Children's Home run by Warwickshire County Council in Warwickshire

Inspection report for children’s home: 2785006 1 Registered provider: Warwickshire County Council

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Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is operated by the local authority and provides care for up to 2 children with social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, 2 children were living at the home. Both children were given the opportunity to speak with the inspector.

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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: 17 September 2025

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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: 2785006 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

17/09/2025 Full Good 06/08/2024 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2785006 3

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Summary of findings

Children are making good progress and benefit from a stable, nurturing environment. Staff have developed strong, trusting relationships with children and have a good understanding of their individual needs, vulnerabilities and strengths.

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Summary of findings

Effective multi-agency working ensures that children receive coordinated support to achieve positive outcomes in education, health and emotional wellbeing.

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Summary of findings

The home experiences a low level of incidents, reflecting the proactive support provided to children, consistent boundaries and staff’s ability to respond effectively to children’s needs.

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Summary of findings

Children are supported to develop confidence, independence and the skills they need to achieve their future goals.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

One child has moved into the home since the last inspection and no children have moved out. The child who moved into the home experienced a planned and positive transition. However, for the child who remained as the sole occupant of the home for several months, records provide limited evidence of how they were supported during this period of change and uncertainty.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home provides a warm and welcoming environment. Children’s bedrooms are personalised to reflect their individual wishes and interests. For example, one child’s medals and certificates are proudly displayed, which celebrates the child’s achievements and promotes a sense of belonging.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have made very good progress from their individual starting points. One child has made significant progress in education. They are engaging more consistently in learning and their attendance has improved. Another child has made good progress in attending health appointments and has developed and maintained positive relationships outside of the home. This has strengthened the child’s support network and helped prepare them for adult life.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children benefit from consistent, nurturing care that promotes their safety and wellbeing. Staff have developed trusting and positive relationships with children. Through shared interests, staff have supported one child to make significant achievements in sport.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Although one child has occasionally struggled to engage with independence work, staff have remained consistent in their approach. Through ongoing conversations, encouragement and individualised support, staff continue to promote the importance of Inspection report for children’s home: 2785006 4 developing independence skills. This approach has helped the child build confidence and make progress at a pace that reflects their individual needs and readiness.

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

The home has experienced a very low level of incidents since the last inspection. This reflects the positive relationships that staff have developed with children and their good understanding of each child’s individual needs and behaviours. As a result, staff are able to provide proactive support that helps to reduce risks for children.

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

When incidents have occurred, staff have responded in a child-centred way and demonstrated a good understanding of the factors influencing children’s behaviour. Consequently, there has been no use of physical intervention since the last inspection.

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

Staff have regular and meaningful conversations with children about a wide range of topics, including education, behaviour, future goals, relationships and safety. These discussions help children to reflect on their experiences, build resilience and develop aspirations for their future.

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

Consequences are rarely used. When they are necessary, they are proportionate, restorative and focused on helping children reflect and learn. Staff use these opportunities to promote positive decision-making rather than as a punitive measure.

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

When concerns relating to previously identified behaviours re-emerged for one child, consultation with a psychologist helped staff to understand potential reasons for these behaviours and how best to respond. However, there is limited evidence of the discussions that took place with the child about these concerns or how the child was supported to understand and manage them. This represents a missed opportunity to further strengthen the child’s understanding and involvement in their care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers have effective monitoring and auditing systems in place, which provide good oversight of practice in the home. The registered manager is supported by a capable and effective deputy manager.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff say that they enjoy working in the home and speak proudly about the progress children have made. Staff report feeling well supported and say that training equips them with the knowledge and confidence required to carry out their roles effectively.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home benefits from a stable and settled staff team. As a result, children know staff well and experience continuity of care. This stability helps children to feel valued and secure and supports them to make positive progress.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Regular consultation and guidance from a psychologist support staff to reflect on their practice, explore emerging themes and develop a deeper understanding of children’s behaviours, needs and vulnerabilities. This reflective approach helps staff to understand Inspection report for children’s home: 2785006 5 the reasons behind behaviour, identify appropriate responses and ensure that children receive individualised care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Feedback from professionals is consistently positive. Professionals describe effective communication and strong partnership working that contribute to positive outcomes for children. Feedback from one child’s family highlighted the significant positive changes they have seen since their child moved into the home. They described improvements in the child’s emotional wellbeing and behaviour and identified the consistent, child-centred care provided by staff as a key contributing factor. Inspection report for children’s home: 2785006 6

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that staff are familiar with the home’s policies on record-keeping and understand the importance of careful, objective and clear recording. This specifically relates to ensuring that children’s case records are updated to reflect their views and discussions had with them. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4)

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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: 2785006 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Warwickshire County Council

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Warwickshire County Council, Shire Hall, Warwick CV34 4RL

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Inspector

Sophie Coogan, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2785006 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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