Children's Home run by Positive Independence Ltd in Nottinghamshire

Inspection report for children’s home: 2875041 1 Registered provider: Positive Independence Ltd Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home registered with Ofsted in January 2026 and is owned by a private organisation. It provides care for up to 2 children who may experience emotional and social difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, 2 children were living at the home. The inspectors spoke with both children.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted on 27 January 2026.

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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: 2875041 2

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Summary of findings

Children receive nurturing care from a committed staff team and make positive progress in a safe and supportive environment. Relationships between staff and children are warm and trusting, and partnership working with professionals is effective. Areas for development include ensuring the regular review of door alarm use to maintain proportionate child-centred practice, strengthening initial assessments for children moving and improving communication with families to promote greater involvement.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children speak positively about their experiences and say the home is a place where they feel safe, cared for and supported. Children said that they enjoy living at the home and value the relationships they have developed with staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is exceptionally well presented and provides a welcoming, homely environment. Children’s bedrooms are personalised and reflect their individual interests and preferences. Staff actively encourage children to contribute to decisions about the home environment, helping them develop a sense of belonging and ownership.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children benefit from nurturing relationships with adults who are invested in their wellbeing. Staff demonstrate warm, natural and affectionate interactions with children. Children readily seek support and reassurance from staff and appear comfortable in their presence.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s views, wishes and feelings are central to practice. Staff routinely seek children’s opinions through key-work sessions, young people’s meetings, informal discussions and daily interactions. Children’s meetings are held regularly and recorded in a child-friendly manner. Children are encouraged to discuss matters important to them, contribute ideas and influence decisions affecting their lives. One child who raised concerns about staff communication was listened to, involved in the process and provided with feedback regarding the outcome. This shows that children are encouraged to use their voice and are supported to understand their rights.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are provided with a wide range of positive and enriching experiences. Activities are planned around children’s interests and include opportunities such as swimming, bowling, shopping trips, arcades, community activities and social events. Staff are creative in supporting children to access opportunities that build confidence, independence and self-esteem.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children receive good support to maintain relationships with people who are important to them. Although family time arrangements have sometimes been challenging, staff continue to work collaboratively with families and professionals to promote positive family relationships when appropriate. Children are supported sensitively to maintain Inspection report for children’s home: 2875041 3 important connections and preserve their sense of identity. However, communication with families is not always as effective as it could be. Some parents reported not always being informed promptly about incidents involving their children or consulted regarding decisions relating to their health and wellbeing. While this has not adversely affected children’s welfare, strengthening communication arrangements would further promote partnership working and ensure that families remain appropriately involved in important aspects of their children’s care.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are making progress in education from their individual starting points. Staff demonstrate persistence and determination in supporting educational engagement. One child who has experienced significant disruption to their education is being supported to rebuild confidence and re-engage in learning. Staff work closely with education providers, advocates and other professionals to ensure that education plans reflect children’s individual needs and aspirations.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Daily records demonstrate staff’s detailed understanding of children’s routines, achievements, challenges and progress. The records reflect a balanced approach, recognising both difficulties and successes. They celebrate children’s positive achievements while also evidencing the support provided during periods of distress.

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

Children are cared for by adults who know them well and understand their individual vulnerabilities, strengths and risks. Staff demonstrate a good understanding of safeguarding procedures and are confident in responding to concerns. Managers ensure that incidents are reported, reviewed and shared with relevant professionals. Safeguarding referrals are timely, and there is effective communication with external agencies, supported by appropriate management oversight.

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

Risk assessments are detailed, regularly reviewed and updated in response to changing circumstances. Staff are informed of changes through handovers, team discussions and electronic recording systems, helping to ensure consistent practice across the team.

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

Children’s risks of going missing from the home are well understood. Staff have worked proactively with children to develop individual safety plans and support strategies. There has been a reduction in incidents as a result of consistent boundaries, relationship-based practice, and direct work that helps children to understand risks and make safer choices.

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

Children are encouraged to develop age-appropriate independence skills. Staff carefully balance safeguarding responsibilities with opportunities for children to increase their independence, confidence and decision-making abilities. Safety plans support gradual progression and are tailored to children’s individual needs and levels of understanding.

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

Staff generally manage challenging situations calmly and appropriately. They consistently attempt de-escalation and relationship-based approaches before considering more restrictive interventions. Conversations with children following incidents are reflective Inspection report for children’s home: 2875041 4 and focused on helping them understand their emotions, identify triggers and consider alternative responses.

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

Children’s moves into the home are generally planned and managed well. However, initial assessments of children’s needs do not consistently consider all known historical risks or fully evaluate the potential impact of children moving in on children already living at the home. This limits opportunities to proactively identify potential challenges.

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

Bedroom door alarms are currently in use, but records do not consistently evidence robust individual assessments, consultation with relevant stakeholders, or regular reviews regarding their necessity and proportionality.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home is led by an experienced and suitably qualified registered manager, who is supported by a competent and committed deputy manager.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers have established a positive culture in the home that prioritises children’s welfare, progress and experiences. Staff speak positively about the leadership team and describe managers as ‘approachable’, ‘supportive’ and ‘available’ when guidance is needed.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Managers know the children extremely well and maintain regular, meaningful involvement in their lives. Children approach managers confidently, seeking support, sharing achievements and engaging in activities together. These interactions reflect positive and trusting relationships.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive regular supervision and support. Supervision records demonstrate opportunities for reflection, professional development and discussion regarding children’s needs. Staff report feeling valued and supported throughout their induction and ongoing employment.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Training arrangements are comprehensive and responsive to the needs of children and staff. Managers actively review training requirements and ensure that staff receive learning opportunities relevant to the children they care for. Staff apply learning in practice, particularly regarding trauma-informed approaches, safeguarding and helping children to manage their emotions.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Team meetings are used effectively to share information, reflect on practice and promote continuous improvement. Managers use workshops, reflective discussions and professional input to strengthen staff understanding and enhance care planning.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home’s monitoring systems are generally effective, and managers demonstrate good oversight of incidents, safeguarding matters and children’s progress. Managers regularly review practice and seek to identify opportunities for improvement. Inspection report for children’s home: 2875041 5 Professionals speak highly of the home and the care provided to children. Feedback consistently highlights positive relationships, effective communication with professionals and strong advocacy on behalf of children. One social worker commented that they would not want the child to be living anywhere else due to the quality of care being provided. Parents also speak positively about the care children receive.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers have created a nurturing and child-focused environment where children are making good progress and developing positive relationships. Inspection report for children’s home: 2875041 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 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— that staff—

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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

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)(iv)(vi)) 31 July 2026

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that any limitation on a child’s privacy is informed by a rigorous assessment of that child’s needs and is kept under regular review. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.10)  The registered person should ensure that, for children who are looked after, including those accommodated under Section 20 of the Children Act 1989, the placing authority has recorded in the child’s care plan the level or type of family involvement that is appropriate. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 22, paragraph 4.7) Inspection report for children’s home: 2875041 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: 2875041 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Positive Independence Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Northgate Business Centre, 38 North Gate, Newark NG24 1EZ

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Inspectors

Theresa Kambani, Social Care Inspector Andreia Alves da Silva, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2875041 9 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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