Children's home run by Oracle Care Limited in Central Bedfordshire

Inspection report children's home: SC455338 1 SC455338 Registered provider: Oracle Care 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 provides care for up to 3 children with social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children's home

There were 3 children living at the home at the time of inspection.

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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 outstanding

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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: 18 February 2025

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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: SC455338 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

18/02/2025 Full Good 11/12/2023 Full Good 21/11/2022 Full Good 11/01/2022 Full Good Inspection report children's home: SC455338 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children enjoy living at this home. Staff work hard to build trusting and meaningful relationships with children that are based on genuine warmth and family values. Interactions between children and staff are caring and uplifting. One child said, The home is perfect, staff are caring and the food is delicious'. These positive relationships have provided the foundation for children to flourish and make considerable progress from their starting points.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

One child has moved into the home since the last inspection. Leaders and managers ensured that thorough consultations were taken with the child's local authority to gather information. Children who already lived at the home were informed as well as their professionals. The manager visited the child before they moved in and used this visit to support the child to understand the routines and boundaries of the home. These approaches supported the child to be informed about their move and ensured that the children already living at the home had appropriate support.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Regular discussions take place with children to understand their views. Staff have regular conversations with children, they provide wellbeing checks, and support access to advocacy arrangements. For one child advocacy support has enabled them to express their wishes to remain at the home and this has been agreed to by their local authority. Ensuring children's views are central helps children to feel listened to and valued.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children's achievements are celebrated and their certificates and trophies are displayed throughout the home. Children access a wide range of activities and experiences in line with their individual interests. All children have had recent holidays abroad or to seaside destinations. Staff support children to develop their hobbies and interests. Children attend scouts, swimming, and gymnastics. These approaches support children to enjoy life.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children's family relationships and reconnecting with important people are prioritised by staff. Staff fully understand the importance of family ties. Some children have been helped to reconnect with family members after a period of absence. Due to the support given to one child, they were able to successfully return to live with their parents.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported to develop positive relationships in the community. Staff support children to participate in local fundraising events and raise money for charities. Over the festive period staff the children wrapped and donated Christmas pyjamas to a local children's ward. These types of events help to support children's understanding of others and feel part of their community.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Education is supported well by the staff. Two of the children have good attendance at school and are making progress with learning. For another child, the manager has Inspection report children's home: SC455338 4 advocated strongly for the child to be enrolled in a suitable provision. While the child has not been in formal education staff have supported the child with home learning.

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

Staff understand their safeguarding responsibilities remarkably well. The risks children face have significantly reduced due to the exemplary care they receive from staff. Children say that they feel safe and that they can share any worries with staff.

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

Staff know the children's vulnerabilities and risks exceptionally well. Staff regularly monitor, discuss and review children's risk management plans. External professionals such as substance misuse practitioners, police and therapists participate in devising helpful strategies to reduce children's risks. These strategies are extremely thorough, followed meticulously by staff and underpinned by research. As a result, risks for children are fully understood and reduced.

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

Staff are expert in using de-escalation strategies and respond well to children's anxieties. At times, staff have used physical intervention to keep children safe. Children are spoken to about interventions and provided with aftercare. Managers carefully and thoughtfully identify patterns to children's behaviour and support staff to implement research-based alternative approaches to reduce physical interventions. For one child these techniques have supported them during times of crisis and led to a remarkable reduction in the need of physical intervention.

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

Children are empowered with their independence. Older children are supported to prepare for adulthood through the home's meticulous independent living plan. Children have been supported to practice money management, cooking and manage independent time in the community. When there have been identified issues during one child's time in the community, staff have taken a creative approach to support the child and prevent concerns. Concerns are referred to the relevant professionals and staff support the child to reflect on how to be safer in the community.

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

Children are supported to manage their behaviours. The children benefit from a nurturing and structured environment where positive behaviour is actively promoted. Formal consequences are rarely used. Staff focus on supporting children with natural consequences which are proportionate and encourage children to reflect. These are discussed with the child to help them to reflect on their behaviours and consider how they can manage things more appropriately in the future.

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

When children have concerns, they are fully supported to make complaints and are satisfied with the staff's responses and actions. Children are supported to work towards insightful resolutions with others at their pace. This inclusive approach helps the children to express themselves and supports them to feel their concerns are taken seriously. Inspection report children's home: SC455338 5

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

An interim manager was appointed in December 2025. They have submitted an application to register with Ofsted. The interim manager was away when the inspection took place, the deputy manager and responsible individual supported the inspection. Both are committed and child focused. Staff speak highly of the support that they receive from leaders and managers and highlight positive team moral.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers support staff to undertake comprehensive training and induction programmes. Alongside mandatory training, staff complete specialist, bespoke training tailored to the children's individual needs. Staff either have the relevant qualification or are working towards this.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Effective monitoring and review systems are in place. Leaders and mangers undertake regular audits to evaluate the care provided to children. When weaknesses are identified, these are quickly addressed to support staff practice and development. Managers have excellent oversight of the home to ensure that children's experiences and outcomes are positive.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Supervision sessions and appraisal systems are reflective and give staff feedback on their performance. Children are supported to give their views to inform staff's annual appraisals. This actively improves the quality of care provided to children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Team meetings are well attended and regarded positively by staff. Meetings consistently focus on the individual needs of the children, including identifying areas of concern, reviewing safeguarding matters and recognising their achievements and progress. Meetings promote reflective practice, enabling staff to evaluate their approaches, consider alternative approaches and share learning. This reflective culture supports a consistent approach and contributes positively to children's experiences and outcomes.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The staff and management team have sustained constructive relationships with families and social workers who provided excellent feedback about the positive difference that the home has made to children's lives. One professional said, 'The manager and staff go above and beyond, they know [name of child] extremely well, know how to manage her mood and [name of child] has really improved how she presents and is able to regulate now. They are very nurturing and caring'.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Although leaders and managers have responded appropriately to allegations against staff, they did not notify Ofsted about an allegation. This limits Ofsted's ability to monitor incidents of this nature. Inspection report children's home: SC455338 6

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that they notify Ofsted and other relevant persons if one of the situations specified in regulation 40(4)(a)-(d) occurs, or if there is an incident relating to the protection, safeguarding or welfare of a child living in the home which the registered person considers to be serious (40(4)(e)). ('Guide to the Children's Homes Regulations, including the quality standards', page 63, paragraph 14.10)

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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: SC455338 7

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Children's home details

Registered provider: Oracle Care Limited

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Children's home details

Registered provider address: Suites 1 & 5, Riverside Business Centre, Foundry Lane, Milford, Belper, Derbyshire DE56 0RN

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Children's home details

Responsible individual: Samantha Mitchamson

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Inspectors

Syvanna Matthew, Social Care Inspector Linda Nelmes, Social Care inspector Inspection report children's home: SC455338 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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