Children's Home run by SureCare Residential Ltd in Essex

Inspection report for children’s home: SC462729 1 SC462729

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Registered provider: SureCare Residential 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 is run by a private organisation and provides care for up to 5 children with social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in January 2025.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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outstanding

How well children and young people are helped and protected outstanding

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outstanding

The effectiveness of leaders and managers outstanding

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outstanding

The children’s home provides highly effective services that consistently exceed the standards of good. The actions of the children’s home contribute to significantly improved outcomes and positive experiences for children and young people who need help, protection and care.

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outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC462729 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

18/06/2025 Full Good 16/04/2024 Full Good 08/08/2023 Full Good 18/05/2022 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: SC462729 3

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Summary of findings

Children are happy and settled. They benefit from a strong sense of belonging and family at the home. Staff build warm trusting relationships and provide children with genuine love, care and stability.

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Summary of findings

The home fully reflects the children’s interests and wishes. The house is very well maintained, thoughtfully decorated and provides children with a comfortable, welcoming space.

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Summary of findings

Children receive highly individualised therapeutic support that reflects their needs. They make exceptional progress in their emotional wellbeing, education and self-confidence. Staff create positive experiences and celebrate children’s achievements.

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Summary of findings

Leaders and managers are highly skilled. They have successfully created a nurturing environment in which children feel valued and supported.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Since the last inspection, 2 children have moved into the home. One child was supported to move in a planned and well supported way. Five children live at the home and were all spoken with during the inspection.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The child who has moved on from the home has remained in contact with staff. This reflects the trusting and supportive relationships built. Staff support children beyond their stays, demonstrating their ongoing commitment to their wellbeing.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The children flourish and make exceptional progress from their starting points. Children have developed greater emotional resilience and confidence. Children are able to recognise and express their feelings. They talk openly about their emotions and engage in new experiences. This helps children to understand themselves and manage their emotions.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children thoroughly enjoy living at the home. Some children describe staff and the other children as their families. This reflects the strong sense of belonging that they experience. Staff develop warm, authentic relationships with children. They provide them with the stability that they need to feel safe, secure and loved.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

One child said they are ‘loved out loud for being their authentic self’. They also said they have ‘been encouraged to talk about their struggles and felt heard and validated’.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children receive therapeutic care that is carefully tailored to their individual needs. Skilled and compassionate staff understand each child’s experience. The therapeutic team works alongside staff. The team provides expert guidance, consultations and Inspection report for children’s home: SC462729 4 strategies to strengthen staff’s ability to respond sensitively to children’s emotional needs and help them to thrive.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff go over and above to ensure that children create positive memories and enjoy meaningful experiences. Children have opportunities to take part in a wide range of activities, including trips to theatre, theme parks and the beach. Staff capture these special moments in photographic books, which children value and take pride in sharing. These experiences help develop children’s confidence and create lasting memories.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Education is a high priority for staff. All children are enrolled in school and attend regularly. Staff work closely with schools to support children’s learning and progress. Staff provide encouragement and use incentives to support attendance. Staff recognise children’s achievements and reward these. This approach helps children to consistently progress in their education and achieve positive outcomes.

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

Children’s needs are extremely well understood by staff. Behaviour support plans are highly personalised to each child. These plans provide staff with clear strategies to respond consistently and effectively. Some children contribute to their plans to help shape the support that they receive. This consistent approach has reduced incidents and helped children develop safer ways of managing their emotions.

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

The staff rarely use physical interventions. Managers review every intervention, after which children and staff are given opportunities to reflect on what happened and identify ways to reduce future incidents. One child, who previously required regular physical interventions has not needed any for over a year. Staff celebrated this achievement, recognising the child’s sustained progress.

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

Staff support children’s health and wellbeing and ensure that they receive timely support. Children have access to a private GP. The GP regularly liaises with the manager to review their health and progress. This proactive approach has enabled one child to have an expedited assessment for their additional needs. This means that children receive specialist support without unnecessary delay.

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

The manager and staff create a strong culture of positive reinforcement. They support children to work towards individual goals and use incentives to encourage them. Staff regularly recognise and celebrate children’s achievements with rewards that reflect their interests. They give children spontaneous rewards to recognise positive behaviour in everyday successes. This approach encourages children to make positive choices and take pride in their achievements.

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

Staff provide children with therapeutic support through the in-house team. They work closely with external professionals when needed. They offer every child therapeutic intervention that reflects their individual needs. Staff and therapists work together to provide a consistent trauma-informed approach to care. This helps children to Inspection report for children’s home: SC462729 5 understand their experiences, develop emotional resilience and achieve positive outcomes.

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

Staff have regular one-to-one discussions with children and use these opportunities to have open and honest conversations. They support the children to explore their feelings, understand risks and make informed decisions. These discussions help children to develop greater awareness and make safer choices.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager is confident and ambitious for children. She is influential in changing the lives of the children in her care. She is supported by an experienced deputy manager and a committed senior leadership team. They all have a strong desire for children to thrive.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Leaders and managers know the children extremely well and speak about them with warmth and care. Children are positive about the management team and value the time they spend with them. Leaders and managers build strong relationships with children by being visible, available and actively involved.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff are positive about their roles and said that they enjoy coming to work. They demonstrate a strong commitment to children and take pride in the care they provide. Staff feel valued and supported. The manager knows the staff well and recognises their achievements and contributions. This creates a positive and nurturing environment for children and staff.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

A member of staff said, ‘[Name of the home] is a place to grow, to give love, be loved and to have fun, every single day.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff receive regular training and have access to ongoing development opportunities. The in-house training team provides coaching and support to enhance staff’s knowledge and skills. Leaders invest in developing staff through targeted programs that develop their roles. This ensures staff continue to strengthen their ability to support children effectively.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

External professionals provided highly positive feedback. They recognise the progress children have made and value the good communication from staff. One social worker said, ‘This is one of the best residential homes they have crossed paths with.’ Inspection report for children’s home: SC462729 6

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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: SC462729 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: SureCare Residential Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: The Old Snap Factory, Twyford Road, Bishops Stortford CM23 3LJ

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Inspector

Harkerat Lidhar, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC462729 8 and inspects to 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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