Children's Home run by Spring Care for You Ltd in Lincolnshire

Inspection report for children’s home: 2823058 1 Registered provider: Spring Care for You Ltd Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

This home is privately run and provides care and support for up to 3 children who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in August 2025.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, 3 children were living in the home. The inspector spoke with 2 of the children.

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

p.1

good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

p.1

good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

p.1

good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

p.1

good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

p.1

good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2823058 2

p.1

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

07/10/2025 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2823058 3

p.2

Summary of findings

Children receive individualised care in a warm, welcoming and nurturing home where they feel valued, safe and develop strong relationships with staff. Children are making good progress in education and developing a positive sense of identity. They benefit from effective support to maintain important family relationships. Staff understand children’s risks well and work proactively with families and professionals to promote their safety and wellbeing. Leaders and managers provide effective oversight, creating a stable environment supported by a committed and well-trained staff team. Leaders are addressing improvements to ensure consistency in staff recording, understanding of physical intervention incidents and greater consistency in expectations for children between staffing teams.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is welcoming and well maintained. Children’s bedrooms are personalised to reflect their preferences, and their views influence decisions about the home environment, including communal and garden spaces. Children’s achievements, milestones and celebrations are prominently displayed throughout the home, helping them to feel valued and reinforcing their identity and place in the home. As a result, children are settled, enjoy positive day-to-day experiences and develop trusting relationships with staff. One child described staff as being their ‘family’, reflecting the strength and security of these relationships.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children benefit from carefully planned moves into the home. Managers and staff carefully assess the needs, personalities and vulnerabilities of children moving into the home alongside those already living there. This ensures that children are welcomed sensitively and supported to build positive relationships with one another. Staff place children’s wellbeing at the centre of their practice and maintain clear, consistent and age- appropriate boundaries.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s wishes and feelings are regularly explored in key-work sessions and shared during handovers and team meetings. Staff have adapted consultation methods to better meet children’s needs. Following recognition that formal house meetings were not enabling meaningful engagement for all children, staff introduced a feedback box to provide an alternative way for children to express their views.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff are strong advocates for children and challenge outdated or negative perceptions when these affect children’s opportunities. For example, staff have worked effectively with the police and education providers to ensure that historical information does not create unnecessary barriers to children accessing education and other positive opportunities. All children are settled in education and are supported to access learning environments that meet their individual needs. As a result, one child has successfully re- engaged in education, and another has secured a college place. Inspection report for children’s home: 2823058 4 Children’s rights, identity and individuality are respected and promoted. Staff provide care that is sensitive and responsive to children’s diverse needs, interests and identities. For example, staff ensured that a child’s chosen name and pronouns are consistently reflected in their records and in daily practice. Children are encouraged to learn about

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

and explore and celebrate their interests, including gaming, anime, Lego and Pride- related activities. Life-story work is captured creatively and individually, while respecting children’s wishes about how and when they engage with this.

p.4

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported to maintain meaningful relationships with people who are important to them. Staff actively promote family time both in the home and in the community and work closely with parents, social workers and other professionals to support a safe and positive experience.

p.4

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

An incentive system is established for a younger child and is tailored to support the achievement of meaningful personal goals. This provides clear encouragement and recognition of positive progress. Leaders and staff have also begun developing similar incentive-based approaches for older children to promote engagement and achievement. However, these arrangements are at an early stage and are not yet sufficiently embedded to enable leaders to evaluate their effectiveness or assess their impact on outcomes for older children.

p.4

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

Staff have a good understanding of each child’s strengths, vulnerabilities and risks, which enables them to provide care and support that promote children’s safety and wellbeing. As a result, no children have been reported missing, and staff have only had to hold a child once this inspection year.

p.4

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

Staff maintain strong and regular communication with families and partner agencies, ensuring that information is shared effectively and that children benefit from a coordinated approach to risk management and safeguarding.

p.4

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

Staff ensure that children’s paperwork and risk management plans are personalised and child focused. They identify known triggers, vulnerabilities and warning signs, alongside practical strategies for staff to reduce risk and respond effectively. Staff understand their roles and responsibilities for updating these documents and are confident in their use.

p.4

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

Children’s safety is appropriately considered in the home, and leaders have taken action to reduce identified risks, such as installing door covers following an incident during which a child was injured by a door.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers have created a stable and nurturing environment for children through a committed staff team, consistent staffing arrangements and safer recruitment Inspection report for children’s home: 2823058 5 practice. There is a clear ethos across the home that focuses on providing individualised care that responds to each child’s needs, experiences and aspirations.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager and responsible individual work closely together and provide clear direction for the home, ensuring that staff receive consistent guidance and support.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers have a good understanding of the experiences of children and the progress they are making. Staff feel that leaders listen to them and their knowledge and insights about the children’s wellbeing and behaviours.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff say they feel well supported by the leaders who are approachable, receptive to ideas and value their creativity.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Team meetings are used effectively to share learning and specialist knowledge, enabling staff to benefit from one another’s experience and expertise. Supervision takes place regularly and promotes reflective practice. Access to clinical supervision is particularly valued by staff, helping them to better understand their own responses to situations and strengthen their practice.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders ensure that staff receive training and development opportunities that equip them to meet children’s needs. A structured induction programme helps new staff develop the knowledge and skills required for their role. Staff have access to both mandatory and specialist training and are provided with opportunities during working hours to undertake this. Training completion is monitored effectively by managers, who identify and address any gaps promptly.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Children are supported to develop independence through opportunities such as work experience, police cadets and increased responsibilities, which helps prepare them for adulthood. However, inconsistencies in how staff apply expectations and boundaries mean that children do not always receive clear and consistent messages. In addition, some restrictions remain in place without a clear rationale understood by staff, including restrictions around children’s snack storage, window restrictors and opportunities for independent cooking. Leaders recognise these shortfalls and have started to review current arrangements, but systems are not yet sufficiently embedded to ensure that restrictions are regularly assessed, justified and reduced wherever possible.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Overall, leaders have a realistic understanding of the home’s strengths and areas for development and are taking action to drive ongoing improvement. Inspection report for children’s home: 2823058 6

p.5

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Spring Care for You Ltd

p.6

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: The Old Vicarage, Main Road, Holmesfield, Dronfield S18 7WT

p.6

Inspector

Ruth Alexander, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2823058 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.

p.6

Inspector

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.7

Inspector

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.7

Inspector

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.7