Children's Home run by De Novo Care Limited in Somerset

Inspection report for children's home: 2860068 1 Registered provider: De Novo Care 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

The home is managed by a private provider and delivers care for up to 3 children who may have social and emotional difficulties. This is the first inspection of the home since it was registered with Ofsted in November 2025.

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Information about this children’s home

Two children live in the home. The children were both present during the inspection and spoke with the inspector.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager has been in post since November 2025.

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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

Date of last inspection: not previously inspected

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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: 2860068 2

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Summary of findings

Children are settled and enjoy positive experiences both in and outside the home. Staff understand children’s individual needs and prioritise building strong, trusting relationships. As a result, both children were able to tell the inspector that they are happy living at the home. Children present as relaxed and content, with their happiness observed through their laughter, smiles and positive interactions with staff during the inspection.

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Summary of findings

Managers and staff are trauma-informed practitioners, and their positive beliefs and values are clearly embedded in practice. Staff and external professionals describe effective communication and responsiveness to issues affecting children. Management oversight includes appropriate challenge, ensuring that children’s needs and development opportunities are prioritised.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children receive care in a warm, nurturing and homely environment that offers them stability and routine. Children are making progress from their individual starting points and enjoy positive experiences while living at the home. Activities are thoughtfully matched to children’s individual interests and take account of their differing ages. Children also take part in shared activities, which support peer relationships and engagement.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff and managers prioritise children’s education and learning. They challenge professionals appropriately in order to secure the most suitable provision. One child is currently out of education and awaiting the outcome of an appeal. In the interim, staff provide them with structured and creative learning opportunities. This includes science activities such as making volcanic lava using homemade play dough, nature walks and scavenger style hunts. The child’s enjoyment and engagement are evident through their positive presentation, including smiling, singing and sustained participation.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support children to access specialist services when required. Partnership working is effective, with staff maintaining regular communication with professionals. Information- sharing is purposeful and identifies emerging concerns, which supports timely responses to children’s needs. This collaborative approach contributes positively to the planning and delivery of care.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are helped to understand how their behaviour can affect their physical and emotional wellbeing. Staff provide age-appropriate guidance to support children to make informed choices and to understand why intervention may be necessary to keep them safe. For example, one child’s emerging concerns around food were addressed in a timely way through joint working with external professionals and the child. This Inspection report for children's home: 2860068 3 demonstrates a clear focus on prevention and reflects practice that promotes the child’s safety and wellbeing.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are helped to spend time with their families where it is safe to do so. Where relationships have broken down, staff take steps to carefully reintroduce and repair connections with siblings and parents. Children are supported to maintain relationships even when families live at a distance. This promotes children’s emotional security and sense of identity. It helps to ensure that children experience stability and continuity of care through maintaining important lifelong relationships.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s views, wishes and feelings are not always captured and reflected in their care plans, despite meaningful conversations taking place that evidence their views. Consequently, it is unclear whether children have any influence on their direction of care. This limits their ability to recognise how they contribute to decisions that affect them and reduces opportunities to develop self-advocacy skills.

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

Children’s individual needs and risks are clearly understood. Staff deliver care that aligns with the organisation’s ethos and is sensitive to each child’s individual needs. Care is trauma informed and relational, and staff respond thoughtfully to children’s experiences. As a result, staff interventions are proportionate and effective, helping children to feel safe and to develop trust in the adults who care for them. There has been no use of physical interventions.

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

There have been no incidents of children going missing from home. Staff are appropriately prepared for this risk through reflective discussions in supervision. They are clear about the specific risks this would present for each child and understand the actions required to keep them safe.

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

Safeguarding arrangements are effective. Staff have open and age-appropriate discussions with children about risk, including sexual health and safety. One child communicates openly with staff, enabling timely action to promote their wider safety and wellbeing.

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

Risk mitigation plans do not consistently demonstrate a clear rationale for decision- making. For example, staff restrict children’s access to sharp knives by locking them away. However, managers have not clearly evaluated whether this restriction is proportionate to the children’s individual risks and vulnerabilities. In addition, there is limited consideration of whether this approach reflects institutional practice rather than individualised care and how children are supported to understand and manage risk.

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

Safeguarding logs are generally well maintained and appropriately overseen by managers. However, one medication error was not recorded in the safeguarding log. The manager appropriately assessed this as a practice-related issue and demonstrated proportionate decision-making, with learning addressed through supervision. Inspection report for children's home: 2860068 4

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers demonstrate strong values and high aspirations for children. There is a clear commitment to building a nurturing home where empathy, trauma-informed practice and relational care underpin all aspects of support. Leaders advocate effectively for children, escalating concerns and seeking additional support to ensure children’s needs are understood and responded to.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive a comprehensive induction, training programme and probationary process. Regular supervision and team meetings support reflection, learning and consistent practice. These arrangements are contributing to a positive culture with high expectations and strong support for staff development.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff consistently report that they enjoy their roles and feel supported by managers. They are developing a clearer understanding of expectations in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders demonstrate insight into the home’s strengths and areas for development, particularly in recognition of the home’s early stage of operation, the new staff team and the short time children have lived together.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The relationship between the registered manager and responsible individual is effective and characterised by high support and appropriate challenge.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The recent appointment of a deputy manager adds capacity to the leadership team. The deputy manager is undertaking a comprehensive induction and training programme, which will strengthen consistency and oversight opportunities.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Managers have not yet embedded effective monitoring systems to ensure children’s plans are accurate and contain the most up-to-date information. Additionally, there is not consistency in objectives being specific, measurable and time bound. This could limit staff’s ability to deliver focused, consistent care and reduce oversight of children’s progress over time. Inspection report for children's home: 2860068 5

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that risk mitigation plans always outline the rationale for decisions, taking account of children’s vulnerabilities, risks and progress. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 42, paragraph 9.5)  The registered person should ensure that the quality of recording is consistent, with appropriate detail to inform care and assure staff practice. In particular, plans should be updated with key information and children’s objectives should be specific, measurable and time-bound. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4)

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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: 2860068 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: De Novo Care Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Bank Green, Fox Lane, Holmesfield, Dronfield S18 7WG

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Inspector:

Ashley Arkless, Social Care Regulatory Inspector Inspection report for children's home: 2860068 7 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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