Children's Home run by Country Care Children’s Homes Ltd in Derbyshire

Inspection report children's home: SC020151 1 SC020151 Registered provider: Country Care Childrens Homes Ltd

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Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children's home

This home is registered to provide care for up to 8 children who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children's home

Children live across 2 homes. The main house is a large farmhouse in a rural location; a solo provision 10 minutes away is in a local town.

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Information about this children's home

The manager registered with Ofsted in November 2024.

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Information about this children's home

At the time of the inspection, 2 children were living in the main house, and one child was living in the solo home. The inspector met with and gathered feedback from 2 children.

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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: requires improvement to be good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children's home: SC020151 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

22/07/2025 Full Requires improvement to be good 10/12/2024 Full Good 27/02/2024 Full Good 29/06/2022 Full Outstanding Inspection report children's home: SC020151 3

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Summary of findings

Children benefit from nurturing relationships with staff who understand their individual needs and vulnerabilities. Staff provide consistent, child-centred care that helps children feel safe, develop a sense of belonging and make progress in areas such as education, emotional well-being and family relationships. Risks are effectively managed, with staff responding proactively to safeguarding concerns and missing from home incidents. Leaders and managers are committed to improving outcomes for children and have created a supportive and reflective culture. Professionals and parents speak positively about the care provided. Shortfalls identified during the inspection are recognised by leaders, who are taking appropriate action to improve practice.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children benefit from living in a nurturing and welcoming home environment where their individual needs are understood and consistently met. The provider operates 2 homes across separate locations, including a solo provision situated approximately 10 minutes from the main home. Both homes are clean, spacious and appropriately furnished to a high standard. Recent redecoration in parts of the main home, alongside personalised bedrooms that reflect children's individual interests and preferences, help children to develop a sense a belonging and identity.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have developed trusting relationships with staff. They report feeling safe and cared for and are confident that staff act in their best interests. Staff know the children well and demonstrate a good understanding of their individual vulnerabilities and behaviour triggers. Children receive consistent support that helps to reduce incidents of escalation, promotes emotional stability and positive behaviour.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff place significant importance on maintaining and promoting children's relationships with the people who matter to them. Children are supported to spend meaningful time with family members and other important people in their lives. Professionals and family members speak positively about the staff team's commitment to strengthening these relationships and recognise the positive impact this has had on children's emotional well- being and overall progress.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are encouraged and supported to engage in education and make progress from their individual starting points. Leaders and staff work proactively and persistently with education professionals and the local authority to advocate for children when suitable education provision is not immediately available. One child has made significant educational progress, currently undertaking GCSE examinations and applying for a place at college. Inspection report children's home: SC020151 4

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

Children live in an environment where their safety and well-being are prioritised by the staff team. Risks to children are identified, regularly reviewed and managed effectively through risk assessments and individualised safety plans. Staff have a good understanding of children's individual vulnerabilities and experiences, enabling them to provide consistent care and support that helps children become increasingly safe.

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

Physical interventions are used appropriately, proportionately and only as a last resort to protect children and others from harm. Staff are trained in approved methods of intervention and demonstrate an understanding of deescalation strategies, which has contributed to a reduction in the physical interventions for one child. Records of interventions are detailed and include the rationale for the intervention, duration, and debrief discussion with both staff and children involved. This reflective practice supports learning and helps staff continually improve the care provided to children.

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

Staff respond effectively when children go missing from home. Incidents are managed proactively, with staff taking swift action to locate children and work in partnership with relevant safeguarding agencies. For one child, episodes of going missing have significantly reduced. Detailed records are maintained and there is clear evidence of effective communication and timely liaison with the police, social workers and other professionals to promote children’s safety and welfare. However, the language in some children’s records is institutionalised and not child friendly.

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

Children benefit from clear and consistent boundaries that help them to feel safe and secure. Staff support children to understand risks and encourage them to develop safer behaviours over time. Safeguarding practices are generally effective, and staff work collaboratively with external professionals to safeguard children from harm completing work around healthy relationships, online safety and other known risks.

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

Leaders have recognised shortfalls in relation to one child's deprivation of liberty arrangements and have taken immediate action to address these. During the inspection, the registered manager obtained the most up-to-date court documentation and implemented plans to ensure restrictions are reviewed and managed appropriately moving forward. This demonstrates a willingness to respond to identified concerns and improve practice in children's best interests.

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

Children know how to make complaints and are encouraged to share their views and concerns. While one child's complaint was not initially managed robustly, leaders have reflected on this shortfall and recognised the need to strengthen professional curiosity and ensure children receive clear outcomes following investigations. Managers are taking steps to improve oversight and ensure children's voices are consistently listened to and acted upon. Inspection report children's home: SC020151 5

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager has recently returned to work on a part-time basis following maternity leave and has clear plans to resume full-time responsibilities. During her absence, the deputy manager and responsible individual have provided consistent leadership and oversight. Leaders work collaboratively and demonstrate a strong understanding of strengths and areas for development within the service. This has ensured continuity of care and stability for children in the manager’s absence.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers have reflected on previous inspection findings and taken effective action to strengthen practice and improve the quality of care provided to children. They have implemented new ways of working and made considered decisions in children's best interests, including temporarily not accepting new admissions despite vacancies. This demonstrates a child centred approach and a commitment to ensuring that staff can meet children's needs safely and effectively. However, the most recent quality of care review was not completed in line with the regulation, leaders have plans to ensure the next review is completed to a good standard.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The leadership team has established a positive and supportive culture. Staff speak highly of the support they receive from managers and report feeling valued in their roles. Leaders promote open communication, reflective practice and continuous improvement. Staff demonstrate a good understanding of children's individual needs and are committed to helping children make progress from their starting points.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders maintain effective partnership working with professionals. Feedback from social workers is consistently positive. Professionals describe communication as proactive and effective and say that leaders advocate strongly for children to ensure they receive the support and services they need. Leaders challenge other agencies appropriately when responses are not sufficiently timely or effective for children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Children benefit from positive relationships with the staff team and leaders. Parents report that communication is good and they are kept well informed about their child's care and progress. One parent commented that they had no concerns regarding the care provided to their child. This collaborative approach helps to promote consistency and positive outcomes for children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Monitoring and oversight systems are generally effective in identifying areas for improvement and supporting staff practice. Supervision takes place regularly and focuses on both staff well-being and the needs of children. Staff are provided with appropriate guidance, challenge and support to carry out their roles effectively. Leaders recognise the importance of staff welfare and respond appropriately when staff require additional support, helping to maintain a resilient and stable workforce. Inspection report children's home: SC020151 6

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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.

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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

understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person;

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring staff have access to the correct legal documentation to support a child on a deprivation of liberty order to ensure that they are working in line with this order. 10 June 2026

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Requirement Due date

The children’s views, wishes and feelings standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

take their views, wishes and feelings into account in relation to matters affecting the children’s care and welfare and their lives.

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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

help each child to understand how the child’s views, wishes and feelings have been taken into account and give the child reasons for decisions in relation to the child;

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 7 (1)(c)(2)(a)(iii)) 10 June 2026 Inspection report children's home: SC020151 7 This specifically relates to ensuring staff are curious about children's views and that responses are provided following complaints.

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that staff are familiar with the home's policies on record-keeping and understand the importance of careful, objective and clear recording. Staff should record information on individual children in a non-stigmatising way that distinguishes between fact, opinion and third-party information. Information about the child must always be recorded in a way that will be helpful to the child. ('Guide to the Children's Homes Regulations, including the quality standards', page 62, paragraph 14.4)

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Recommendations

 The registered person must have a system in place which allows them to monitor the matters set out in regulation 45 at least once every six months. The registered person should undertake a review that focuses on the quality of the care provided by the home, the experiences of children living there and the impact the care is having on outcomes and improvements for the children ('Guide to the Children's Homes Regulations, including the quality standards', page 64, paragraph 15.2)

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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 children's home: SC020151 8

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Children's home details

Registered provider: Country Care Childrens Homes Ltd

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Inspector

Lauren Barwell, Social Care Regulatory Inspector Inspection report children's home: SC020151 9 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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