Children's home run by Enhanceable

Inspection report for children’s home: 2645163 1 Registered provider: Enhanceable

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Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The provider is a registered charity and not-for-profit organisation. The home provides short breaks for up to 7 children with learning and/or physical disabilities and/or sensory impairment.

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Information about this children’s home

The service and the manager registered with Ofsted on 18 August 2021.

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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 for children’s home: 2645163 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

11/03/2025 Full Good 06/02/2024 Full Good 21/02/2023 Full Good 08/02/2022 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2645163 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children who attend for short breaks benefit from good-quality care that is individualised to their specific needs. Children have fun and enjoy positive experiences during their stay. Comprehensive, personalised support plans reflect children’s wishes, feelings and individual needs. Leaders, managers and staff work consistently to help children achieve their aspirations, setting realistic goals and celebrating their achievements. The empathic, caring, fun, child-led interactions observed between children and staff are a strength of this short-break home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff know the children well and are attuned to their personalities and behaviours. This means that children’s preferences and needs are well considered before their stay. Opportunities for play and activities are planned well in advance. Staff contact parents and carers before their child’s visit to ensure that they have up-to-date information, noting any changes or preferences, which is then shared at comprehensive staff handover meetings. One parent said that this is ‘helpful as staff try to arrange things always for the needs of my daughter. They listen and this gives me confidence.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children who attend for short breaks are encouraged to develop their independence in accordance with their specific needs. Professional feedback is highly positive, highlighting significant improvements in children’s independence and emotional tolerance. For example, one child has developed greater confidence in managing their personal care, increased independence during overnight stays, and improved ability to share space with others. Children’s progress is also evident at home, school and other settings.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children appear relaxed and happy while at the home. Children are encouraged to share their views and wishes by contributing to their daily plan. Staff are skilled in communicating with nonverbal children using various methods of communication, such as the use of pictures and signs. The use of creative methods to support children to understand their daily routines increases their stability, understanding and growing autonomy.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Leaders, managers and staff work closely with parents, children and professionals to ensure that children new to the service are familiar with and comfortable in the home. Children come to the home for 2 ‘tea visits’ to ensure that they are ready and comfortable to stay overnight. One child’s social worker commented that staff ‘do everything possible to make children and parents feel comfortable, ensuring that they are going at the pace of the child and their family.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children access and engage in a wide range of activities in the home. Activities vary from interacting with visual illustrated projections in the sensory room, to arts and crafts, garden play, baking, movie nights, cooking, baking and pampering sessions. These activities promote safe sensory stimulation and enjoyment. Inspection report for children’s home: 2645163 4 Children are also supported to enjoy activities in the community, including visits to the cinema, the swimming pool, trips to local parks, a children’s farm and bowling. Activities offered to children provide appropriate stimulation and align with individual targets and developmental goals.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

There is a long-standing concern relating to ongoing maintenance issues and physical repairs in the home that could impact on children’s experiences if not addressed. Managers and staff have repainted some of the communal areas of the home and leaders are aware of the need for repair and redecoration. Some of the areas requiring repair include a missing skirting board in one of the children’s bedrooms and flaking paint in some areas which may become a hazard, especially given some of the complex needs of the children who stay here. Another bedroom cannot be used due to repairs needed to the bedroom door. The registered manager reports the repairs in a timely manner and has appropriately risk assessed the building, with a comprehensive list of repairs shared with senior leaders. This issue was highlighted as a recommendation in the last inspection and is yet to be completed. These shortfalls do not compromise

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

children’s safety currently but should be addressed to maintain high-quality standards and prevent potential hazards.

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

Safeguarding practice within the home is strong. Staff are aware of children’s vulnerabilities and know how to keep them safe. The registered manager and staff work closely with parents and social workers to assess and understand children’s needs and risks. Leaders, managers and staff develop and update detailed care plans, risk management plans and assessments, which helps staff to keep children safe when they stay.

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

Professionals do not report any safeguarding concerns. Managers and staff are described as highly responsive, open and communicative. They provide information quickly and accommodate visits without hesitation. Safeguarding incidents are rare in the home When incidents have occurred, the registered manager has engaged positively with other professionals, shared updates, discussed investigation outcomes, and provided relevant reports and actions.

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

Staff handovers ensure that staff are consistently aware of each child’s needs, planned activities and any emerging risks. Staff communicate effectively with one another and with external professionals, ensuring that safeguarding information is shared promptly and appropriately.

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

Staff demonstrate solid knowledge of safeguarding procedures and complete all relevant mandatory and specialist training. Behaviour management practices are effective in helping children to develop safer behaviours, and children respond well to routines and boundaries. Behaviour management plans are personalised and clearly understood by staff, contributing to children feeling safe and supported. Staff manage challenging situations well, with evidence of strong management oversight and reflective practice. Inspection report for children’s home: 2645163 5 Restraint is used rarely, and only when necessary. When it has occurred, staff have used minimal physical intervention and ensured that all incidents are accurately recorded. Records of physical restraint demonstrate that the use of restraint is proportionate and necessary to keep children safe.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers demonstrate a clear and ambitious vision for the service. The registered manager is confident, child centred, and strongly focused on promoting positive experiences and outcomes for the children. She is well qualified and knowledgeable, and demonstrates a solid understanding of the service’s strengths and areas for development.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers know the children well and understand their needs and behaviours. They have high aspirations for children and work with families and professionals to support children to make good progress. Leaders and managers ensure that there are sufficient staff to support children on a one-to-one basis. This helps children to achieve good outcomes and have enjoyable experiences when they are at the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

A local authority senior manager said of the registered manager: ‘She prioritises the children, that’s her focus, and she has created a passionate and caring team and their passion shines through.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff say that they enjoy their work, and that they are motivated and feel valued and supported by the management team. Staff benefit from a well-structured programme of learning and development. Training opportunities are varied and include mandatory, competency-based and specialist training that enhances professional growth within the team. Regular supervision and appraisals are in place, and while supervision is effective, there is management recognition that increasing reflective elements could further strengthen practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Team meetings and handovers are purposeful and encourage professional curiosity, enabling staff to maintain a clear understanding of children’s needs and progress.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers maintain effective oversight of the service, supported by the responsible individual and wider organisation. Processes for monitoring quality and ensuring that safe practice are well established. The introduction of inspections from service improvement advisers (SIAs) is indicative of the organisation’s transparent and inclusive approach. The SIA inspectors are adults with learning disabilities who can give direct, evocative and knowledgeable feedback to the registered manager at their monthly visits, which contributes to the managers’ continuous quality assurance and reflection.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Other feedback mechanisms, such as regular monthly meetings with commissioners, social workers and quarterly questionnaires, are used actively to gather the views of Inspection report for children’s home: 2645163 6 children, families and professionals, strengthening the culture of openness and improvement. One local authority commissioner said: ‘The service knows the children and understands their needs. Parents’ satisfaction with the service is high.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Parents said that their children are excited to attend their breaks and that they have confidence in the care that managers and staff provide to their child. Inspection report for children’s home: 2645163 7

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

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed, furnished and maintained so as to protect each child from avoidable hazards to the child’s health. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(b)(d))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring that any potential hazards, such as any long-standing repairs and repainting, are promptly addressed. 1 May 2026

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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: 2645163 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 13 Geneva Road, Kingston upon Thames KT1 2TW

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Inspector

Amanda Burrows, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2645163 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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