Children's Home run by Optimum Youth Care Limited in Harrow

Inspection report for children’s home: 2704477 1 Registered provider: Optimum Youth Care Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This privately run home provides care for up to 4 children with social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of inspection, 3 children were living in the home.

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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: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2704477 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

14/05/2025 Full Good 21/05/2024 Full Good 10/05/2023 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2704477 3

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Summary of findings

Children progress well in an environment which encourages them to develop their confidence and independence. Staff effectively support children’s individual education plans to help progress their educational attainment and achievement.

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Summary of findings

Staff know children well and they understand any risks to children’s welfare. Children’s needs assessments and plans are regularly updated in collaboration with other professionals working with children. Staff diligently follow plans devised to respond to incidents when children go missing from care. Since the last inspection, children’s missing episodes have reduced. Staff undertake and participate in mandatory training. However specific training such as exploitation risks linked to the needs of children resident in the home is more limited.

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Summary of findings

Since the last inspection there has been a change to the management arrangements of the home. The current manager is focused on developing plans for improvement. The manager updates professionals about children.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support children well to make good progress within a warm and motivating environment. Children’s confidence and skills develop through natural meaningful discussions with staff and one another. Staff invest time and energy in developing relationships with children, which helps children to settle and make progress. For example, staff have been proactive in helping older children prepare for job interviews.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are actively supported in their education by staff who consider and implement plans to promote children’s education. Staff complete relevant courses to help them influence children’s educational attainment and attendance.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff listen to children’s views about what is important to them in the home. Children make decisions about their bedrooms and write suggestions for staff to consider. This help gives children a sense of ownership, so that they feel valued and listened to.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s independence is promoted well. Staff follow clear plans, devised with professionals to identify considered actions to promote children’s independence. Some children now attend health appointments independently; this provides children with a sense of achievement.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff actively facilitate family time for children to maintain relationships with those who are important to them. Inspection report for children’s home: 2704477 4 Staff write records directly to children; this promotes a child-focused account of children’s day-to-day experiences . Direct-work sessions and debriefs between staff and children meaningfully capture children’s views.

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

Staff and managers attend meetings and share information regularly with partner agencies. This means other professionals working with children are kept informed about children’s safety and their wellbeing.

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

The manager consults appropriately with the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) on any matters relating to the care of children by adults working with them. Positive feedback from the LADO, clarifies that the home ensures that the correct procedures are followed through and actioned to protect children.

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

Staff understand any risks to children. They adhere to agreed safety plans to protect children inside the home and outside in the community. Risk assessments and plans are updated on a regular basis.

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

Good oversight of medication protocols helps to ensure children’s health needs are addressed. Senior staff and the manager have effective oversight of medical records which are routinely audited.

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

Staff are vigilant in responding to any missing episodes. They follow agreed plans to help keep children safe. Staff make efforts to keep in touch with children when they are missing. Since the last inspection, children’s missing episodes have reduced.

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

Safer recruitment practices help to ensure children are cared for by suitable staff. This demonstrates safe care for children from the records sampled during the inspection.

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

A specific training and induction programme ensures that staff understand and fulfil their roles. However, further additional training is limited in ensuring staff continue to further support the needs of the children they care for.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Since the last inspection there has been a change to the management arrangements. The manager’s application to Ofsted to become a registered manager is currently being progressed. The manager continues to have oversight of the home and is visible to support staff and children on a day-to-day basis.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is focused on improvements. They are proactive in recognising any shortfalls in the care of children and actively develops plans for the home to put in place. The manager knows and understands children well, advocating for children appropriately to support their progress. Inspection report for children’s home: 2704477 5 The manager develops positive relationships with services in the local community. This helps to develop partnership working for the benefit of children to utilise community facilities in coordination with their plans.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers maintain good working relationships with parents and consult with children and the professional network. However, limited information about the implementation of touch therapy with professionals means that some professionals are not aware of this additional therapeutic aid being offered to support children’s physical and emotional wellbeing. Inspection report for children’s home: 2704477 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

Requirement 5 of the Children’s Home ( England) Regulations 2015 states

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Requirement Due date

a) Engaging with the wider system to ensure children’s needs are met.

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Requirement Due date

b) In meeting the quality standards, the registered person must ensure that staff—

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Requirement Due date

c) seek to involve each child’s placing authority effectively in the child’s care, in accordance with the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

d) seek to secure the input and services required to meet each child’s needs;

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Requirement Due date

In particular, leaders and managers must ensure they consult relevant professionals about implementing in-house touch therapy for children, to support the therapeutic intervention. 28 August 2026

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure staff’s skills for safeguarding should include being able to identify signs that children may be at risk, and support children in strategies to manage and reduce any risks. In particular, ensuring that staff continue to receive training in child sexual exploitation and self-harm. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 43, paragraph 9.10).

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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: 2704477 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Optimum Youth Care Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: The Beren, Blisworth Hill Farm, Stoke Road, Blisworth, Northampton NN7 3DB

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Inspector

Andrea Ulett, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2704477 8 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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