Children's home run by Amicus Residential Care Ltd

Inspection report for children's home: 2829707 1 Registered provider: Amicus Residential Care Ltd

p.1

Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

This home is privately owned and provides care for up to 4 children aged between 12 and 17 years on admission. The home provides care for children who experience emotional and behavioural difficulties. At the time of the inspection, there were 3 children living in the home.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

This was the home’s first inspection since it was registered with Ofsted on 7 May 2025.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The registered provider has recently appointed a new responsible individual, and Ofsted is currently checking this person has the relevant capacity, experience and skills to carry out the role.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The manager has been registered with Ofsted since May 2025

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

p.1

good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

p.1

good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

p.1

good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

p.1

good

Date of last inspection: not previously inspected

p.1

good

Overall judgement at last inspection: not applicable

p.1

good

Enforcement action since last inspection: not applicable Inspection report for children's home: 2829707 2

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children receive structured care that prioritises their safety, emotional wellbeing and growing independence. Staff understand each child’s individual needs and behavioural communication. They adapt support to help children manage daily challenges and advocate effectively for their health and education. The care provided is helping children feel safer, more settled and able to make meaningful progress towards adulthood.

p.2

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are all receiving an education. Some children are not attending mainstream educational provisions. In these cases, staff ensure that there are individualised plans in place to help children to maintain a consistent routine and access learning in a variety of ways. There are plans in place for some children to move out of the home during the school holidays, minimising disruption to the children’s education.

p.2

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have access to independent advocacy support. Staff remind children of this support if they raise concerns and ensure that children are aware of their rights and entitlements.

p.2

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children say that they are happy living at the home. They feel well supported by staff, who are available and responsive when needed. Children are confident at raising any concerns and staff take appropriate action when they do. Children say that staff provide the support necessary for them to make progress, including in education and taking part in community activities.

p.2

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Interactions between staff and children are positive. Children approach staff confidently with requests. Staff adapt their communication appropriately based on individual needs, demonstrating a good understanding of each child.

p.2

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is comfortable and inviting. Communal spaces are well maintained and the bathroom has recently been refurbished, although there is still some minor work to do. However, the cleanliness and safety of one child’s bedroom was not up to the good environmental standards in the home.

p.2

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

There are occasions when children smoke cannabis in the home. When this occurs, staff discuss their concerns with the children and are successful at persuading them to hand over the cannabis in their possession. While children are generally motivated by the opportunity to earn additional pocket money, financial consequences have had limited impact on reducing children’s cannabis use. Managers are exploring alternative approaches to reduce this and staff continue to work with children to help them understand the risks associated with cannabis use. Inspection report for children's home: 2829707 3 Children know how to make a complaint and guidance is readily available in the children’s guide. Since the home was registered, only one complaint has been received from an external party. The registered manager took appropriate action to resolve the concern and to ensure that children experienced minimal disruption as a result of the

p.2

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

Staff manage incidents effectively, using de-escalation and distraction techniques to avoid the need for physical intervention. There are robust review systems in place to ensure that learning is captured and applied.

p.3

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

Staff prepare thoroughly before children move into the home. When planning for new arrivals, staff consider children’s known vulnerabilities and the views of the children already living in the home. This successfully reduces the risks of instability and enables children to enjoy a positive move into the home, with preparations made in advance to support their education and leisure activities.

p.3

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

Staff consistently model healthy relationships and encourage positive interactions between children. Staff provide support to children when difficulties arise and encourage them to spend time with their friends in the community.

p.3

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

Staff understand the risks associated with internet use and social media. Staff ensure that they maintain a balance between appropriate levels of supervision and allowing children the freedom to explore safely and responsibly. Staff know what actions to take to ensure children are protected and supported if they gain access to inappropriate content online.

p.3

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

Recently, children have sometimes returned home after the time they were expected by staff. Staff understand the action to take when this occurs and are confident in following the relevant reporting procedures. Staff work cohesively with other professionals to ensure that their responses are appropriate and supportive mechanisms are in place for children.

p.3

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home is led by a dedicated, visible and approachable manager who is committed to achieving the best outcomes for all children. She works collaboratively with external agencies and confidently challenges practice in the interests of children.

p.3

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff provide calm, consistent and nurturing care, which helps children feel safe and understood. Staff implement clear boundaries, use reflective practice and develop strong relationships with children to support positive behaviour and daily routines. As a result, children make steady progress in education, independence, confidence and emotional regulation. The team’s approach creates a stable, family-style environment that promotes positive development. Inspection report for children's home: 2829707 4 All new staff receive a comprehensive induction. Peer shadowing supports staff to build relationships with children, while also helping children get to know new staff with a familiar adult present. Leaders ensure staff have the support needed to complete their induction and develop confidence in their practice.

p.3

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive monthly supervision and annual appraisals, which help identify development needs and support professional growth. Supervision provides a safe and reflective space to consider practice and its impact on children.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Managers have not identified where there are gaps in staff training, due to weaknesses in oversight. Further to this, there have been some missed opportunities to review and learn from practice, to improve the care children receive. For example, managers did not provide staff with timely guidance or new strategies to reduce known risks when room searches and incentives were no longer effective in keeping one child’s bedroom free from hazards and in good condition.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Feedback from parents and professionals is unanimously positive. Relationships between the home and the wider professional network are open, transparent and mutually supportive. Professionals attribute children’s progress to the high-quality care provided by the staff team.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Parents report significant positive changes in their children since moving into the home, including improved behaviour, self-care, respect and independence. They value the trusting relationships staff build and their open communication regarding safeguarding. Parents express confidence in the care provided by staff and satisfaction with their children’s progress. Inspection report for children's home: 2829707 5

p.4

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.

p.5

Requirement 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—

p.5

Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential;

p.5

Requirement Due date

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

p.5

Requirement Due date

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child;

p.5

Requirement Due date

understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(c)(f)) 12 March 2026

p.5

Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that children’s bedrooms are maintained to a high standard and are safe. A child’s bedroom should not generally be entered without their permission, though it may be necessary to establish routines to allow for rooms to be cleaned regularly. Usually, rooms should only be searched if the child has been informed or asked for their permission. Immediate searching may be necessary when there are reasonable grounds for believing that there is a risk to the child’s or another person’s safety or wellbeing. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 16, paragraph 3.20) Inspection report for children's home: 2829707 6

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: 2829707 7

p.6

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Amicus Residential Care Ltd

p.7

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 7 Bell Yard, London WC2A 2JR

p.7

Inspectors

Vicki Horton, Social Care Inspector Chido Mangava, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: 2829707 8 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.7

Inspectors

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.8

Inspectors

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

p.8

Inspectors

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

p.8