Children's Home run by Momentum Residential Care Home Ltd in Essex

Inspection report for children's home: 2621215 1 Registered provider: Momentum Residential Care Home Ltd Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children's home

This home is run by a private organisation and provides care for up to 4 children who experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children's home

The manager registered with Ofsted in June 2025.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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requires improvement to be good

How well children and young people are helped and protected requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

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requires improvement to be good

The children's home is not yet delivering good help and care for children and young people. However, there are no serious or widespread failures that result in their welfare not being safeguarded or promoted.

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children's home: 2621215 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

06/05/2025 Full Good 16/04/2024 Full Requires improvement to be good 31/07/2023 Full Requires improvement to be good 16/05/2023 Full Inadequate Inspection report for children's home: 2621215 3

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Summary of findings

Leaders and managers have effective oversight of the home and are providing staff with good opportunities for learning and development. There are areas that require some improvement, which has led to the home's overall judgement. This includes shortfalls in the help and protection of children, the monthly independent review and areas of staff practice.

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improvement to be good

At the time of the inspection, there was one child living in the home. They took part in the inspection.

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improvement to be good

The children's guide gives clear information about the home. This is shared with children before they move in. Children are encouraged to share any 'grumbles' and have a worry box that they can use to write down worries. However, one child shared that they did not know how to complain.

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improvement to be good

Staff support children's education. One child has been enrolled at school. They still struggle to attend regularly, but staff have adapted the morning routine to help support them to attend.

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improvement to be good

The home is welcoming and nicely decorated. The garden is well kept and has bikes, a punch bag, a trampoline and a large cabin for children to use. The children's bedrooms are decorated to the child's taste. This provides children with suitable space and activities within the home.

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improvement to be good

Key-work sessions and important conversations are held with children. These are planned and unplanned. They address key points such as children's safety, their health and wellbeing and other important topics. These sessions support the child's emotional development.

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improvement to be good

Staff support children with their health needs. They book appointments and encourage children to attend. One child was helped to access sexual health support.

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improvement to be good

Staff make efforts to meet with children and spend time with them before they move in. For one child, staff were unable to visit them due to the distance, but they made use of video calls. Staff advocate for children to build up time and visits with their family. This helps children to strengthen important relationships. Inspection report for children's home: 2621215 4

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improvement to be good

Staff show a level of professional curiosity when children are on their phones, and they address online safety within key-work sessions. However, there are no boundaries or structure around mobile phones.

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improvement to be good

Children have returned to the home with new items or have personal items missing. Children have returned home intoxicated, and it is unclear where the alcohol came from. Staff have not shown adequate curiosity in these circumstances.

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improvement to be good

On one occasion, staff were made aware of a child who did not live at the home being present there. Staff did not complete a thorough room search. The child was in the home for 2 days. This resulted in the police visiting the home to look for the child. They were found by police when they completed a room search.

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improvement to be good

Staff know what to do when children go missing from the home. Missing-from-home protocols for children are clear and reflect their individual needs. Staff follow these protocols when children are missing. Staff attempt to contact and search for them when they are missing from home. Professionals said staff keep them updated about incidents. This helps them maintain oversight of children's vulnerabilities. Staff have challenged professionals around return home interviews, as for one child these are not effective. However, on one occasion when a child was missing from home, staff were not proactive, and transport home for the child was not arranged in a timely manner. The child was at an unknown location and stayed out overnight.

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improvement to be good

Children's care plans and risk assessments are bespoke and updated with new incidents. Positive behaviour is promoted, and incentives are given to children. Staff are also able to use appropriate consequences when necessary.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The management team is professional and knowledgeable. It has suitable plans in place for the training and development of staff.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Managers and staff receive regular and effective supervision sessions. These provide staff with a space to raise any concerns and reflect on their practice. Staff have yearly appraisals, and development plans are put in place if any practice concerns are identified.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Team meetings regularly take place. They address any presenting concerns and provide a space for the team members to share how they are feeling. Learning is shared throughout the staff group, which supports everyone's learning and development. Inspection report for children's home: 2621215 5 Several members of staff provided positive feedback and said that they feel supported by the management team and liked that the managers were involved in the day-today running of the home. Staff are aware of safeguarding processes and identified who they could speak with about any worries. When safeguarding incidents occurred, managers put appropriate actions in place to suspend staff and put them on performance plans. These plans and actions were followed through.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Managers have oversight of incidents when they occur. However, their analysis is weak. Debriefs do take place, but these lack depth. This could impact on any learning from incidents.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

On occasion, managers failed to send safeguarding notifications within required timescales. This oversight means that Ofsted is unable to monitor the effectiveness of safeguarding measures taken to keep children safe.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

It has been recognised that there is a professional connection between the independent visitor and the responsible individual. It is the registered person's responsibility to ensure that someone independent visits at least once a month. Inspection report for children's home: 2621215 6

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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

The registered person must ensure that an independent person visits the children's home at least once each month.

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Requirement Due date

If the independent person becomes aware of a potential conflict of interest (whether under regulation 43(3) or otherwise) after a visit to the home, the independent person must include in the independent person's report—

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Requirement Due date

details of the conflict of interest; and

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Requirement Due date

the reasons why the independent person did not notify the registered provider of the conflict of interest before the visit. (Regulation 44 (1) (6)(a)(b)) 23 June 2026

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

an incident requiring police involvement occurs in relation to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40 (4)(a)(b)) 23 June 2026

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Requirement Due date

The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

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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

help each child to understand how to keep safe;

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Requirement Due date

understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person; 23 June 2026 Inspection report for children's home: 2621215 7 take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child's welfare; and

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Requirement Due date

that the home's day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(ii)(v)(vi)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that children are supported with transport home after being missing, that no unknown people enter the children's home and that staff are thorough with room searches when necessary.

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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: 2621215 8

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Children's home details

Registered provider: Momentum Residential Care Home Ltd

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Inspector

Abby Lynch, social care inspector Inspection report for children's home: 2621215 9 regulates and 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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