Children's Home run by DOONAMIS LIMITED in Essex

Inspection report for children’s home: 2806853 1 Registered provider: DOONAMIS LIMITED

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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 privately owned home provides care for up to 3 children who have social and emotional needs.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted at the same time as the home, which opened in November 2024.

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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: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2806853 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

12/06/2025 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2806853 3

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Summary of findings

Children benefit from positive and nurturing relationships with staff who know them well and are committed to helping them make progress. Children are supported to share their views, maintain important relationships, access healthcare and develop their understanding of risk. Safeguarding practice is effective and staff respond appropriately to incidents and concerns. The home is led by an experienced manager who provides effective oversight and promotes a positive and reflective culture for staff. The inspection identified some areas for improvement relating to admission arrangements and recording. Nevertheless, children receive care that promotes their safety, wellbeing and progress.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Since the last inspection, 4 children have moved into the home, and 4 children have moved out. There were no children living in the home at the time of inspection.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s wishes and feelings are frequently obtained. Documents and records are written to the child and often provide the children’s views. Where children’s wishes can’t be met, there is a clear rationale provided to the child as to why this isn’t possible, and alternatives are explored. Children’s feelings are always considered and recognised.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported to engage in activities and hobbies that they are interested in. When children would like to participate in an activity or would like to try a new experience, these wishes are supported by the staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported to spend time and have positive relationships with those most important to them. Children are encouraged by staff to spend time with their support networks in the community, in the home and for sleepovers. Staff transport children to see important people and are welcoming of them spending time in the home. When children voice who they wish to see, staff make arrangements with the appropriate people and obtain permission from the appropriate professionals.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support children with their health needs. When there are incidences resulting in children’s health needs needing to be addressed, these are responded to appropriately. Children attend routine appointments regularly. Specialist medical advice for children is sought from appropriate medical professionals when required. Children can also access therapeutic support from the home’s therapist.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

At the time of the inspection, there had been extensive damage caused to the property. Leaders and staff responded proactively to this. Repairs had been arranged and work was underway to restore the home to its usual standard. This demonstrates a commitment to maintaining a homely environment that meets children’s needs. Inspection report for children’s home: 2806853 4 One child had a positive transition out of the home into a foster placement due to the positive progress she had made. Staff supported this transition by providing individualised key-work sessions, creating visual tools for the child and by working collaboratively with the foster carers.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Since the last inspection, 3 children’s placements have ended abruptly, leading to children having unplanned exits from the home, which impacted negatively on their overall experiences. The assessment for one child was not individualised and contained the details of another child, and there were inaccuracies in dates recorded in admission records. For one child, not all of the relevant information was received before their move into the home. This means that decisions about whether the child’s needs could be met in the home could not be considered fully.

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

Risk assessments are detailed and provide staff with clear guidance about known risks, how these have presented previously and the actions staff should take to reduce harm. Staff understand children’s individual vulnerabilities and respond appropriately when concerns arise.

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

Staff help children to understand the risks identified for them and support them to make safe choices. Key-work sessions and ongoing discussions help children to reflect on their behaviours and increase their awareness of risk. For example, staff have worked with one child around the risks associated with substance misuse, vaping and criminal exploitation. One professional spoke positively about staff completing direct-work sessions with children using a trauma-informed and therapeutic approach, taking account of children’s additional needs. This helps children to better understand risks and supports safer decision-making.

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

Incidents are managed well by staff. Staff remain calm during challenging situations and use known strategies and de-escalation techniques to help children regulate their emotions. One incident involving a child was particularly complex and challenging. Although staff were still developing their understanding of the child’s needs, they responded thoughtfully. They dynamically assessed risks and adapted their response, based on previous incidents, to promote the child’s safety. This helps children to feel supported during periods of distress.

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

Children’s concerns and complaints are taken seriously. When children have raised concerns about staff conduct, these have been appropriately referred to the local authority designated officer. Children have been kept informed throughout investigations and offered support once outcomes have been shared. This helps children to feel listened to and reassured that adults will act to protect them.

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

Missing-from-home incidents are managed well. Staff take appropriate action to try and locate children, including searching known areas, attempting to contact children and Inspection report for children’s home: 2806853 5 liaising with family members and relevant professionals. Children are welcomed home positively and return home interviews are arranged. Feedback from professionals confirms that staff act appropriately when children are missing from home. However, during one missing-from-home incident, recording did not consistently demonstrate what actions staff were taking at specific times or the rationale for decisions made. This reduces opportunities for effective management oversight and evaluation of staff responses.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home is led by a suitably qualified and experienced manager. The manager knows the children very well. They are proud of the achievements children make and can identify progress, even when the children have lived at the home for short periods of time. The manager is ambitious for children and staff and has a good understanding of the home’s strengths and areas for development. This helps to ensure that children receive consistent and reflective care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Management oversight is detailed, reflective and effective. Managers review incidents thoroughly and identify patterns, themes and follow-up actions when required. Records are written sensitively and respectfully to children, while remaining clear about risks and concerns. This demonstrates that children are cared for and valued. Records will be meaningful and helpful should children wish to access them later in life.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff speak positively about the support they receive from leaders and managers and the culture in the home. Staff describe the team as being like a family and say they feel valued and supported. Staff are regularly consulted on various aspects of the home, including decisions regarding new referrals for children. The staff team is stable with very little staff turnover. This promotes consistency of care and stability for children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Team meetings are regular, detailed and reflective. They help to ensure that consistent messages are shared with the staff team, and they support improvements in practice. Team meetings also provide staff with opportunities to reflect on significant incidents and learn together. Staff are encouraged to share ideas about practice developments and are recognised for the work they do. Staff also benefit from regular supervision and consultations with the home’s therapist. These provide staff with therapeutic insight into children’s needs and help them to further develop their practice when supporting children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Feedback from professionals is positive. Professionals said that communication from the home is good. They said that staff work well with external agencies and seek support from other professionals when required to help meet children’s needs. One professional described the registered manager as ‘conscientious about the welfare of children’. This helps to ensure that children receive coordinated and well-informed care from the professionals supporting them. Inspection report for children’s home: 2806853 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 care planning standard is that children—

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Requirement Due date

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

ensure the effective induction of each child into the home;

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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. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b) (2)(b)(i)(iii)) 28 July 2026

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that records are kept detailing all individual incidents when children go missing from the home. This information should provide a clear chronology of actions taken by stuff during missing-from-home incidents. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 46, paragraph 9.31) Inspection report for children’s home: 2806853 7

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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: 2806853 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 117 Kingfisher Close, Shoeburyness, Southend-On-Sea SS3 9YB

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Inspectors

Emilja Myers, Social Care Inspector Maisy Griggs, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2806853 9 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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