Children's Home run by Support and Sustain Care Ltd in Wolverhampton

Inspection report for children’s home: 2603750 1 Registered provider: Support and Sustain Care Ltd Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is operated by a private organisation. It is registered to provide care for up to 3 children who may have had adverse childhood experiences that have led to associated trauma and social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of this visit, 1 child was living in the home. The child talked with the inspector.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager is suitably qualified and experienced. They have completed their Level 5 qualification and are waiting their certificate.

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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

Overall judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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Enforcement action since last inspection:

Three enforcement actions were taken against the provider since their last full inspection in May 2025. An assurance inspection took place following the full inspection where serious and widespread concerns in relation to the care and protection of children and the leadership and management of the home were identified. As a result, compliance notices were issued under regulations 12 and 13, and a restriction of accommodation notice was imposed. A monitoring visit took place on 5 November 2025, where Inspection report for children’s home: 2603750 2 improvement in practice and leadership resulted in the restriction of accommodation being lifted, and the compliance notices under regulations 12 and 13 were met. Inspection report for children’s home: 2603750 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

20/05/2025 Full Requires improvement to be good 22/07/2024 Full Good 24/05/2023 Full Good 04/10/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children’s home: 2603750 4

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Summary of findings

The child has made significant progress in their health, emotional wellbeing and education and independence because of consistent, child-centred and therapeutic care.

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Summary of findings

Staff understand and respond effectively to the child’s vulnerabilities, helping them to become safer and contributing to a significant reduction in incidents and risk-taking behaviours. There is now a culture of learning, reflection and continual improvement evident throughout the home. An ambitious and reflective leadership team provides strong advocacy for the child and effective support for staff, creating an environment where positive outcomes can be achieved and sustained.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child’s experiences are positive, and they have made significant progress from their starting point across all areas of their care. Managers and staff have developed warm, trusting and nurturing relationships with the child. Staff provide consistent, child-centred support and demonstrate a strong understanding of their individual needs. These positive relationships help the child to feel safe, secure and valued. As a result, the child has experienced increased stability and has made significant progress in their emotional, social and psychological wellbeing.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Managers and staff are strong advocates for the child and have been persistent in challenging and escalating concerns when services have not been available. Following a prolonged period out of education, the child now attends a suitable education placement and has secured an education, health and care plan. Staff work effectively with education professionals to promote attendance and engagement. Consequently, the child is making good progress and has increased opportunities to achieve their educational outcomes.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Managers and staff are committed to the child’s health and wellbeing. As a result, the child has made significant progress in their emotional and physical wellbeing. The child now accesses specialist therapeutic support, which helps them to understand their lived experiences and manage their emotions more effectively. Staff have developed a detailed understanding of the child’s emotions and vulnerabilities and use therapeutic, PACE- informed approaches to support the child.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child’s views, wishes and feelings are central to care planning. Plans are regularly reviewed and reflect their progress, changing needs and aspirations. Staff and managers provide effective advocacy and challenge partner agencies when delays or barriers affect access to services. Creative approaches, including life-story work, help the child to understand their lived experiences, celebrate achievements and develop a positive sense of identity. This supports the child’s emotional wellbeing and sense of belonging. Inspection report for children’s home: 2603750 5 The manager and staff are committed to ensuring that the child enjoys a wide range of social, recreational and educational opportunities. The child participates in activities within the local community, school-based events, trips and holidays, and is supported to engage in faith-based activities in line with their wishes. These experiences broaden the

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

child’s horizons, strengthen their social skills, and contribute positively to their confidence, identity, and overall wellbeing.

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

Safeguarding concerns reported by children or adults are responded to promptly and appropriately. Leaders ensure that concerns are shared with relevant safeguarding professionals and seek advice from external agencies, including the local authority designated officer. Oversight by managers and the responsible individual is strong and reflective, ensuring that practice is reviewed, learning is identified, and actions are taken to strengthen safeguarding arrangements. The child’s views are actively sought and considered throughout safeguarding processes.

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

The child said that they feel safe in the home and identified adults who keep them safe. Staff have a strong understanding of the child’s vulnerabilities and risks associated with self-harm. Detailed safety plans provide clear guidance for staff and are regularly reviewed to reflect changes in risk and need. Staff consistently implement these plans and use therapeutic approaches to help the child understand and manage their emotions. As a result, risks have reduced over time, and the child is safer.

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

When the child makes a complaint, these are taken seriously. Managers and staff respond promptly and take appropriate action to address issues raised. The child’s wishes and feelings remain central to decision-making, and they are kept informed of progress and outcomes in a manner that they can understand. This helps the child to develop trust in the adults who care for them and gives them confidence that their views matter.

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

Staff respond to behaviour in a calm and nurturing manner. Their practice is firmly rooted in trauma-informed principles and the PACE model. Staff understand how to support the child and use supportive strategies to help them regulate their emotions when distressed. As a result, incidents have reduced significantly over time and physical intervention is now rarely required.

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

When restrictive interventions are used, these are generally proportionate and used as a last resort to prevent harm. However, the rationale relating to the duration of one physical intervention, lasting approximately 3 hours, does not sufficiently demonstrate the dynamic risk assessment undertaken, the actions taken to adjust and release the restriction, and the support for the child’s wellbeing. This limits assurance that the intervention remained proportionate and necessary throughout the period of restriction.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Inspection report for children’s home: 2603750 6 The manager is an aspirational and committed leader who is well supported by an experienced, responsible individual. Together, they have established a clear vision for the home and maintain high aspirations for the child and staff. Their child-centred approach ensures that individualised care is delivered consistently and that the child is supported to achieve positive outcomes across all areas of their life.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

A culture of learning, reflection and continual improvement is evident throughout the home. Leaders and managers review incidents, safeguarding concerns and practice issues to identify learning opportunities and improve staff practice. They are proactive in promoting staff wellbeing and ensuring that safeguarding responses are robust. As a result, practice continues to evolve, contributing to positive and sustained progress for the child.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers provide staff with effective support through regular supervision, team meetings and reflective practice discussions. Staff benefit from a comprehensive induction programme and training that is tailored to the specific needs of the child living in the home. This ensures that staff have the skills and knowledge required to provide safe, nurturing and therapeutically informed care. Staff speak positively about the support they receive and describe a culture that promotes professional development and succession planning.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers actively seek feedback from the child, staff and professionals to inform service development and improve care experiences for the child. Professionals speak highly of the support provided to the child and commend the staff’s therapeutic approach and strong advocacy on their behalf. Feedback demonstrates confidence in the leadership of the home and the positive progress that the child has made.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers have effective monitoring systems in place to evaluate the quality of care provided to the child. These systems help them to identify strengths and areas for development and enable them to take prompt action when shortfalls are identified. Monitoring is strengthened through external scrutiny, including visits by an independent person and independent quality assurance audits. Together, these arrangements support continuous improvement and help ensure that the child receives good-quality care. Inspection report for children’s home: 2603750 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

Restraint in relation to a child is only permitted for the purpose of preventing—

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Requirement Due date

injury to any person (including the child);

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Requirement Due date

serious damage to the property of any person (including the child).

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Requirement Due date

Restraint in relation to a child must be necessary and proportionate. (Regulation 20 (1)(a)(b) (2))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the registered person ensuring that incidents of restraint provide a clear and accurate account of the intervention, including the rationale for its duration. The registered person must also ensure that there is a clear rationale for the actions taken to continually assess whether the restraint remains necessary and proportionate. 30 August 2026

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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: 2603750 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Support and Sustain Care Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: S K N Business Centre, 1 Guildford Street, Birmingham B19 2HN

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Inspector

Nateisha Cardoza-Evans, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2603750 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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Inspector

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Inspector

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