Children's home run by Five Rivers Child Care Limited in Wiltshire

Inspection report for children’s home: SC059753 1 SENSITIVE-OFSTED USE ONLY

p.1

SC059753 Registered provider: Five Rivers Child Care Limited

p.1

Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

This home is privately operated by an organisation that also runs several other children’s homes in the region. It provides care for up to 2 children who experience social and emotional difficulties. The manager has been in post since June 2025 and has been registered with Ofsted since October 2025. They hold dual registration within the same provider group.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

There is one child currently living in the home who was also resident at the time of the last inspection. The inspector spent time with them during this inspection.

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

p.1

outstanding

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

p.1

outstanding

The effectiveness of leaders and managers outstanding

p.1

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.

p.1

outstanding

Date of last inspection: 19 February 2025

p.1

outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

p.1

outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC059753 2 SENSITIVE-OFSTED USE ONLY

p.1

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

19/02/2025 Full Good 21/06/2023 Full Good 13/03/2023 Full Requires improvement to be good 09/11/2021 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: SC059753 3 SENSITIVE-OFSTED USE ONLY

p.2

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The child living in the home is making exceptional progress as a result of the care they receive. Staff support the child to expand their social world; the child enjoys positive activities such as regular community outings, monthly meals out, trampoline club and specialist gymnastics sessions. These opportunities support their social development and reflect staff’s strong understanding of the child’s needs and interests.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The home provides the child with a sanctuary in a warm, homely and nurturing environment. It is personalised to the child, with each area reflecting their interests, age and development. The sensory room is thoughtfully designed and offers a calm space that supports the child to emotionally reset.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The child is thriving, growing in confidence and developing trusting relationships. They respond positively to the nurture-based therapeutic support provided by staff. As a result, the child no longer has to wear reins to enjoy safe experiences in the community.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Skilled staff used individualised approaches such as social stories and role play to develop the child’s communication skills. These approaches have helped the child complete important health tasks, including dental checks and a recent blood test. The child’s health needs are promoted, with assessments linked to their needs informing staff practice. Therapeutic input is well embedded and strengthened by the involvement of the behavioural and therapeutic lead.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

There is a strong and effective partnership with the child’s school. The stability provided to the child has contributed to their ability to access a specialist curriculum. Joint working has led to improvements in the child’s personal care skills and eating routines at school. Daily communication, including shared photos, further supports a consistent approach to the child’s education. Overall, professionals report that the child’s needs are prioritised and that communication from the home is positive and timely.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The child’s time in the home is celebrated. Memory books, updated daily, capture their achievements and life events. Family time is promoted where safe, and family members have visited the home for significant occasions.

p.3

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

Managers understand their safeguarding duties and responsibilities. They support staff and ensure that the needs of the child living in the home and risks are understood. They use monitoring and oversight to ensure that staff use consistent, individualised approaches to support the child’s safety. When there is identified learning, this is supported and discussed in reflective team meetings. Inspection report for children’s home: SC059753 4 SENSITIVE-OFSTED USE ONLY

p.3

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

Staff practice follows the home’s ethos by being trauma informed and therapeutically guided. This consistency and informed approach has contributed to a reduction in incidents and supports the child to express their feelings safely.

p.4

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

Physical restraints have been used on 5 occasions since the last inspection. These were low level, proportionate and used only as a last resort. Staff use a wide range of proactive strategies, including the sensory room, the trampoline and play-based engagement, to prevent incidents. Managers provide clear guidance on how to support the child during incidents, and oversight identifies learning. However, staff involved in incidents are not always supported by someone independent of the restraint during follow-up conversations, and managers’ oversight, although completed, was not always recorded sufficiently.

p.4

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

The child has not gone missing from the home. Protocols are in place should the child go missing, and staff take appropriate steps to help the child understand risk within the community.

p.4

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

There are some restrictive measures in the home that have not been reviewed, for example the removal of glass for staff to drink from and the locking away of some kitchen utensils without individualised assessment of risk. Plans do not contain a rationale, review points or plans to reduce restrictions in preparation for the child’s future move.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff and managers are highly motivated and aspirational in meeting the child’s needs. They demonstrate consistent care and warmth, with a clear focus on supporting the child to enjoy life and achieve their potential. Their practice is centred on celebrating the child’s progress rather than their own achievements, reflecting a strong child-focused ethos. Everyone wants to share stories of the success of the child and for the child’s achievements to shine rather than their actions.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff are highly motivated and feel very well supported by leaders and managers. Supervision is regular, tracked effectively, and strengthened by oversight that ensures compliance and responsiveness to identified issues. Supervision sessions include scenario-based discussions and feedback from others, which have contributed to staff development.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff receive training that equips them to recognise and respond to the child’s individual characteristics and developmental trauma. Positive practice is shared across the organisation, supporting a strong, evidence-based approach to the child’s care.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Leaders and managers have strong oversight of the home, ensuring they recognise the strengths and areas for development. They promote an ethos and culture that is inclusive, relational, and firmly embedded in the principles of research-based therapeutic practice. Inspection report for children’s home: SC059753 5 SENSITIVE-OFSTED USE ONLY Inspection report for children’s home: SC059753 6 SENSITIVE-OFSTED USE ONLY

p.4

Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that staff involved in an incident of physical restraint of a child are spoken with about the measure. They should consider this being completed by a suitable individual who was not involved in the incident. The management oversight and any required action must be recorded and accessible. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 39, paragraph 8.15)  The registered person should ensure that staff continually and actively assess the risks to each child and the arrangements in place to protect them. In particular, the registered person should ensure that only items assessed as needing to be restricted, for example sharp knives, are locked away to support the child’s progress where safe to do this and to avoid institutional practice. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 42, paragraph 9.5)

p.6

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: SC059753 7 SENSITIVE-OFSTED USE ONLY

p.6

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Five Rivers Child Care Limited

p.7

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 47 Bedwin Street, Salisbury SP1 3UT

p.7

Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Timothy-John Matthews

p.7

Inspector

Ashley Arkless, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC059753 8 SENSITIVE-OFSTED USE ONLY

p.7

Inspector

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.

p.8

Inspector

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.8

Inspector

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.8

Inspector

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.8

Inspector

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.8