Children's home run by I.M.P.A.C.T Children's Residential Care Limited

Inspection report children's home: 2624855 1 OFSTED USE ONLY

p.1

Registered provider: I.M.P.A.C.T Children's Residential Care Limited

p.1

Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children's home

This is a privately owned children's home that provides care for up to four children who may have social and/or emotional difficulties.

p.1

Information about this children's home

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

p.1

Information about this children's home

The manager has been registered with Ofsted since April 2023.

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 outstanding

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

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

p.1

outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children's home: 2624855 2 OFSTED USE ONLY

p.1

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

05/06/2024 Full Good 07/06/2023 Full Good 15/02/2023 Full Requires improvement to be good 08/11/2022 Full Inadequate Inspection report children's home: 2624855 3 OFSTED USE ONLY

p.2

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff provide excellent, individualised care and support. They know the children well and help them to make significant progress.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff help children to engage meaningfully with their health needs. For instance, staff worked closely with another trusted professional to reduce a child's anxiety about visiting the dentist. Staff use child centred strategies effectively to help children participate in specialist assessments and services, enabling them to better understand how their neurodiversity affects their learning and daily life. One child is using this support to plan for their future independence.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children's mental health is supported exceptionally well. Staff and managers take great care to understand children's views about therapy and any stigma that they may feel. When traditional therapeutic approaches are not in a child's best interests, leaders consistently identify alternative support that reflects children's strengths and interests. Sport, music and art therapy help children to express their experiences and process trauma.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

All children attend education, and school staff provide highly positive feedback about the staff's commitment to children's progress. When children do not meet expected targets, staff arrange additional support to bridge gaps in learning. Staff go above and beyond to help children pursue their interests and career aspirations. For example, one child was supported to access training and volunteer with local services to develop practical skills. This has helped the child feel valued both at home and in the wider community.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children's wishes and views are highly respected, with clear evidence of how staff act on them in daily routines and care planning. Children's views shape decisions ranging from home redecoration and holidays to activities and how staff record information.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Bespoke care plans promote children's independence and contribute to their significant progress. Children take pride in activities such as cookery lessons and practical budgeting tasks. Staff encourage kindness by supporting children to use their independence skills to contribute positively to the community. For example, staff and children organised a fundraising barbeque to support vulnerable pupils at a local school.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Thoughtful, small but important adjustments to children's routines help to maintain a good balance between nurturing care and the development of independence skills appropriate to each child's stage of development. This has led to remarkable progress from children's starting points. For instance, one child's school attendance and independence improved after staff adjusted their routine and transport arrangements. Another child's routines around clothing and laundry were adapted to meet their neurodiverse needs. Inspection report children's home: 2624855 4 OFSTED USE ONLY

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff and managers demonstrate exemplary skill in promoting children's diversity and supporting them to understand their family backgrounds. Helping children explore their family history or religious identity improves their resilience and emotional well-being. Staff also advocate strongly for meaningful time with friends and family, mediate between children and parents to rebuild relationships, and provide practical and emotional support to vulnerable parents. These approaches help children to settle.

p.4

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The home is maintained to a high standard and provides a warm, comfortable environment for the children. Repairs are completed promptly, and children are actively involved in the annual redecoration of the home. Bedrooms and furnishings are tailored to each child's needs. Children consistently describe this as their home. One child who had previously struggled to settle elsewhere said this was a 'great home' and expressed a wish to live here long term.

p.4

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

Staff understand that children's behaviours are a form of communication and are highly skilled at helping them feel safe. Children develop trusting relationships with staff, which enables them to express their feelings more confidently and reflect more effectively on their behaviours.

p.4

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

Staff support children to take age-appropriate risks, helping them make consistently safer choices. For example, one child was supported to share their feelings and views more clearly, which helped them understand and accept boundaries around internet use. As a result, the child now browses online more safely. Another child was helped to recognise the implications of unsafe friendships and has made significant progress in this area.

p.4

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

Leaders and staff benefit from excellent guidance from onsite specialist staff. This enables managers to construct well considered, realistic and child-centred risk assessments and support plans, which help staff respond to children's behaviours effectively. Staff and leaders work exceptionally well with external professionals, including social workers, police and the youth offending team, to address and reduce risks.

p.4

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

Until autumn 2025, there were a high number of incidents linked to children's complex needs, including going missing and concerns about exploitation. Positively, no children have not gone missing in the past five months and there has been a significant reduction in overall incidents. This represents remarkable progress for one child in particular, whose level of risk has reduced substantially due to the strong, meaningful relationships they have formed with staff and the guidance provided to them.

p.4

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

Physical intervention is rarely used. When it is necessary, this is proportionate and used only as a last resort to keep children and others safe. Managers complete timely follow up reflections with staff and children, ensuring clear learning points are identified and appropriate support is provided. Inspection report children's home: 2624855 5 OFSTED USE ONLY

p.4

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

De-escalation techniques are adapted to each child's individual needs, developmental stage and neurodiversity. Staff use creative approaches to involve children's own strengths during incidents. This helps children to develop personal strategies for managing difficult emotions and supports improvements in their emotional well-being and resilience.

p.5

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

When children move into the home, this is carefully planned, taking account of risks and the views of both new and existing children. This ensures that changes are well managed, risks are understood and children are supported to build positive peer relationships.

p.5

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

When children leave the home, staff ensure that this is a positive experience, even when this is not planned. Staff remain in contact with children, and farewell celebrations and messages from people who are important to them accompany them into the next stage of their lives. This helps children feel valued and supported as they pursue their goals and aspirations.

p.5

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

Social workers, parents, education professionals and youth offending practitioners consistently provide positive feedback about the significant impact that staff have on children's progress.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The home is extremely well led by a permanent, experienced registered manager whose practice is both highly effective and child centred. She is supported by a committed responsible individual and a dedicated deputy manager who lead by example. Together, they foster a culture of high aspiration and meaningful, sustained improvement.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered manager and deputy manager know the children extremely well and set clear and ambitious expectations for staff to enhance the lives of the children. Their strong focus on developing staff's safeguarding skills and deepening their understanding of children's needs has contributed to children making remarkable progress.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Leaders and managers have built excellent professional relationships with professionals from partner agencies, parents and the local community. These partnerships ensure that children are consistently safeguarded and receive high quality, holistic support across all areas of their development.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Leaders and managers are exceptional advocates for children. They escalate concerns promptly and challenge other services robustly when delays impact the support that children receive.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Leaders are also innovative in balancing the delivery of high-quality care for children with an understanding of the emotional demands placed on staff. Staff are recognised through rewards and team events that acknowledge their commitment to the children. Leaders and managers have also taken creative steps to reduce stigma around mental Inspection report children's home: 2624855 6 OFSTED USE ONLY

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

health, involving both children and staff in open conversations through initiatives such as mental health day workshops.

p.6

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The responsible individual and registered manager have a strong understanding of the provider's strengths and areas for development. Their well-considered and effective actions have addressed previous shortfalls, including those identified at the last inspection. This has resulted in improved safer recruitment practices and clear, child-centred record keeping that supports children's understanding of their personal history and progress.

p.6

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered manager has established effective monitoring systems that promote reflective practice. Bespoke training, regular supervision and team meetings are informed by learning from incidents, children's views, research and trends identified in staff practice. This approach enables staff to develop their skills and make an exceptional difference to children's lives. Staff speak positively about the support that they receive from the leadership team and are proud to support the children living in the home.

p.6

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

No requirements or recommendations have been made at this inspection. Inspection report children's home: 2624855 7 OFSTED USE ONLY

p.6

Children's home details

Registered provider: I.M.P.A.C.T Children's Residential Care Ltd

p.7

Inspector

Claudia Poienar, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children's home: 2624855 8 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 . 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