Children's Home run by Redwood Childcare Ltd in Leicestershire

Assurance inspection report for children's home: 2785973 1 Registered provider: Redwood Childcare Ltd

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is privately owned and provides care for up to 4 children who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The home registered on 26 June 2024. The manager also registered with Ofsted in June 2024.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, 3 children were living at the home. Since the last visit, 2 children have left the home and 2 children have moved into the home. Two children contributed to the inspection. One child was given the opportunity to share their views but chose not to.

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Inspection date: 8 January 2026

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: 2785973 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

Children are making positive progress in their education. Two children who have previously been out of education are now engaging well with a tutor and are beginning to re-establish effective learning routines. One child has expressed a desire to attend mainstream college. The manager works proactively with external agencies to ensure that children receive appropriate support and are enabled to make progress in line with their individual needs. One child has successfully completed their GCSEs and has achieved positive outcomes.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff recognise the importance of family relationships for children. Staff actively support children to have meaningful contact with their families and welcome family members into the home where this is appropriate. One child’s mum came to the home on Christmas Day. This ensured they were able to celebrate this occasion together.

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Findings from the inspection

There have been 6 occasions of children going missing from home since the last inspection. These relate to 2 children. Missing-from-home protocols are followed. On one occasion, a child left the home unnoticed. When staff realised, protocols were followed. The manager completed some focused work with the staff team to reinforce procedures about missing-from-home incidents. Adjustments were also made to the home’s door alarms to reduce the risk of reoccurrence.

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Findings from the inspection

Immediate notice was issued in respect of one child due to escalating risks arising from interactions between 2 children living in the home. The manager and staff had taken proactive steps to mitigate these risks through a range of strategies. These included implementing alternative approaches in the home, holding regular stability meetings with the local authority and adjusting staffing levels to ensure that appropriate supervision was maintained.

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Findings from the inspection

There have been changes to the management arrangements in this home. The manager is now dual registered. She is the registered manager of another home in the same company. There has also been a new deputy manager appointed. This affected management oversight in the home for a period. There are now arrangements in place to address this.

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Findings from the inspection

Positive feedback was received regarding one child’s progress. The social worker reported a reduction in incidents and noted improvements in the child’s emotional wellbeing. The child has developed positive and trusting relationships with adults in the home, which is enabling him to feel secure and supported in processing and managing more complex emotions. Assurance inspection report for children's home: 2785973 3 Behaviour management strategies are not consistent for children. This has led to heightened behaviour from children at times, which has escalated situations. One child was held on 2 separate occasions, which the manager accepts could have been avoided with more effective practice.

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Findings from the inspection

The recording of physical interventions is not compliant, as records do not clearly describe who is holding the child or evidence strategies used to try and de-escalate the presented situation. This limits the ability of leaders to effectively monitor practice, evaluate the appropriateness of interventions and ensure consistency with agreed behaviour management strategies.

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Findings from the inspection

One physical intervention documented an unapproved hold being used. The child also commented that after the intervention, they felt uncomfortable around one member of staff. This was not followed up robustly by the manager.

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Findings from the inspection

The failure to address the child’s feedback and review the use of an unapproved hold in full significantly undermines safeguarding practice. It limits opportunities to understand the child’s experience and ensure that staff conduct is appropriate. This shortfall reduces the child’s sense of safety and trust in the adults caring for them and demonstrates ineffective oversight by leaders.

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Findings from the inspection

There was one significant incident identified that was not reported to Ofsted. This is in breach of Regulation 40. This failure to report limits external scrutiny and oversight of serious events in the home.

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Findings from the inspection

Not all requirements and recommendations were reviewed at this assurance inspection. These will be reviewed at the next inspection. Assurance inspection report for children's home: 2785973 4

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

14/05/2025 Full Good 01/10/2024 Full Requires improvement to be good Assurance inspection report for children's home: 2785973 5

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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

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. (Regulation 12 (2)(a)(i))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, where physical intervention has been used, the manager must ensure that there is robust oversight. This includes ensuring that any concerns raised by children are adequately addressed. 30 Jan 2026

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Requirement Due date

within 24 hours of the use of a measure of control, discipline or restraint in relation to a child in the home, a record is made which includes—

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Requirement Due date

details of the child’s behaviour leading to the use of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

the date, time and location of the use of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

a description of the measure and its duration;

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Requirement Due date

details of any methods used or steps taken to avoid the need to use the measure;

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Requirement Due date

the name of the person who used the measure ("the user"), and of any other person present when the measure was used; 30 Jan 2026 Assurance inspection report for children's home: 2785973 6 the effectiveness and any consequences of the use of the measure; and

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Requirement Due date

a description of any injury to the child or any other person, and any medical treatment administered, as a result of the measure. (Regulation (35) (3)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, this relates to leaders ensuring that any incident where physical intervention has been used is recorded accurately and that it is clear what methods of de-escalation were used to prevent the use of a hold. The manager must also ensure that it is clear who is holding a child and where.

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Requirement Due date

This also relates to the manager ensuring that children receive consistent boundaries across the staff team in order to avoid escalating behaviours.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if—

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Requirement Due date

a child is involved in or subject to, or is suspected of being involved in or subject to, sexual exploitation;

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Requirement Due date

an incident requiring police involvement occurs in relation to a child which the registered person considers to be serious;

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Requirement Due date

there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there;

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Requirement Due date

a child protection enquiry involving a child —

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Requirement Due date

concludes (in which case, the notification must include the outcome of the child protection enquiry); or

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Requirement Due date

there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40 (4)(a)(b)(c)(d)(i)(ii)(e)

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the manager must inform Ofsted of incidents that are serious. 30 Jan 2026 Assurance inspection report for children's home: 2785973 7

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that every child understands their rights in relation to accessing an advocate. Children should be offered an advocate, and this should be kept under regular review. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 23, paragraph 4.17)  The registered person should ensure that children are offered the opportunity to speak with someone independent after a period of missing from home. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’ page 12, paragraph 2.8)  The registered person should ensure that staff are confident in how to respond to incidents where children self-harm. There should be a clear plan of response detailed in the children’s planning. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 42, paragraph 9.5) Assurance inspection report for children's home: 2785973 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Redwood Childcare Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 470 Hucknall Road, Nottingham NG5 1FX

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Inspector

Becky Thompson, Social Care Inspector Assurance inspection report for children's home: 2785973 9 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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Inspector

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