Children's home run by New Focus Child Care LTD

Inspection report for children's home: 2812231 1 Registered provider: New Focus Child Care LTD

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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 home provides care for up to 2 children who may have emotional or social difficulties as a result of experiencing childhood trauma. The home is privately owned, and a suitably experienced registered manager is in post. The home was registered with Ofsted in April 2025, and this is the first inspection of the home.

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Information about this children's home

At the time of the inspection, 2 children were living in the home, and the inspector spoke with both children.

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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: none Inspection report for children's home: 2812231 2

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children benefit from living in a home that is spacious, clean and well furnished. The environment provides them with comfortable areas to relax and enjoy their time. Children's bedrooms are personalised to reflect their individual tastes and interests, helping them to feel a sense of ownership and belonging.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children's moves into the home are well planned. Staff and the manager work closely with families and professionals to develop a clear understanding of each child's needs before they arrive. Children are given opportunities to visit the home and meet staff in advance, which helps them to settle quickly and reduces anxiety about the move.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children enjoy living in the home. They receive individualised care that is informed by detailed plans, and they develop positive and trusting relationships with staff. These relationships help children to feel settled, safe and understood.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff work effectively with education professionals to support children's learning. As a result, children are making progress in their education. Children's physical health needs are also well met. However, there has been a delay in one child receiving an assessment of their mental health and learning needs. While the manager and staff are not responsible for providing this specialist support, there is limited evidence that they have challenged the local authority or education professionals to prevent this delay. This has hindered timely assessment and intervention for the child.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff regularly engage children in meaningful conversations about topics that help them to stay healthy and safe, understand their identities and develop skills for later life. These discussions are sometimes informed by research and supported by relevant resources. As a result, children are making progress from their starting points.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children enjoy a wide range of activities that reflect their interests. They go swimming, horse riding, attend cadets, roller-skating, learn to cook and visit theme parks. These experiences help children to try new things, develop skills, build confidence and form positive memories.

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

Children feel safe living in the home. Safeguarding incidents are rare, and there have been no incidents of children going missing. Professionals report that clear and consistent boundaries and routines provide children with stability, which helps them to thrive.

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

Children feel listened to and able to influence their care. As a result, they have not felt the need to make complaints. They know how to raise concerns and are confident that staff would respond appropriately if they were worried or upset. Inspection report for children's home: 2812231 3 Incidents of restraint are rare because children enjoy positive relationships with staff and feel heard. When restraint is used, it is only to keep children or others safe. Management oversight of these incidents is mostly robust. However, records do not always identify learning or opportunities that might have prevented the restraint. In addition, the duration of individual holds is not recorded. This limits the manager's oversight and undermines an important safeguard for children.

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

When children make allegations, the manager takes them seriously. There has been one allegation since the home opened. Leaders and managers acted promptly to ensure everyone's safety, communicated effectively with relevant professionals and carried out a thorough investigation. These actions help children to feel safe and listened to.

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

Children's achievements are recognised and celebrated through rewards. However, some consequences used by staff are punitive and disproportionate to the behaviours they aim to address. Management oversight does not consistently identify opportunities for learning or improvement. While staff are encouraged to reflect, these reflections do not always consider the child's experiences or how these could be improved.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has high aspirations for the children and the staff team. External professionals speak positively about the leadership of the home. They highlight communication, a child-focused approach and individualised care as specific strengths. One professional said of the manager, 'There is a real sense that he has his finger on the pulse. He is exactly what you would want at the helm.'

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers ensure that staff are well supported through regular supervision and team meetings. These provide opportunities for staff to reflect on their practice and the care they provide. Staff receive the training they need to meet children's needs effectively and, as a result, children are cared for by knowledgeable and confident staff.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff describe feeling well supported by the manager, who they say is approachable and available. Team morale is positive. One member of staff said, 'It is amazing, I love it, everyone is consistent, everyone knows what to do. We have team meetings and work well together.' Inspection report for children's home: 2812231 4

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Recommendations

 The registered person should challenge the placing authority or another relevant person if they do not provide the input and services needed to meet a child's needs. Staff should act as champions for their children, expecting nothing less than a good parent would. ('Guide to the Children's Homes Regulations, including the quality standards', page 12, paragraph 2.8)

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that all incidents of control, discipline and restraint are subject to systems of regular scrutiny to ensure that their use is fair, and the above principles as set out in 9.35 are respected. ('Guide to the Children's Homes Regulations, including the quality standards', page 46, paragraph 9.36)

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that any sanctions used to address poor behaviour are proportionate and restorative rather than punitive. ('Guide to the Children's Homes Regulations, including the quality standards', page 46, paragraph 9.38) Inspection report for children's home: 2812231 5

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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: 2812231 6

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Children's home details

Registered provider: New Focus Child Care LTD

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Children's home details

Registered provider address: Unit A4 City Trading park, Dewsbury Road, Stoke-on- Trent, Staffordshire ST4 2TE

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Inspector

John Tomlinson, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: 2812231 7 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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