Children's home run by Buckinghamshire Council

Inspection report for children’s home: 2852288 1 Registered provider: Buckinghamshire Council Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This is a local authority children’s home that is registered to care for up to two children with social and emotional difficulties. There were two children living at the home at the time of the inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

The home and manager registered with Ofsted in August 2025.

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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 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: not previously inspected

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: not applicable

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: not applicable Inspection report for children’s home: 2852288 2

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home environment is welcoming, safe and child friendly. Staff actively involve children in the day-to-day running of the home, which helps children settle into the home. Children’s views are consistently sought, listened to and reflected in their care planning, enabling them to influence decisions about their lives. Feedback from the children’s professional network confirms that staff effectively meet the needs of the children currently living in the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s health needs are well understood and met. Staff take proactive steps to ensure that children are registered promptly with primary healthcare services as soon as they move into the home. Staff work effectively with specialist services, including mental health professionals, and use flexible and creative approaches to support children to attend and engage with appointments when this is difficult for children. Where appropriate, children are involved in discussions about their medication and supported to understand its purpose and effect on their health and well-being. This helps children to feel informed and supported in managing their own health needs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Both children are in education. Where children are unable to attend school due to their individual circumstances, alternative educational arrangements are put in place to ensure continuity of learning. Children are supported to make progress in education and are encouraged to achieve their academic, career and personal aspirations.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The staff provide a range of positive experiences and activities that reflect children’s interests and hobbies. Managers are exploring opportunities for holidays abroad to broaden children’s experiences and cultural understanding.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support children’s relationships with family and friends. There is effective communication between staff and families, and when it is safe and appropriate, families are welcomed into the home, promoting positive and meaningful family time.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff and the registered manager have a good understanding of children’s emotional needs and support them to develop safe strategies to manage their own conflicts and complex feelings. Children are helped to express their worries and anxieties, particularly about their future, and staff work closely with social workers and the wider professional network to provide consistent and reassuring support.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff know the children’s abilities well and support them to develop independent living skills, in accordance with their individual needs. For example, children have made progress in travelling independently, they take part in shopping and cooking activities at the home and staff support them with their laundry. Managers have reflected on how to further promote children’s independence by reviewing restrictions within the home. Plans are in place to consider relaxing controls around the use of sharp kitchen utensils and Inspection report for children’s home: 2852288 3 household substances, such as laundry detergent, based on individual risk assessments and children’s developing skills.

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

Staff are effective in keeping children safe both in and away from the home. Children’s positive behaviour is encouraged through consistent praise and rewards.

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

There are a low number of incidents, including missing-from-home and the use of physical restraint. When incidents occur, staff respond proportionately and in accordance with local authority safeguarding procedures. For example, physical restraint is used only as a last resort; responses to missing-from-home incidents are well coordinated and there is good communication with relevant professionals and the children’s family when appropriate.

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

Staff demonstrate a good understanding of risks associated with internet use. Appropriate safeguards are in place, including parental controls and regular discussions with children about online safety and the effect of screen use on their emotional well- being. Staff are working with the children to develop more consistent routines around screen time before bedtime.

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

Children can identify trusted adults with whom they can share their worries and feelings. They understand their rights and feel confident to raise concerns or express views about things they wish to change in the home. Staff adapt their approach to meet children’s individual communication preferences. For example, some children choose to speak with specific members of staff, while others prefer written communication at times. The registered manager ensures that children’s complaints and suggestions are acknowledged and responded to promptly.

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

The registered manager generally responds appropriately to allegations and suspicions of harm and shares information with the local authority designated officer. However, on one occasion, an allegation made by a child was not addressed in a timely manner in line with safeguarding procedures. Although the child was not at immediate risk of harm, staff did not sufficiently consider the potential effect on the child and the associated risks. The registered manager’s oversight of this incident was not effective, resulting in a delayed response. The registered manager has reflected on this shortfall and has implemented a clear plan to improve staff’s safeguarding practice and ensure that he responds promptly to any future concerns.

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

Children have clear, individualised risk assessments and behaviour support plans that reflect their needs and vulnerabilities, and staff use these to guide their daily practice. However, there are inconsistencies in how some staff respond to children’s behaviour, and this is not always in line with the provider’s model of care and ethos. All staff are trained in the provider’s preferred de-escalation techniques and they can describe nurturing, proportionate and child-centred approaches. Despite this, not all staff consistently apply these strategies in practice, particularly when children are upset. While this has not compromised children’s safety, it has affected children’s ability to Inspection report for children’s home: 2852288 4 develop trusting relationships with certain staff. for example, abrupt responses from staff have affected children’s confidence to openly share their wishes and feelings.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home is managed by a registered manager who provides effective leadership and ensures that children receive consistent, individualised care. He is well supported by an experienced responsible individual who has a strong understanding of the children’s needs and the complexities of their care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Children make positive progress from their individual starting points, and their identity needs are well promoted. Children are supported to build independence, develop confidence and increase their life skills in line with their abilities and assessed risks. Staff have high aspirations for children and consistently support them to achieve positive outcomes across education, health and emotional well-being.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff advocate well for children and maintain well developed, constructive working relationships with professional partners and children’s families. This ensures that children’s needs are well understood and appropriately responded to as their individual circumstances, needs and family dynamics change over time.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff say they feel well supported by the management team. They say that the training provided by the local authority is sufficient to equip them to meet children’s needs from the outset. Staff demonstrate a clear understanding of local authority safeguarding procedures and feel confident to apply these in practice when required. This includes challenging managers, escalating concerns and using the whistleblowing policy appropriately. Staff prioritise children’s safety and well-being in practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers demonstrate reflective practice and a commitment to continuous improvement. There is a culture of openness and honesty, where learning from incidents is actively encouraged. Staff feel confident to discuss concerns and learning with the management team, which promotes accountability and supports ongoing professional development.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

When practice shortfalls were identified, the head of service responded proactively. A timely and structured plan was implemented to support the registered manager to improve management oversight and responses to future safeguarding incidents.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

While incident reports and direct work records are generally factual, some lack sufficient detail and analysis. Management oversight of these records does not always demonstrate clear learning or follow-up actions to support the children. If the children were to read their records in the future, the information recorded would not always be meaningful in supporting them to understand their life journey. Inspection report for children’s home: 2852288 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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Requirements Due date

The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

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Requirements Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure that staff 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 (1) (2)(a)(i)) 1 June 2026

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Requirements 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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Requirements Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

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Requirements Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

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Requirements 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)(h)) 1 June 2026

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that the behaviour management strategy is understood and applied by staff, kept under review and revised where appropriate. To include consistent and child centred responses to children’s behaviours, particularly when in crisis, in line with the home’s chosen model of care and de-escalation techniques. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 46, paragraph 9.34)  The registered person should ensure that the staff are familiar with the home’s policies on record keeping and understand the importance of careful, objective and clear recording. The registered person should ensure that staff record information on Inspection report for children’s home: 2852288 6 individual children in a way that will be helpful to the child and that records represent a significant contribution to their life history. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes

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Recommendations

Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraphs 14.4 and 14.5) Inspection report for children’s home: 2852288 7

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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: 2852288 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Buckinghamshire Council

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Chief Executive, Walton Street Offices, Walton Street, Aylesbury HP20 1UA

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Inspector

Claudia Poienar, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2852288 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.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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