Children's Home run by Sunshine Children’s Homes Ltd in Harrow

Inspection report for children’s home: 2780876 1 Registered provider: Sunshine Children’s Homes Ltd Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home registered with Ofsted in January 2025 and is privately owned. It provides care for up to three children who experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

This is the home’s first full inspection since being registered with Ofsted.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, there was one child living at the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered provider has recently appointed a new manager. We are currently checking that this person has the relevant capacity, experience and skills to register with Ofsted and carry out the duties required for the role.

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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: not applicable

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: not applicable Inspection report for children’s home: 2780876 2

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child is supported by staff who are friendly, patient and caring. Staff ensure that the care provided is individualised and aligned with the child’s assessed needs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The quality of matching the needs of the child to the skills and experiences of staff has not been sufficiently robust. Managers did not fully consider these issues or the home’s capacity before agreeing to the child’s admission. This has resulted in some periods during which the child has not been supported effectively in managing their emotions and feelings. This has also meant that opportunities for staff to build secure and trusting relationships with the child have been limited, hindering their ability to meet the child’s needs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child has historically struggled to attend and engage in education. The child is now beginning to engage in education with a private tutor. Staff work closely with the tutor to deliver a planned, gradual reintroduction to formal education that supports the child’s engagement and progress.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff promote the child’s involvement in decision-making. A warm, curious and open culture enables the child to express their views freely. The child shares their thoughts through one-to-one discussions, during activities and while cooking with staff. The child reports feeling listened to when their views are considered and acted upon.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child enjoys a wide variety of experiences. Staff encourage the child to plan and participate in activities such as horse riding, go-karting, cinema trips and attending the local youth group. These opportunities support the development of positive social relationships and reduce exposure to negative influences.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support the child to develop age-appropriate independence skills, guided by a child-centred independence plan. The child practises tasks such as cooking, shopping, tidying their room and completing their own laundry. These activities help the child to build essential life skills.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is clean, well maintained and attractively decorated. Staff take pride in the home and help the child to understand the importance of a well-kept environment. However, the child’s bedroom is not consistently clean or tidy, with some broken items and belongings scattered on the floor. The bare walls lack personalised decoration, limiting the child’s sense of ownership and belonging. This detracts from the otherwise homely and nurturing atmosphere of the home.

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

Staff prioritise the child’s safety. The manager ensures that safeguarding discussions take place during supervisions and handovers. Risk assessments are regularly Inspection report for children’s home: 2780876 3 reviewed, and staff work collaboratively with partner agencies to maintain a holistic approach to safeguarding. Key-work sessions are well structured and enable the child to understand risks and develop strategies to keep safe.

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

Leaders, managers and staff understand the procedures for reporting safeguarding concerns. Leaders and managers ensure that all concerns are shared promptly with the designated officer, local authority and other relevant professionals. Shortfalls are addressed, lessons are learned and risks are reduced.

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

When the child goes missing from the home, staff work closely with the police to ensure their safe return. Staff and the social worker complete return-home discussions, during which the child has openly shared their concerns about high-risk areas in the community.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

A new manager is in post and responded to the inspection with the support of the responsible individual. Both demonstrated clear knowledge and insight into the home’s structure and operations and the areas requiring improvement.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers communicate effectively with several external agencies and individuals involved in the child’s life. Information is shared promptly with all relevant parties involved in decision-making about the child’s care. However, ongoing concerns remain regarding communication between the manager, staff and the child’s social worker. Professional disagreements have not been consistently resolved before decisions have been shared with the child, resulting in confusion for the child and causing staff to feel undermined. This has negatively impacted the overall coherence of the child’s care planning.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The managers and staff receive regular, effective supervision and annual appraisals. These protected sessions provide space for staff to reflect on their practice, well-being and the care provided. Staff report feeling listened to, supported and valued.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers actively promote staff’s professional development. Staff complete mandatory training and additional courses tailored to the child’s current needs. Leaders and managers have identified the need for enhanced therapeutic training, and plans are in place to implement this. This is intended to support staff to respond to the child in a nurturing and consistent way.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Equality, diversity and identity are promoted effectively. Staff share menus from a variety of cultural backgrounds and plan to purchase ingredients so that the child can cook their favourite international meals. The child enjoys learning to cook and trying new, healthy foods. Inspection report for children’s home: 2780876 4

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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

In meeting the quality standards, the registered person must, and must ensure that staff—

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Requirement Due date

seek to involve each child’s placing authority effectively in the child’s care, in accordance with the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

seek to secure the input and services required to meet each child’s needs;

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Requirement Due date

if the registered person considers, or staff consider, a placing authority’s or a relevant person’s performance or response to be inadequate in relation to their role, challenge the placing authority or the relevant person to seek to ensure that each child’s needs are met in accordance with the child’s relevant plans; and

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Requirement Due date

seek to develop and maintain effective professional relationships with such persons, bodies or organisations as the registered person considers appropriate having regard to the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the children’s home is to provide care and accommodation. (Regulation 5 (a)(b)(c)(d)) 2 February 2026

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Requirement Due date

The quality and purpose of care standard—

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed and furnished so as to—

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Requirement Due date

meet the needs of each child. (Regulation 6 (1) (2)(c)(i)) 2 February 2026

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Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children— 2 February 2026 Inspection report for children’s home: 2780876 5 receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home; and

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Requirement Due date

have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

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Requirement Due date

that children are admitted to the home only if their needs are within the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the home is to provide care and accommodation, as set out in the home’s statement of purpose. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a))

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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: 2780876 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Sunshine Children’s Homes Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 17 Kingsley Road, Hounslow TW3 1PA

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Inspector

Alphie Khumalo, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2780876 7 inspects to 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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Inspector

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