Children's Home run by Benjamin UK Ltd in Buckinghamshire

Inspection report children's home: SC062317 1 SC062317 Registered provider: Benjamin UK Ltd

p.1

Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children's home

The home is owned and managed by a private organisation. It provides care for up to four children who experience social and emotional difficulties. At the time of this inspection, there were two children living in the home.

p.1

Information about this children's home

The manager has been in post since September 2025 and has submitted their application to register with Ofsted.

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

p.1

good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

p.1

good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

p.1

good

The children's home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

p.1

good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

p.1

good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children's home: SC062317 2

p.1

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

11/03/2025 Full Good 18/03/2024 Full Good 02/08/2022 Full Good 15/12/2021 Full Good Inspection report children's home: SC062317 3

p.2

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Since the last inspection, three children have moved on from the home, in two of these instances the endings were unplanned. Although the admissions into the home had been well structured, the management team has learned from these unplanned endings. They have enhanced their level of information gathering and increased their scrutiny of information shared with them by placing authorities, meaning that staff are better informed.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

One child has made significant progress since moving to the home, and this has helped them to enhance their confidence in communicating their wishes and feelings and building relationships with adults. Consequently, this child is better able to manage their own feelings and regulate their emotions.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Another child has very recently moved into the home, and despite several safeguarding concerns, staff are committed to building a good relationship with them. The focus on this child’s positive characteristics has been an important approach, although the impact of this has yet to be attained.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Both children have education plans in place, and the staff team have advocated for an increase to one child’s education time due to their positive progress and engagement. The other child very promptly commenced education following their move to the home, accessing the organisation’s own school. This has helped to provide important structure to their day, and their engagement has been positive.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The support that staff have provided for one child’s health and well-being has been particularly positive. Staff offer sensitive care to help this child attend appointments and well-being sessions around their sleeping, diet and general lifestyle. This has helped to increase this child’s motivation to make healthier choices in their life.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff recognise the importance of children understanding and maintaining their individual sense of identity. For example, one staff member learned to cook a traditional dish for one child. The child was very appreciative as this provided a positive memory of home life for them.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported to develop their independence and self-care skills, and this helps them to be better prepared for their futures. This includes staff engaging alongside children in a range of practical work and finding positive learning opportunities for them.

p.3

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

Staff demonstrate a good understanding of children’s individual risks and are motivated to help children to reduce these and increase their safety. Staff recognise the importance of building relationships with children. This approach has been an important part of Inspection report children's home: SC062317 4 helping children to know that they are surrounded by adults who have their best interests in mind.

p.3

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

Both children have consistently engaged in frequent conversations with staff about known risks and value the support and advice that they receive from staff. This work has included a wide range of topics relevant to children’s individuals needs and has also helped staff to understand children’s individual identities and preferences.

p.4

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

All children have access to specialist therapy and life story work. These professionals also work directly alongside the staff team providing consultation and advice, as well as undertaking direct interventions with children. Regular therapeutic meetings help staff to better understand the areas that children may need the most support in.

p.4

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

Staff help children to develop their ability to better regulate their own feelings and emotions. Among other strategies, staff are trained in dialectical behavioural approaches and use distress tolerance resources to help children understand what is happening inside their body and find ways of being able to manage this appropriately.

p.4

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

Since moving to the home, there has been a continuation of existing contextual safeguarding risks for one child while they are out in the community. Consequently, they have continued to take illicit items from local shops. Staff have developed proactive working relationships with local shops and community organisations and are working hard to reduce these risks and support the child. However, they have not yet been able to reduce this behaviour or fully comprehend how the child is managing to obtain these items. The management team recognise the need to continue to build on their practice and understanding in this area.

p.4

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

Following any safeguarding concerns, children’s risk assessments are updated and regularly reviewed by the staff team. However, these documents include too much outdated information. This reduces their effectiveness and makes it harder for staff to identify the most up to date information about children’s primary support needs.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Since the last inspection, there has been a change of the home manager. The new manager maintains good oversight of the day-to-day running of the home and is assisted by a deputy manager. Both managers are actively involved in providing direct support to children, and due to this they have been able to develop very positive relationships with them.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The management team learn from practice and reflect on the experiences that children have had living in the home. Following a period of disruption between the home and another home in the organisation (during which children were visiting the other home in an unplanned manner), the respective managers worked together to develop a joint risk assessment to help manage these challenges more effectively. There is now an increased awareness of the importance of both homes working together due to their close proximity. Inspection report children's home: SC062317 5 There have been some difficult periods of time in the home over the past twelve months, particularly in relation to two children who struggled to settle. Despite these difficulties, managers and staff have worked well together and recognise these challenges have developed their knowledge and skills. Working alongside managers is a senior leadership

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

team, they have been ever present and provide guidance and expertise as required.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive a wide range of training, and this is kept up to date. In response to children's needs additional, more bespoke, training is arranged. All staff receive regular supervision and annual appraisals.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff feel valued and speak positively about the management team and their importance to the running of the home. One staff member shared, ‘The manager’s knowledge and leadership have further strengthened the team. She is consistently supportive and accessible through regular supervision, providing clear guidance and reinforcing professional boundaries. This has helped maintain consistency and accountability across the staff team.’ Inspection report children's home: SC062317 6

p.5

Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that staff are curious about children's activities whilst outside of the home, particularly by supporting staff to enhance their understanding and practice in supporting any children who shoplift within the local community and helping them to reduce this. ('Guide to the Children's Home Regulations including the quality standards', page 43, paragraph 9.12)

p.6

Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that children's risks assessments provide an accurate representation of their current individual needs. Managers should consider the appropriateness of including risks that have significantly reduced over time or are no longer relevant. ('Guide to the Children's Home Regulations including the quality standards', page 43, paragraph 9.15)

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 children's home: SC062317 7

p.6

Children's home details

Registered provider address: Coach House, White House Court, Hockliffe Street, Leighton Buzzard LU7 1FD

p.7

Children's home details

Responsible individual: Claudette Rudman

p.7

Inspector

Ashley Edwards, Social Care Regulatory Inspector Inspection report children's home: SC062317 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.

p.7

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