Children's home run by Ambitious Children’s Homes Ltd

Inspection report for children’s home: 2716392 1 Registered provider: Ambitious Children’s Homes Ltd Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is privately owned and provides care for up to 3 children who experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of this inspection, 2 children were living at the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The home is overseen by a registered manager.

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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: 2716392 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

21/05/2024 Full Good 28/11/2023 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2716392 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Arrangements for children to move into the home are well planned. Before a child moves in, the manager carries out detailed assessments and consults external professionals who know the child well. During this process, leaders carefully consider the needs of each child, including the children already living at the home. This means that staff can tailor their care to each child’s needs. The manager also consults the children already living at the home and considers their views. This helps ensure a positive introduction for the child moving in.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The staff are resilient and respond in a trauma-informed way to children’s challenging behaviours. The staff implement safe boundaries as part of their nurturing and positive approach. They confidently manage any aggressive behaviour, working in accordance with behaviour management plans. This has helped the children to settle into the home and means that children experience consistent care from staff who are committed to their wellbeing. This has also helped avoid unplanned moves for some children.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home provides a welcoming environment. There is ample space for private, individualised areas for children, supporting their need for their own space. There are also spaces to socialise, promoting interaction and relationship-building with children.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff help children to attend education. If children are not attending formal education, they are encouraged to access home tutors and specialist provision.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Arrangements are well managed when children move on from the home. Staff are sensitive to the children’s individual needs, and transitions take place at a suitable pace for the child to optimise a successful move. Some children who have moved on have remained in contact with the staff. External professionals have noted this as a feature of the positive relationships that have developed during the child’s stay at the home.

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

Managers and staff work closely with social workers and external professionals to meet children’s physical and mental health needs and to ensure that children receive the support and care they need. They work closely with the police and the local authority to encourage children to return if they go missing, and they arrange transport for a safe return if required.

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

Staff encourage children to make positive choices and to understand the consequences of their behaviour. Staff ensure that there are clear and consistent boundaries to help keep children safe. When children are missing, staff contact them regularly, look for them and encourage them to return. Inspection report for children’s home: 2716392 4 Managers have effective strategies in place to help keep children safe; these are clearly set out in individual risk assessments and are followed by staff. Staff take appropriate action to reduce risk. However, they were not given clear guidance regarding the removal of fire extinguishers from the main house in response to an incident in the home.

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

Leaders and managers record safeguarding concerns and carry out investigations when requested by external professionals. However, leaders and managers have failed to inform Ofsted about serious incidents that have occurred. This prevents Ofsted from having oversight of how the provider responds to these situations to protect children from harm.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Children’s views are valued by the organisation. Staff have focused and informative discussions with children to explore relevant topics. Managers seek children’s views through children’s meetings and use them to help develop the service.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Children’s plans help ensure that staff can support them effectively. Behaviour support plans provide guidance for staff to help de-escalate risky behaviours. Rewards are used to motivate children and to recognise their achievements.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff report feeling supported to be successful in their roles. They receive regular supervision, which enables them to reflect on their practice, explore their development and consider any safeguarding issues in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Core staff training is well maintained. Staff value the training on offer and feel that their commitment and experience are recognised and developed by the senior managers.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Senior managers use monitoring and review systems effectively to make continuous improvements to the quality of care provided in the home. They respond to any recommendations made by the independent visitor and welcome the constructive challenge provided.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The quality of care review informs and reflects on areas of strength and development. However, some sensitive information is included. The appropriate permission has not been sought, and there is a risk of identification.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Senior managers understand the needs of the children and are child focused. They have an ethos of valuing children and respecting them as individuals. However, there have been occasions when the terminology used has not reflected this ethos. Inspection report for children’s home: 2716392 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 notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if—

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Requirement Due date

there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there;

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Requirement Due date

there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40 (4)(c)(e)) 4 May 2026

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Recommendations

 The registered person should continually and actively assess the health and safety arrangements in place to protect children and provide staff with clear guidelines for moving and location of fire safety equipment. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 42, paragraph 9.5)  The registered person should lead and manage the home in a way that delivers the ethos, outcomes and approach set out in the home’s statement of purpose. The registered person should ensure that staff use terminology that reflects the ethos of the home. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 52, paragraph 10.4)  The registered person should decide what each quality of care review focuses on. They should also consider what information or data recorded in the home will be used to support their analysis and conclusions. The registered person should ensure

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Recommendations

confidentiality when sharing personal information. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 65, paragraph 15.4)

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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: 2716392 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Ambitious Children’s Homes Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Unit 106, First Floor, Radial House, 3 to 5 Ripple Road, Barking IG11 7NP

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Muhammad Ishtiaq

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Inspector

Suzy Lemmy, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2716392 7 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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