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Requirement Due date

The education standard is that children make measurable progress towards achieving their educational potential and are helped to do so.

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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

help each child to achieve the child’s education and training targets, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

understand the barriers to learning that each child may face and take appropriate action to help the child to overcome any such barriers;

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Requirement Due date

promote opportunities for each child to learn informally; and

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Requirement Due date

help each child to attend education or training in accordance with the expectations in the child’s relevant plans. (Regulation 8 (1) (2)(a)(i)(iii)(v)(x))

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Requirement Due date

Ensure that for children who are of school age but not attending school full time, a clear plan is in place to demonstrate 25 hours of learning a week;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that a record is kept of the children’s learning and of how staff have encouraged children to take part; and

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff are provided with clear guidelines on how to help children develop a healthy structure and that staff follow these guidelines.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement is restated. 1 February 2026

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Requirement Due date

The health and well-being standard is that—

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Requirement Due date

the health and well-being needs of children are met; and

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Requirement Due date

children receive advice, services and support in relation to their health and well-being; 1 February 2026 Inspection report for children's home: 2639632 9 In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

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Requirement Due date

achieve the health and well-being outcomes that are recorded in the child’s relevant plans; and

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Requirement Due date

take part in activities, and attend any appointments, for the purpose of meeting the child’s health and well-being needs. (Regulation 10 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(i)(iii))

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Requirement Due date

Ensure that medical advice is taken and that follow-up appointments are made; and

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Requirement Due date

ensure that there is a record of children’s appointments, attendance and outcomes.

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Requirement Due date

If the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005(30) applies to the home—

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Requirement Due date

the registered person must ensure that the requirements of that Order and any regulations made under it, except for article 23 (duties of employees), are complied with in respect of the home. (Regulation 25 (2)(b))

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Requirement Due date

Ensure that all actions raised in the fire risk assessment are completed and evidenced.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement is restated. 1 February 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: 2639632 10

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Bethel Children’s Care Ltd

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Inspector

Hannah Phillips, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: 2639632 11 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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