Children's Home run by Caring Feathers Ltd in Brent

Inspection report for children's home: 2653894 1 Registered provider: Caring Feathers Ltd

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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 2022 and is privately owned. It provides care for up to 4 children who experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of this inspection, 4 children were living at the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager post has been vacant since 30 June 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 requires improvement to be good

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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

Date of last inspection: 2 December 2025

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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: 2653894 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

02/12/2025 Full Good 14/01/2025 Full Good 13/03/2024 Full Good 06/09/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children's home: 2653894 3

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Summary of findings

There is no registered manager and management oversight of the home is not effective. Staff are not offered regular, good-quality supervision to support them to meet the needs of the children in their care.

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Summary of findings

Leaders and managers escalate concerns to local authorities following allegations made by children against staff. However, internal investigations are not robust. Managers do not always complete actions set from these investigations, such as carrying out staff supervision, to monitor their practice and provide reflection.

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Summary of findings

Outcomes for children are varied. For some children, their progress and experiences are good. However, one child is not making good progress, and another child is spending the majority of their time away from the home with family and friends.

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improvement to be good

Feedback from children about their experiences is varied, and some say that they do not want to live in the home.

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improvement to be good

Children are encouraged to express their views and feelings and be involved in their own care planning. However, individual care plans do not demonstrate their contributions and 2 children said that they did not feel listened to. This does not support children to develop a sense of ownership of decision-making about their lives, to help them to make good progress.

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improvement to be good

Not all children engage well in education or make good progress. For example, staff have been unable to motivate one child to attend school. Despite staff’s efforts, one child has not engaged with home tuition and has not developed appropriate routines. Staff provide a range of educational activities for children; however, some children do not always engage in this.

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improvement to be good

Children are supported to develop their independence skills. Staff help children to learn how to budget and cook their own meals. However, children are not always supported to keep their bedrooms clean and tidy. The condition of one child’s bedroom was a cause for concern. The manager and staff do not consistently take action to address the poor and potentially unsafe condition of this child’s bedroom.

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improvement to be good

Children are able to stay in touch with their families, friends and other people who play a significant role in their lives. Each child’s views and wishes regarding the nature and extent of time spent with people who are important to them are respected, and plans are put in place to make this safe and meaningful. One parent said that staff have helped them to develop a positive relationship with their child. Inspection report for children's home: 2653894 4 The home environment is safe for children. However, leaders and managers have failed to ensure that repair work in the home is carried out promptly. The lack of care given to maintaining the home does not provide a homely and welcoming environment for children.

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improvement to be good

Staff show appropriate understanding of safeguarding procedures and have completed appropriate training to support them in their roles. However, internal investigations following allegations against staff are not thorough. For example, on one occasion, the outcome of the internal investigation was challenged by the local authority designated officer, due to managers not considering all relevant information and the experience of the child involved. Additionally, leaders and managers do not always follow actions identified following these investigations.

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improvement to be good

Staff are alert to risks and children’s vulnerabilities. They work well with other professionals, including social workers and the police, to discuss potential risks and safety plans. However, children’s risk assessments do not have clear strategies to help staff understand actions to be taken to reduce the risks identified. For example, one child needs support to maintain a safe and hygienic bedroom, which is not in their risk assessment. Furthermore, bedroom searches are not effective, as they do not identify concerns about the condition of children’s bedrooms. The reports of bedroom searches also lack appropriate oversight from managers.

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improvement to be good

There have been 2 incidents of physical restraint since the last inspection. Managers do not provide effective oversight of these incidents. In one incident, the measure used to intervene was ineffective and resulted in a child sustaining injuries. However, this incident was not reviewed by managers.

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improvement to be good

Children are supported to understand the risks they face. However, not all children engage well with staff, and individual care plans do not always include information about children’s history. Additionally, children’s records do not consistently reflect staff’s creative attempts to help them to engage. This is a missed opportunity to help staff understand children’s past experiences and risks.

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improvement to be good

Safer recruitment processes are not robust. Leaders and managers do not consistently explore gaps in staff employment or the reasons for them leaving previous roles. For example, one member of staff has conflicting dates in their employment history. This does not ensure that staff are suitably vetted to work with vulnerable children.

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improvement to be good

Staff use a reward system to promote and encourage positive behaviour. Leaders and managers are promoting a culture where restorative approaches are used in place of applying consequences. However, when consequences are used some have not been effective, and managers do not regularly review their effectiveness. Inspection report for children's home: 2653894 5

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The lack of a registered manager has created a leadership gap, which has contributed to inconsistency in staff practice. The deputy manager is new to working in a children’s home and is supported by the responsible individual, who is currently working from home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Leaders and managers do not have robust quality assurance processes. There is a lack of critical management oversight of practice in the home. Consequently, leaders and managers are not sufficiently clear about how to support some children’s progress. In addition, oversight of the home environment is poor, and the home is not maintained to an appropriate standard.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Staff say that they feel well supported and that they work well as a team. However, they do not always receive regular practice-based supervision in line with the company’s policy, and the quality of supervision that does take place is varied. In addition, staff’s annual appraisals do not show that staff are able to evaluate their performance and set relevant actions to improve their practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Professional relationships with the children’s networks are positive. Professionals reported effective communication and said that staff were committed to supporting children. However, feedback from parents is varied. One parent shared concerns about inconsistent communication from staff and said they were not confident that staff were fully equipped to meet their child’s needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Staff undertake a range of online and face-to-face training. They have regular team meetings in which they are able to reflect on practice and the needs of children. However, some staff said that communication with senior leaders needs to be strengthened. Inspection report for children's home: 2653894 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—

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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

that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed, furnished and maintained so as to protect each child from avoidable hazards to the child’s health. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(d))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, leaders and managers must ensure that children’s risk assessments provide clear strategies to help staff understand how to manage identified risks and keep children safe, and monitor the effectiveness of children’s bedroom searches.

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Requirement Due date

Leaders and managers must ensure that the home environment is maintained to a high and safe standard. 18 September 2026

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Requirement Due date

within 24 hours of the use of a measure of control, discipline or restraint in relation to a child in the home, a record is made which includes— 18 September 2026 Inspection report for children's home: 2653894 7 a description of the measure and its duration;

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Requirement Due date

details of any methods used or steps taken to avoid the need to use the measure;

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Requirement Due date

the effectiveness and any consequences of the use of the measure; and

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Requirement Due date

within 48 hours of the use of the measure, the registered person, or a person who is authorised by the registered person to do so ("the authorised person")—

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Requirement Due date

has spoken to the user about the measure; and

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Requirement Due date

has signed the record to confirm it is accurate; and

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Requirement Due date

within 5 days of the use of the measure, the registered person or the authorised person adds to the record confirmation that they have spoken to the child about the measure. (Regulation 35 (3)(a)(iv)(v)(vii)(b)(i)(ii)(c))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was raised at the last inspection and is restated.

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Requirement Due date

The registered provider must appoint a person to manage the children’s home if—

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Requirement Due date

there is no registered manager in respect of the home; and

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Requirement Due date

is not, or does not intend to be, in day-to-day charge of the home.

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Requirement Due date

If the registered provider appoints a person to manage the home, the registered provider must, without delay, give HMCI notice of—

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Requirement Due date

the name of the person so appointed; and

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Requirement Due date

the date on which the appointment takes effect. (Regulation 27 (1)(a)(b)(i)(ii)(iii) (2)(a)(b)) 18 September 2026 Inspection report for children's home: 2653894 8 In particular, the registered person must ensure that they appoint a manager for the home and ensure that they apply to register with Ofsted.

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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 have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of 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)(c)(f)(g)(ii)(h))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, leaders and managers must ensure staff receive appropriate supervision and appraisal, to give them the opportunity to reflect on their practice.

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Requirement Due date

Leaders and managers must ensure that they understand and monitor the quality of care provided to all children and take effective action to address shortfalls in practice. This includes learning from investigations, complaints and allegations. 18 September 2026 Inspection report for children's home: 2653894 9 The quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children;

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Requirement Due date

use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential.

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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

understand and apply the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

understand and apply the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

protect and promote each child’s welfare;

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Requirement Due date

provide personalised care that meets each child’s needs, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans, taking account of the child’s background;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand and manage the impact of any experience of abuse or neglect;

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Requirement Due date

provide to children living in the home the physical necessities they need in order to live there comfortably;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed and furnished so as to—

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Requirement Due date

enable each child to participate in the daily life of the home. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(i)(ii)(iv)(v)(vii)(c)(i)(ii))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, leaders and managers must ensure that all children’s bedrooms are maintained to a high standard. They must ensure that renovations and redecoration are completed promptly, and the home is cleaned and decluttered to provide a homely environment. The managers must ensure that the garden is maintained, and any damaged items are removed. 18 September 2026 Inspection report for children's home: 2653894 10

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that staff supervision and performance management are child focused. Supervision should allow staff to reflect on children’s experiences. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.1)  The registered person should ensure that they maintain good employment practice and ensure that all gaps in employment are explored, as well as the reasons for staff leaving their previous roles. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.1)

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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: 2653894 11

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Caring Feathers Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Unit 4b, The Park Estate, Bury Park Road, Luton LU1 1EN

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Inspectors

Dorothy Thompstone, Social Care Inspector Angela Reid, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: 2653894 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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