Children's Home run by Eden Children Services Limited in Cheshire West and Chester

Inspection report for children’s home: 2825137 1 Registered provider: Eden Children Services Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home registered with Ofsted in March 2025 and is privately owned. It provides care for up to 3 children who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of this inspection, one child was living in the home. The child was seen during the inspection but did not wish to provide feedback about the home.

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Information about this children’s home

There has been no registered manager in post since October 2025.

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Information about this children’s home

There has been no responsible individual in post since March 2026.

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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 inadequate

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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: 2825137 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

29/07/2025 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2825137 3

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Summary of findings

Since the first inspection of the home, the registered manager has left the organisation, leaving the team without a manager for a period. A new manager applied to register in February 2026 and has since provided consistent leadership; however, the positive changes she is implementing are not yet fully embedded. There have also been changes in the senior leadership team, and the current oversight provided by senior leaders remains insufficient.

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Summary of findings

Children benefit from a welcoming home environment, effective educational support, and improving direct work. However, minor maintenance issues persist. Staff understand children’s health needs and promote positive routines.

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Summary of findings

Safeguarding has improved under the new manager; however, there were previously gaps in professional curiosity, reporting, and the handling of complaints.

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Summary of findings

Leadership is inadequate due to instability, a lack of consistent oversight, and previous shortfalls in recruitment, training and whistleblowing practices. Although improvements are underway, they are not yet fully embedded.

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improvement to be good

Planning and compatibility assessments before children move into the home together have not always been sufficiently robust. There is limited evidence of effective risk assessment or planning before 2 children moved into the home. As a result, their relationship was not always well managed. Improvements have since been made, including the introduction of more structured safety planning.

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improvement to be good

One child has moved out of the home. Their move was well planned and supported, and staff have helped this child to thrive in their new home.

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improvement to be good

Children benefit from a welcoming and comfortable home environment. However, there are some minor maintenance issues that require attention, including a damaged bedroom door and damage to the bathroom ceiling. These detract from an otherwise homely setting.

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improvement to be good

Staff promote children’s education effectively. The child currently living in the home was previously out of education; through consistent encouragement and support, staff have helped to improve their attendance and engagement. A child who has since moved on was also supported to make measurable progress in school. Inspection report for children’s home: 2825137 4 Staff demonstrate a sound understanding of children’s physical and mental health needs. Appropriate referrals are made to specialist services, ensuring that support is well coordinated and responsive.

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improvement to be good

Staff actively promote and support children to meet their basic care needs, including encouraging improvements in personal hygiene and healthy eating.

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improvement to be good

The quality of direct work with children has improved. Records demonstrate that staff engage sensitively with children on a range of important topics. Direct work with one child, focusing on emotional regulation, was particularly well planned and effective. However, practice has not been consistently strong. Some earlier records reflect a lack of empathy in staff interactions. Notably, following an incident in which a child was assaulted by a peer, staff placed undue responsibility on the victim. Furthermore, the manager at that time failed to recognise or challenge this poor practice. This represents a significant shortfall in how children’s experiences were understood and responded to.

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improvement to be good

Staff are supportive of children’s gender identity. However, correct pronoun use is not always applied consistently.

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improvement to be good

The new manager has improved oversight of safeguarding practice. Recent incidents have been managed and reviewed appropriately, and learning is beginning to be embedded through team meetings and training. Staff now have a clearer understanding of their safeguarding responsibilities. However, children have previously experienced an inconsistent approach to their safety.

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improvement to be good

Staff have not always demonstrated sufficient professional curiosity regarding children’s risks and experiences. On one occasion, a child disclosed an emerging risk relating to alcohol misuse, which was not followed up by staff. On another occasion, a child sustained minor injuries during an incident, but there is no evidence that they were offered medical attention or supported to consider making a police complaint. This represents a missed opportunity to enhance children’s safety.

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improvement to be good

Staff have not reported all serious incidents to Ofsted. For example, one incident in which a child was the victim of an assault was not reported to the regulator. This limits the effectiveness of external scrutiny.

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improvement to be good

Complaints and allegations have not always been managed effectively. Records relating to one allegation are incomplete, with only an outcome letter available; therefore, there is no evidence of a clear or thorough investigation process. In another case, senior managers did not share information with the manager effectively or act promptly to progress an investigation, resulting in delays. Children have not consistently been informed of the outcomes of their complaints. Inspection report for children’s home: 2825137 5 Safer recruitment processes have not consistently met regulatory requirements. Although these issues have now been addressed by the current manager, previous shortfalls could have placed children at risk.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

There has been significant instability in the leadership and management of the home, with multiple changes in management since the last inspection.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

A senior leader has been subject to serious allegations. These concerns were initially raised through an external professional network. The manager subsequently commissioned an independent investigation, during which staff reiterated these concerns. However, staff did not follow whistleblowing procedures to raise their concerns at an earlier stage, demonstrating a limited understanding of their reporting responsibilities.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Staff continue to lack confidence in whistleblowing procedures. Some are unclear about external reporting routes, including the distinction between Ofsted and the local authority designated officer. This lack of clarity may prevent concerns from being raised appropriately and undermines a culture of transparency. The manager has arranged further training to develop staff confidence, skills and knowledge.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Staff have not consistently received effective support. Before the current manager was appointed, staff reported feeling ‘lost’ and lacking clear direction. This has contributed to inconsistent practice and some weak safeguarding responses. The current manager has a comprehensive understanding of the shortfalls in practice and is implementing a structured action plan to drive improvement; however, these changes are not yet fully embedded.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Management oversight of staff practice has historically been inconsistent in both quality and effectiveness. Although some feedback was recorded, it was not always sufficiently reflective or focused on improvement. Since the current manager has been in post, there has been a clear improvement in the quality of oversight. Feedback is now consistently clear, constructive, and supports staff to develop their practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

There are significant gaps in senior leadership oversight. There is no evidence of effective independent auditing of children’s records, as the responsible individual does not have access to the recording system. The current leadership structure means that incidents are sometimes reviewed by the same individual involved, increasing the risk of a closed culture.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Training has not been delivered consistently to ensure that staff are fully equipped to meet children’s needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Independent monitoring is also weak. Independent person visits are often announced and take place during school hours, limiting opportunities to speak with children. This Inspection report for children’s home: 2825137 6 reduces the effectiveness of independent scrutiny. The manager has now appointed a new independent person.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Supervision arrangements have improved. Staff now receive regular, reflective supervision; however, there were significant gaps in this support under previous management. In addition, staff have not consistently received probation reviews or annual appraisals within required timescales. Improvements to the formal oversight of staff practice are ongoing. Inspection report for children’s home: 2825137 7

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

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Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

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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

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;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff work as a team where appropriate;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child;

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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;

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Requirement Due date

demonstrate that practice in the home is informed and improved by taking into account and acting on—

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Requirement Due date

feedback on the experiences of children, including complaints received; and

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Requirement Due date

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(e)(f)(g)(ii)(h)) 31 August 2026 Inspection report for children’s home: 2825137 8 Specifically, the registered person must ensure that adequate and consistent oversight and support are provided from senior managers, including the responsible individual.

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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

assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the child’s relevant plans, and, if necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand how to keep safe;

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Requirement Due date

have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm;

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Requirement Due date

manage relationships between children to prevent them from harming each other;

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Requirement Due date

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(vi))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that staff demonstrate professional curiosity and act on signs of emerging risks for children. 31 August 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;

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

a child protection enquiry involving a child—

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Requirement Due date

is instigated; or 31 August 2026 Inspection report for children’s home: 2825137 9 concludes (in which case, the notification must include the outcome of the child protection enquiry); or

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Requirement Due date

there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious.

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Requirement Due date

A notification made under this regulation—

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Requirement Due date

the other persons, bodies or organisations (if any) who or which have been notified; and

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Requirement Due date

any actions taken by the registered person as a result of the matter;

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Requirement Due date

must be made or confirmed in writing. (Regulation 40 (4)(a)(b)(c)(d)(i)(ii)(e) (5)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(b))

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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

develop positive relationships with them;

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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. (Regulation 7 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(iii))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that children are informed about, and supported to understand, the outcomes of any complaints or allegations. 31 August 2026 Inspection report for children’s home: 2825137 10 Furthermore, the registered person must ensure that children’s chosen gender identities, including pronouns, are respected in all written and verbal communications.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that a record is made of any complaint, the action taken in response, and the outcome of any investigation. (Regulation 39 (3)) 31 August 2026

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that the home is maintained to a homely, domestic standard, with all necessary repair work addressed in a timely manner. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9)

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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: 2825137 11

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Eden Children Services Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 85 Great Portland Street, London W1W 7LT

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Inspector

Nicola Shaw, Social Care Regulatory Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2825137 12 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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