Children's Home run by Treehouse Educare Limited in West Sussex

Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 1241023 1 Registered provider: Treehouse Educare Limited

p.1

Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

This children’s home is operated by an organisation that also operates a registered school on the same site.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The children’s home provides care for up to 8 children across 2 houses. One house provides care for up to 4 children who may experience social, emotional or mental health difficulties. The other house provides care for up to 4 children who have learning disabilities.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, 4 children were living at the children’s home. The inspector only inspected the social care provision on this site.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The home has not had a registered manager since October 2025.

p.1

This monitoring visit

This children’s home was judged ‘requires improvement to be good’ at the full inspection in October 2025. An assurance inspection in February 2026 identified serious and widespread concerns. These findings led to the decision to carry out this monitoring visit.

p.1

This monitoring visit

The requirements of the compliance notice issued following the last inspection, which focused on the home’s leadership and management, have now been met. The restriction notice that prevents leaders and managers from admitting any more children will remain in place until May 2026.

p.1

This monitoring visit

Leaders and managers have not admitted any children since the last inspection and do not plan to admit any more children until they have recruited more staff. As a result, some changes made to policies and procedures aimed at improving the experiences of children have yet to be implemented. Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 1241023 2 At the last inspection, 3 requirements were set. One of these, regarding the protection of children, has now been fully met. Although the home is making progress, 2 new requirements were issued following this visit.

p.1

This monitoring visit

Children have positive relationships with staff and enjoy spending time with them. Staff speak positively about the children, which helps to create an environment in which children feel understood and supported.

p.2

This monitoring visit

The management of incidents has improved. When children go missing, staff follow the safety plans for each child to ensure that they are kept safe and that their needs are met. Staff and children are now receiving support following incidents and, as a result, staff are better equipped to meet children’s needs.

p.2

This monitoring visit

When concerns have been raised about staff practice, the manager has followed the organisation’s policies and procedures and worked with the relevant professionals. Learning now takes place following incidents; this is helping to improve staff practice and the care that the children receive.

p.2

This monitoring visit

Investigations into concerns about poor staff practice that were not completed at the last Inspection have now been carried out, with clear outcomes. The process for carrying out investigations has also been improved, to make sure that actions are clearly recorded at each stage and that follow-up support is provided if needed.

p.2

This monitoring visit

Staff have received additional safeguarding training and the manager works with them to make sure that the learning is fully understood and embedded. New staff speak highly of the training and support that they are receiving, both of which help them to feel confident in their roles. Regular team meetings now include focused discussions on safeguarding practice, which is helping to strengthen staff awareness and ensure that children’s safety is prioritised in day-to-day work.

p.2

This monitoring visit

Since the last inspection, management arrangements have improved. The manager has returned to work and deputy managers have been recruited to provide consistent support. As a result, day-to-day management of the home and safeguarding practice are improving. However, these improvements are recent and are not yet fully embedded across the home.

p.2

This monitoring visit

The home has experienced a high turnover of staff and the recruitment of night staff is still a challenge. However, the manager is actively recruiting to build a stable team and provide children with consistent support. As a result of these efforts, the use of agency staff is reducing, helping to create more continuity and stability for children.

p.2

This monitoring visit

The review of the quality of care report has not been completed and is now several months overdue. The manager is aware of this and plans to complete the report now that additional management support is in place. Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 1241023 3 Safeguarding notifications have not always been shared with Ofsted in a timely way. The manager recognises this and acknowledges that the system for ensuring that notifications are sent consistently and without delay is still developing.

p.2

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

01/10/2025 Full Requires improvement to be good 18/03/2025 Full Good 21/02/2024 Full Good 14/12/2022 Full Good Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 1241023 4

p.3

Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered person 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 must comply within the given timescales.

p.4

Requirement Due date

The leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that—

p.4

Requirement Due date

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

p.4

Requirement Due date

lead and manage the home in a way that is consistent with the approach and ethos, and delivers the outcomes, set out in the home’s statement of purpose;

p.4

Requirement Due date

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child;

p.4

Requirement Due date

understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home;

p.4

Requirement Due date

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(b) (2)(a)(b)(c)(f)(h))

p.4

Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered manager should provide consistent oversight in the home to ensure that the children receive good-quality care. Systems in place to support children should be reviewed to ensure that they remain effective in meeting children’s needs.

p.4

Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated. 5 July 2026

p.4

Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children—

p.4

Requirement Due date

receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home; and 5 July 2026 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 1241023 5 have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home.

p.4

Requirement Due date

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

p.5

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;

p.5

Requirement Due date

ensure the effective induction of each child into the home; manage and review the placement of each child in the home; and

p.5

Requirement Due date

plan for, and help, each child to prepare to leave the home or to move into adult care in a way that is consistent with arrangements agreed with the child’s placing authority;

p.5

Requirement Due date

that each child’s relevant plans are followed. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(i)(ii)(iii)(c))

p.5

Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated.

p.5

Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if—

p.5

Requirement Due date

a child is involved in or subject to, or is suspected of being involved in or subject to, sexual exploitation;

p.5

Requirement Due date

an incident requiring police involvement occurs in relation to a child which the registered person considers to be serious;

p.5

Requirement Due date

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

p.5

Requirement Due date

a child protection enquiry involving a child —

p.5

Requirement Due date

is instigated; or concludes (in which case, the notification must include the outcome of the child protection enquiry); or

p.5

Requirement Due date

there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40 (4)(a)(b)(c)(d)(e)) 5 July 2026 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 1241023 6 In particular, the registered manager must have a system in place so that all serious events are notified, within 24 hours, to the appropriate people. The system should cover the action that should be followed if the event arises at the weekend or on a public holiday.

p.5

Requirement Due date

The registered person must complete a review of the quality of care provided for children ("a quality of care review") at least once every 6 months.

p.6

Requirement Due date

In order to complete a quality of care review the registered person must establish and maintain a system for monitoring, reviewing and evaluating—

p.6

Requirement Due date

the quality of care provided for children;

p.6

Requirement Due date

the feedback and opinions of children about the children’s home, its facilities and the quality of care they receive in it; and

p.6

Requirement Due date

any actions that the registered person considers necessary in order to improve or maintain the quality of care provided for children.

p.6

Requirement Due date

After completing a quality of care review, the registered person must produce a written report about the quality of care review and the actions which the registered person intends to take as a result of the quality of care review ("the quality of care review report").

p.6

Requirement Due date

supply to HMCI a copy of the quality of care review report within 28 days of the date on which the quality of care review is completed; and

p.6

Requirement Due date

make a copy of the quality of care review report available on request to a placing authority, if the placing authority is not the parent of a child accommodated in the home.

p.6

Requirement Due date

The system referred to in paragraph (2) must provide for ascertaining and considering the opinions of children, their parents, placing authorities and staff. (Regulation 45 (1) (2)(a)(b)(c) (3) (4)(a)(b) (5)) 5 July 2026 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 1241023 7

p.6

Information about this inspection

The purpose of this visit was to monitor the action taken and the progress made by the children’s home since its last Ofsted inspection.

p.7

Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000. Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 1241023 8

p.7

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Treehouse Educare Limited

p.8

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: New Barn School, Guildford Road, Broadbridge Heath, Horsham, West Sussex RH12 3PQ

p.8

Inspectors

Chido Mangava, Social Care Inspector Hannah Cox, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 1241023 9 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.

p.8

Inspectors

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.9

Inspectors

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

p.9

Inspectors

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

p.9