Children's home run by Total Care Matters Limited

Inspection report children's home: 2541993 1 Registered provider: Total Care Matters 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 home is privately owned and is registered to provide care for up to 4 children, who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children's home

The manager registered with Ofsted in January 2026.

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Information about this children's home

At the time of the inspection, one child was living in the home and their views were sought.

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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

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children's home: 2541993 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

18/03/2025 Full Good 14/06/2023 Full Good 07/02/2023 Full Requires improvement to be good 10/08/2021 Full Good Inspection report children's home: 2541993 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Since the last inspection, one child has left the home, and one child has moved in. Notably, this move into the home was well planned, including opportunities for the child to visit the home, meet the staff and to complete fun activities together before moving in. This means that the child had a positive experience of moving here supporting the child to settle and make good progress.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff know the child well and show emotional warmth. They want the best outcomes for the child and work hard to provide a nurturing and supportive environment. Staff build and maintain relationships through shared interests. One professional said, ‘[the child] has boundaried, but friendly banter, relaxed relationships and lots of laughter.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child takes part in a varied program of activities. These include outings to local attractions and participation in group activities and events. The child is encouraged to try new things and experiences that they will remember, which are captured in a memory book that the child can keep, when they leave the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The support provided to the child following a traumatic event has been of a good standard. Staff supported the child during and following the event. The support is underpinned by the therapeutic team who provide one-to-one intervention for the child and guidance for the staff. This approach has created a stable foundation for the child’s emotional recovery.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child is making good progress in education. Staff work closely with partner agencies and advocate on behalf of the child. This means that when the child experienced challenges in their original school, staff liaised with the professional network and supported the child to move to a more local provision.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff promote the child spending valuable time with their family members and take time to build trust with the child’s family. One parent said, ‘they are absolutely brilliant, can’t fault them, absolutely fantastic.’

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

Staff demonstrate a clear understanding of risks the child may face. For example, the child is helped to stay safe online. Staff are vigilant in identifying concerns including the risk of online relationships and exploitation. Staff demonstrate a consistent approach to managing these risks and provide guidance to the child in regular one-to-one discussions, helping them to understand how to stay safe online. The child feels confident to share any worries and is well supported to use technology safely.

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

Partnership working with the multi-agency network strengthens safeguarding practice. Assessments of risk are developed in collaboration with the local authority and other Inspection report children's home: 2541993 4 professionals and are regularly reviewed and shared with staff. Staff follow these plans consistently. One professional said, ‘they have really got to grips with the risk factors and the support needed for this.’

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

Physical intervention is used as a last resort and only when necessary to protect the child or others around them. Such interventions are proportionate to the situation. Incidents are reviewed by the manager, and the child is spoken to following an incident, promoting a restorative approach. However, one incident lacked independent management oversight. Therefore, the opportunity to evaluate whether the hold was appropriate and proportionate, or to identify any additional learning from the incident, was missed.

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

Staff share information creatively in regular one-to-one discussions with the child which are recorded in a child-friendly format and kept in a personalised folder that the child retains. This thoughtful practice enables the child to revisit previous conversations, reinforcing key messages and supporting ongoing learning and reflection.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers are committed to providing a high standard of care. Managers have a detailed understanding of the child’s needs as they were involved in the care planning from the outset. Leaders and managers have established strong relationships with the child and staff team, ensuring effective oversight and support.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has good quality assurance processes in place. She reviews all incident and care records. The manager regularly carries out management audits and promptly addresses any outstanding actions. This ensures that standards of care continue to improve.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff report feeling happy and motivated in their roles. Staff feel well supported through regular reflective supervision sessions and learning discussions in both monthly team and clinical meetings. One staff member said, ‘I feel more listened to and the support from management is leaps and bounds better than it ever was’. Staff also say that they receive good support from a detailed induction and training schedule. However, two members of staff have not attained the appropriate qualification by the relevant date. The manager is addressing this shortfall.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Thorough recruitment processes are in place to ensure that staff working with children are suitable to do so. The manager has effective systems in place to monitor and review their continued suitability. Inspection report children's home: 2541993 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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Requirement Due date

The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children's safety.

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Requirement Due date

employ an individual to work at the children's home; or

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Requirement Due date

(b) if an individual is employed by a person other than the registered person to work at the home in a position in which the individual may have regular contact with children, allow that individual to work at the home, if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3).

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Requirement Due date

the individual has the appropriate experience, qualification and skills for the work that the individual is to perform;

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Requirement Due date

For the purposes of paragraph (3)(b), an individual who works in the home in a care role has the appropriate qualification if, by the relevant date, the individual has attained—

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Requirement Due date

the Level 3 Diploma for Residential Childcare (England) ("the Level 3 Diploma"); or

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Requirement Due date

a qualification which the registered person considers to be equivalent to the Level 3 Diploma.

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Requirement Due date

in the case of an individual who starts working in a care role in a home after 1st April 2014, the date which falls 2 years after the date on which the individual started working in a care role in a home.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 32 (1) (2)(a)(b) (3)(b) (4)(a)(b) (5)(a)) 14 May 2026 Inspection report children's home: 2541993 6

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Recommendations

 The registered person must ensure that records of restraint are kept and should enable the registered person or an independent person, to review the use of control, discipline and restraint to identify effective practice and respond promptly where any issues or trends of concern emerge. The review should provide the opportunity for amending practice to ensure it meets the needs of each child. ('Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards', page 49, paragraph 9.59)

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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 children's home: 2541993 7

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Children's home details

Registered provider: Total Care Matters Limited

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Children's home details

Registered provider address: 11 Chantrey Road, West Bridgford, Nottingham NG2 7NR

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Inspector

Caroline Coop, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children's home: 2541993 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.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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