Children's home run by Hertfordshire County Council in Dacorum

Inspection report for children’s home: SC422231 1 SC422231 Registered provider: Hertfordshire County Council Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home provides a short programme for children that helps families to stay together by providing support for children and their parents and carers. The provider offers planned short stays and emergency admissions.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager was registered by Ofsted in July 2025. She has been in post since April 2024.

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Information about this children’s home

There were 3 children accessing the service at the time of this inspection. The inspector spoke with 2 of those children.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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outstanding

How well children and young people are helped and protected outstanding

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outstanding

The effectiveness of leaders and managers outstanding

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outstanding

The children’s home provides highly effective services that consistently exceed the standards of good. The actions of the children’s home contribute to significantly improved outcomes and positive experiences for children and young people who need help, protection and care.

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outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: outstanding

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outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC422231 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

04/03/2025 Full Outstanding 12/02/2024 Full Outstanding 15/02/2023 Full Outstanding 06/09/2021 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: SC422231 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children experience exceptionally positive, enriching and well-planned stays at the home. Staff are highly dedicated and demonstrate an unwavering commitment to helping children achieve their full potential. Children report feeling extremely safe, rating the home between 9 and 10 out of 10, reflecting the high levels of emotional security and trust they experience.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children benefit from staff consistently reinforcing positive messages about their progress. Staff encourage children to remember their previous stays, which strengthens their confidence, self-esteem and understanding of their own development.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Families build trusting and respectful relationships with staff. The team provides vital support to families during times of crisis, drawing on the in-house therapy team to better understand children’s presenting needs. This proactive approach reduces the requirement for wider statutory intervention.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The manager’s introduction of coffee mornings helps families to establish supportive networks, reducing isolation and creating opportunities for shared experiences. Parents are extremely positive about the quality of care, describing the home as ‘safe’, ‘caring’, and ‘exceptionally well managed’. One parent said, ‘I could not imagine [name of child] being in a better place.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Professionals equally value the exemplary service provided. They highlight significant progress for children, with comments including, ‘I have seen a massive transformation in [name of child],’ and ‘They are excellent, empathetic and caring.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children contribute meaningfully to the running of the home through regular meetings. The manager uses these forums to explore topical issues, for example, inviting the police to discuss knife crime in response to local events. This helps children feel connected to their community and ensures they receive up-to-date safeguarding information.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children’s visits and stays are meticulously planned by the manager and staff. The manager gathers comprehensive information from all those involved in the child’s life to ensure each child stays with children they are likely to be compatible with. Children have input into this plan, which contributes to the trusting and respectful relationships they develop with staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The home is warm, welcoming and extremely well presented. Staff respond sensitively to children’s requests to personalise their bedrooms, despite the short duration of stays. Children benefit from access to creative spaces, including a music room and an art room, supporting self-expression. A new ‘wall of fame’ displaying staff photos and personal preferences helps children become familiar with those who care for them. Inspection report for children’s home: SC422231 4

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

Children’s risks reduce significantly due to the highly skilled support and well-informed strategies implemented by staff. Both children and caregivers are supported to develop safer, more effective ways of managing behaviour, improving children’s overall sense of safety. Incidents of children going missing from home and episodes of self-injurious behaviour have decreased.

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

Children make meaningful progress with their communication skills and ability to manage their feelings safely. One child is now using verbal communication instead of unsafe actions, while another has asked to undertake work experience at the home. This demonstrates the long-term, positive impact of the service.

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

Staff help children to understand the impact of their behaviour through restorative ‘making it right’ interventions. This supports children to reflect, take responsibility and make safer choices. The manager maintains oversight to ensure responses are fair, proportionate and effective.

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

Incidents are usually managed and recorded to an exceptionally high standard. On one occasion, the police were called to support with an incident. The manager has undertaken work with the team to develop their knowledge and understanding of the police role and potential criminalisation of children. The manager challenges other agencies when their responses do not meet the expected standards, escalating concerns appropriately to ensure children’s safety.

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

Physical intervention is used rarely and only to keep children and others safe. Staff and children are spoken with after an incident to ensure understanding, promote learning and maintain a culture of reflective practice.

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

The manager responds to allegations promptly. She undertakes detailed reviews, identifies learning and ensures measures are implemented to reduce the likelihood of recurrence. Children are informed of the outcome of any complaint they make and supported to feel satisfied with the process.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager and staff are highly dedicated and demonstrate an exceptional understanding of children’s individual needs. Their commitment drives continual improvement and innovation. A notable example is the introduction of ‘holiday camps’. These support families during school holidays, prevent potential escalation to statutory services, promote children’s social skills and enhance self-esteem. Children speak highly of these experiences.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff are overwhelmingly positive about the support they receive from the manager. Following incidents involving children in crisis or personal life events, the manager Inspection report for children’s home: SC422231 5 ensures staff have access to therapeutic support. This helps staff to process emotional impact safely and contributes to their sense of being valued.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff speak highly of the support that they provide to one another. They value the relationships developed in the home. One member of staff called it a ‘home from home’ that they look forward to coming to each day. This positive culture helps sustain high- quality practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager ensures that all staff are spoken with after an incident involving a child. This focuses on supporting staff to reflect on the experience. Staff are helped to understand not ‘what could we have done differently’, but what can be learned. This contributes to the learning culture the manager has created in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager responds openly and constructively when errors occur, identifying lessons learned and adapting systems to prevent recurrence. This strengthens safeguards for children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Records, including those completed with caregivers alone, are written directly to the child using positive, respectful language. This ensures that, should children access their files, the content will be helpful and supportive.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Supervision sessions do not consistently take place in line with organisational expectations during periods of high operational demand when children’s needs are prioritised. Some records are incomplete or lack up-to-date information, and staff do not always receive copies of their supervision notes. Additionally, electronic supervision files are not accessible to managers when the supervisor is absent, potentially impacting on oversight and accountability. These shortfalls limit the manager’s assurance that staff receive regular, reflective and good-quality supervision. Inspection report for children’s home: SC422231 6

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure records of restraint are kept and enable the registered person and staff 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 registered person should ensure children and staff are spoken with in a timely manner. 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 for children’s home: SC422231 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Hertfordshire County Council

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Hertfordshire County Council, Farnham House, Six Hills Way, Stevenage SG1 2ST

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Children’s home details

Registered manager: Dawn Clements-Bygrave

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Inspector

Julia Hagan, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC422231 8 and inspects to 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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