Children's home run by Spectrum Care Services

Inspection report for children’s home: 2594148 1 Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

This privately owned children’s home is registered to care for three children who may have learning disabilities and other complex health needs.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in October 2025 and is suitably experienced and qualified.

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

p.1

outstanding

How well children and young people are helped and protected outstanding

p.1

outstanding

The effectiveness of leaders and managers outstanding

p.1

outstanding

The children’s home provides highly effective services that consistently exceed the standards of good. The actions of the children’s home contribute to significantly improved outcomes and positive experiences for children and young people who need help, protection and care.

p.1

outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

p.1

outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2594148 2

p.1

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

11/03/2025 Full Good 16/01/2024 Full Outstanding 21/02/2023 Full Outstanding 12/01/2022 Full Outstanding Inspection report for children’s home: 2594148 3

p.2

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

This is a home in which children thrive. The staff team create a warm, loving and nurturing environment where children are safe and well cared for. The garden, sensory room and play areas are purposely designed to provide safety and fun for children. Children’s bedrooms have different furnishings that are matched to each child’s needs and reflect their personalities. Children remain central to everything staff do. The staff ensure that children enjoy positive and enriching experiences, which contributes to them achieving outstanding outcomes.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children who live in the home make exceptional progress, this is because of the consistently high standards of care that are delivered by a well-led, highly skilled and resolute team. Despite children’s learning disabilities and complex needs, they make considerable developmental progress in all areas of their lives. Staff provide children with outstanding levels of care and support, and they have very close relationships. The staff ensure that children’s achievements are celebrated. This means that children with the most complex needs lead fulfilling and enriched lives.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Positive communication is a priority and is always in the child’s preferred method. The dedication from staff to get this right is immense. Staff know the children very well and are attuned to their individual communication needs. Children communicate using signs, symbols and pictures, and they always have access to these specialist systems. Staff receive in-depth training about the best way to communicate with children. This allows the children to make their wishes and feelings known. The child’s mechanism to have a voice is always with them.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff organise activities that enrich children’s lives. The staff support children to enjoy an abundance of new experiences and enjoyable activities. Care is carefully planned by staff, and risk assessments are carried out. This means there are no unnecessary barriers to children enjoying these experiences. Children are very well prepared for new experiences through an extensive use of signs, symbols and stories to support their understanding. Staff understand the importance of children experiencing consistent and predictable routines, so this is fully embedded throughout the children’s care experiences.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children’s discharges are remarkably well planned. This is because staff understand that working together with professionals, parents, schools and children is a significant element of this process. Before children move out the home, they visit their new home and get to know the new staff who will be caring for them. This ensures that each child receives tailored, individualised support. Children leaving the service enjoy memorable leaving parties, gifts and beautiful memory books full of photos of their time living in the home. Inspection report for children’s home: 2594148 4 Children’s health needs are expertly addressed. The staff work in partnership with medical professionals effectively, and they respond to the evolving care needs of the children. They use information and guidance, alongside research, to help them modify their practice for the benefit of the children. This enables the children to have stability,

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

security and consistent care from a team that fully understands their needs.

p.4

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children can recognise and value their own achievements because the staff routinely celebrate and report on the exceptional progress that the children are making. This progress is significant, considering the children’s complexities, historical challenges and needs. Children are celebrated through regular progress parties where professionals, families, children and staff are invited to attend. Photos and videos are shared capturing the children’s journey and remarkable achievements.

p.4

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

A positive safeguarding culture is embedded in the home. The manager has excellent oversight of safeguarding. Staff understand their roles and responsibilities to keep children safe. The knowledge and understanding that staff have about children, their vulnerabilities and potential risks helps them to keep them incredibly safe.

p.4

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

Leadership, management and staff cohesion are clear strengths and ensure the safety and welfare of children. Strategic reviews of all incidents in the home provide constant evaluation of staff practice and highlight children’s changing needs. The manager has developed and maintains effective systems to track children’s needs and behaviours. These highlight emerging themes which inform changes to staff’s responses to children. Staff said that these systems have had a hugely positive impact on their care practice and consistency in meeting children’s needs.

p.4

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

Staff know the children exceptionally well. They pick up on social cues if children are struggling and need some support. Staff have a high level of intuition, are responsive to children and understand them. This means that children quickly get the support they need before their behaviour escalates. Restraint has not been necessary to keep children safe.

p.4

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

Staff understand children’s needs and risks extremely well. This ensures that the potential risks to children are understood and reduced. The children’s individual risk assessments and care plans are extremely thorough. They provide staff with clear, concise information about how children need to be supported. Staff know and understand the underlying causes of challenging behaviours that children may exhibit. As a result, staff employ well-considered strategies to manage behaviour.

p.4

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

The manager and staff strongly advocate for children. They are extremely focused on children’s welfare and safety and escalate any concerns to appropriate agencies without delays. Inspection report for children’s home: 2594148 5

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The home is run by an aspirational, experienced and suitably qualified manager. She is supported by a knowledgeable and committed deputy. They are passionate about creating opportunities that promote children’s progress, and they have a clear vision for the children in their care. They are proud of how the members of the staff team have significantly influenced and enhanced children’s lives.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Highly effective leadership promotes a strong ethos and culture of high aspiration and positivity. Staff are extremely committed to their work and speak with immense pride and affection about children’s achievements. Staff work well together and look for new opportunities for children. Staff love working at the home. One staff member said, ’The management team have high standards of care, which is reflected through the staff team. Expectations are clear, and everyone works together as one team with the same goals and understanding. This makes us a happy, nurturing home where the children are truly thriving’.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager maintains excellent oversight of the service. She uses exceptional auditing tools, which improves the quality of care. As a result, the manager has an effective insight into the home’s strengths and areas for development. The manager and staff have huge motivation and enthusiasm. They strive to provide positive outcomes for children and improve the operation of the home.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Professionals provide unanimously positive feedback about the team and how they ensure that their children are well cared for. The manager and team have developed secure partner relationships. They work extremely hard to develop and sustain commendable relationships with external professional agencies. Communication is a strength at this home. Staff and managers ensure that everyone is updated on a regular basis. Working this way allows individuals to feel valued and involved in the children’s care. The manager promotes working together to ensure that children are getting the best care and opportunities. This provides the manager with the confidence and credibility to advocate for children and challenge decision-making. One social worker told the inspector, ‘They are amazing. My child’s progress has been astronomical; they are like a different child to the child that moved in. They go above and beyond in everything

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

they do. They are exceptional. I would love to clone this home so more children would have the opportunity to live somewhere like this’.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager takes responsibility for her own learning and development, including keeping up to date with new initiatives and research specific to the children’s individualised needs. She has been hugely creative in her thinking and is constantly looking for new ingenious ways to support staff, to sustain the highest quality of care for children. Learning from research such as Pica, understanding sensory processing needs and communication styles has been embedded into practice. This research-based practice has enhanced children’s experiences and the quality of the care provided. Inspection report for children’s home: 2594148 6 The remarkably strong leadership of the home and the quality of care create an environment where staff are proud to work, and children are proud to live. Consequently, no requirements or recommendations have been made. Inspection report for children’s home: 2594148 7

p.5

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: 2594148 8

p.7

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 20 Birmingham Road, Walsall WS1 2LT

p.8

Inspector

Marianne Grandfield, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2594148 9 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.8

Inspector

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.9

Inspector

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.9

Inspector

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.9