Children's Home run by Country Homes For Children Ltd in Staffordshire

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2804883 1 Registered provider: Country Homes For Children Ltd

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home was registered on 15 January 2025, to provide care for up to 3 children who may experience emotional and social difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager is suitably qualified and is registered with Ofsted.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of this monitoring visit, there were no children living in the home.

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This monitoring visit

The home has been recently redecorated and refurbished and is now a bright and welcoming space for children to live in. Remedial fencing and clearance work to the grounds of the home now ensures that children can play safely in the garden.

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This monitoring visit

Since the last inspection, managers and leaders have chosen not to move any children into the home to allow them to concentrate on the improvements to practice that are required. A detailed improvement plan for the home has been put in place to address the shortfalls identified at the most recent full inspection. The manager is receiving additional mentoring support to develop their understanding of their role.

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This monitoring visit

There has been some progress made against the required improvements identified at the last inspection. However, these are not yet fully embedded or evidenced as sustained changes.

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This monitoring visit

A new recording system has been introduced to the home, and staff have received training on how to use it. Managers and leaders state that they expect this will improve the timeliness and quality of recording as well as improve managerial oversight. Currently, effective managerial oversight of the home is still not consistently evidenced across all areas.

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This monitoring visit

Staff have received refresher training to support them to better understand their roles and responsibilities when caring for children. Staff complete initial safeguarding Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2804883 2 training as part of their induction, but staff have not yet completed refresher safeguarding training in line with the improvement plan for the home. Therefore, it is not possible to determine if all staff have developed their knowledge and skills in safeguarding children since the last inspection and so are confident in recognising risk for children and knowing how to keep children safe.

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This monitoring visit

There are no children living in the home currently, and staff have not completed additional training to help them understand children’s physical and mental health needs. Therefore, it is not possible to assess if staff have developed their skills and knowledge to better support children to understand their physical and mental health needs since the last inspection.

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This monitoring visit

Team meetings are being used positively as a platform to offer staff space for reflection and group discussion. Staff also have access to therapeutic support from a commissioned external resource, which is developing their understanding of trauma- informed practice and helps them to think about how they care for children. However, staff say that team meetings are also often used to address many subject matters concurrently, meaning that they are not always fully able to appreciate and understand all the information being shared.

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This monitoring visit

Further recruitment activity has been undertaken to grow the staff team with experienced staff members. Currently, only one member of the staff team has completed their probation period, and for most members of the staff team, this is their first experience of working in a children’s home. Staff do not always receive regular and reflective supervision that focuses on their ongoing areas of development. Neither do staff, including the manager, receive written records of their supervision, probation or appraisal meetings. This further limits opportunities for learning and development. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2804883 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

20/04/2026 Full Inadequate 10/06/2025 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2804883 4

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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 with the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

The health and well-being standard is that —

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Requirement Due date

the health and well-being needs of children are met;

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Requirement Due date

children receive advice, services and support in relation to their health and well-being; and

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Requirement Due date

children are helped to lead healthy lifestyles.

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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

achieve the health and well-being outcomes that are recorded in the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

understand the child’s health and well-being needs and the options that are available in relation to the child’s health and well-being, in a way that is appropriate to the child’s age and understanding;

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Requirement Due date

take part in activities, and attend any appointments, for the purpose of meeting the child’s health and well-being needs; and

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Requirement Due date

understand and develop skills to promote the child’s well- being;

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Requirement Due date

that each child is registered as a patient with a general medical practitioner and a registered dental practitioner. (Regulation 10 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(b))

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Requirement Due date

The registered manager must ensure that children are encouraged to attend all their health appointments and that referrals are made to external agencies to support children with their emotional wellbeing. 1 August 2026 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2804883 5 This requirement was made at the last inspection and is reinstated.

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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 staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child;

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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

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)(c)(d)(e)(h))) 1 August 2026

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees—

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Requirement Due date

undertake appropriate continuing professional development;

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Requirement Due date

receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience; and

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Requirement Due date

have their performance and fitness to perform their roles appraised at least once every year. (Regulation 33 (4)(a)(b)(c)) 1 August 2026 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2804883 6

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that staff have the skills for safeguarding, which include being able to identify signs that children may be at risk, and that they support children in developing strategies to manage and reduce any risks. In particular, staff must regularly refresh their safeguarding training to ensure that their safeguarding knowledge remains up to date. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards,’ page 43, paragraph 9.10)  The registered person should ensure that a record of supervision is kept for staff, including the manager. The record should provide evidence that supervision is being delivered in line with regulation 33(4)(b). (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards,’ page 61, paragraph 13.3)

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Information about this inspection

The purpose of this visit was to monitor the action taken and the progress made by the children’s home since its last Ofsted inspection.

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Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2804883 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Country Homes For Children Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Manor House Farm, Hall Lane, Hilderstone, Stone, Staffordshire ST15 8SQ

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Inspector

Helen Dickens, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2804883 8 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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