Children's home run by Inroads Essex Limited in Mid Suffolk

Inspection report for children's home: SC069178 1 SC069178 Registered provider: Inroads Essex 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 is registered to care for up to 9 children. The home cares for children with a range of intellectual and developmental disabilities.

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Information about this children’s home

The home consists of 2 individual houses on one site.

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Information about this children’s home

The previous manager left in April 2025. A new manager has been appointed and has applied to register with Ofsted.

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Information about this children’s home

During the inspection, 6 children were living at the home.

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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 requires improvement to be 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: 4 February 2025

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children's home: SC069178 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

04/02/2025 Full Good 15/08/2023 Full Good 10/10/2022 Full Good 12/01/2022 Full Good Inspection report for children's home: SC069178 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

At the time of this inspection, 6 children were living at the home, 3 children in one house and 3 in the other house on site. During the visit, 4 children were seen by the inspectors. One child proudly showed off their room and gave an inspector a guided tour around both houses.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Since the previous inspection, one child has left the home. This move was well planned, and staff have remained in touch. The child returned to the home for an event and had a trip to the zoo with staff. This was a positive experience for the child.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home has undergone a positive and drastic change to the environment. Children now enjoy a large kitchen and dining area to move around more freely. New rooms have been created to spend quality time. A sensory room, with a variety of sensory related items, provides stimulation for children and a games room provides an environment for children to play together and with staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children were seen having fun with staff. One child was playing in the snow and smiling, another child was enjoying staff playing a musical instrument for them. Children have good relationships with staff, and they understand how to communicate with them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff take children out on holidays and day trips. Children enjoy swimming, caravan stays, trips to the beach and to local farms. Children are helped to live a fulfilling life. One child has successfully moved over to the other house, which has resulted in less incidents and improved relationships with their peers.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported with their education and are making progress. Staff make sure they communicate with social workers when there are delays in receiving information to help them with planning. One child is out of school, and the manager is challenging the decision not to admit them. Alternative plans have been arranged to ensure that the child is not missing education for a prolonged period.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

When children have health related emergencies, staff ensure that immediate support is provided and contact health professionals and emergency services when needed. Records are overseen by management, and the quality of written records is good. Inspection report for children's home: SC069178 4

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improvement to be good

Elements of poor practice by some staff has left children at risk of harm. On one occasion staff inappropriately prevented a child from leaving their room. On another occasion a senior staff member walked away from a child while the child was hurting themselves. This meant that the manager had to step in to support the child.

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improvement to be good

At times, managers have been unable to take action to respond to poor practice because staff do not always report their concerns about poor practice immediately.

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improvement to be good

Weaknesses in staff practice have left children at risk of harm. On two occasions staff failed to monitor children who have known risks associated with epilepsy because waking-night staff were sleeping on duty.

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improvement to be good

When leaders and managers have become aware of incidents relating to poor practice, they have responded appropriately by informing local authority designated officers, following disciplinary procedures and implementing necessary safeguards.

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improvement to be good

Risk management and safety plans are clear for staff. When risks are increased, the manager puts in extra measures to keep children safe. When children show behaviour that causes concern, managers take necessary steps to ensure that children are provided with the appropriate support.

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improvement to be good

There have been a number of incidents that have required physical intervention. On each occasion, staff are spoken to and children given the opportunity to share their views and feelings. Since the last inspection, advocacy has been arranged for children, providing them with someone independent from the home to communicate with if needed.

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improvement to be good

Social workers spoken to during the inspection said that information sharing is good, and that their children are receiving effective care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home has no registered manager. The new manager has the relevant qualification and is making improvements in the home while awaiting registration.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Supervision sessions take place regularly and staff are provided with a space to share their views and their worries. The small sample of supervisions reviewed during the inspection indicate that they do not routinely include elements of reflective practice. However, supervisors demonstrate that staff feel supported and able to communicate freely with managers.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Since the last inspection, there has been a reduction in the use of agency staff at the home. This has helped provide a level of consistency for the children. Inspection report for children's home: SC069178 5 The manager knows the children well. She understands how to communicate effectively with children and feels passionate about producing positive outcomes for children in her care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The responsible individual regularly visits the home and spends time with staff and children. The children know him well and are comfortable in his company.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The responsible individual has made improvements to staff welfare since the last inspection by sending cards and arranging time for staff to share their views and ideas.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff complete mandatory training through a combination of online training and face-to- face sessions. However, some staff have not completed refresher training in areas that are relevant to the children’s specific needs. Although there is no clear impact to the children’s care, managers should ensure that systems that monitor staff’s training are effective. Inspection report for children's home: SC069178 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 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

have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm;

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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;

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 12(1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(v)(vi))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that staff use practice that is child centred and promotes children’s safety. Staff should understand the strategies that are in place to manage each child’s risks and incorporate these into their practice. 15 February 2026

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Recommendation

 The registered manager should ensure that staff have the relevant skills and knowledge to be able to: respond to the health needs of children; administer basic first aid and minor illness treatment; help children to manage long-term conditions Inspection report for children's home: SC069178 7 and where necessary meet specific individual health needs arising from a disability, chronic condition or other complex needs. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 34, paragraph 7.12)

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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: SC069178 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Inroads Essex Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Number 3 Siskin Drive, Middlemarch Business Park, Coventry CV3 4FJ

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Inspectors

Dan Williams, Social Care Inspector Sally Sinclair, His Majesty’s Inspector Inspection report for children's home: SC069178 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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