Children's Home run by Positive Outcomes Childcare Ltd in Staffordshire

Inspection report for children’s home: 2654347 1 Registered provider: Positive Outcomes Childcare Ltd Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is owned by a private company. It provides care for up to 3 children who have experienced social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has been in post since February 2025. There has been a change in responsible individual, and Ofsted has not yet considered their suitability.

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Information about this children’s home

Since the last inspection, 2 children have moved on from the home, and 2 new children have joined the home. Both children who live at the home contributed to the inspection.

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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

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: 2654347 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

01/07/2025 Full Good 25/06/2024 Full Requires improvement to be good 18/03/2024 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children’s home: 2654347 3

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Summary of findings

Children have had mixed experiences since the last inspection. All children have made progress in education, and their health needs are well supported. However, changes within the staff team at the beginning of the year have resulted in some staff lacking the confidence and skills to respond effectively to incidents involving children. This has affected children’s overall experiences.

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Summary of findings

There have been a high number of incidents since the last inspection. Some incidents have escalated unnecessarily because appropriate action was not taken at the earliest opportunity. On occasion, staff have lacked confidence and professional curiosity when responding to escalating situations.

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Summary of findings

Senior leaders have recognised the challenges experienced by the home and have reflected on areas requiring improvement. They are implementing and embedding positive changes to address identified shortfalls. The oversight and presence of senior leaders in the home have significantly increased. Given the number of staff changes since the last inspection, there is a clear focus on strengthening staff practice and supporting the development of the team.

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improvement to be good

Two children are living at the home. Since the last inspection, 2 children have moved into the home and 2 have moved on. There were significant changes within the staff team earlier this year, with 5 staff members leaving in quick succession.

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improvement to be good

Changes within the staff team have affected the experiences of 3 children. Staff have not always demonstrated sufficient professional curiosity and have sometimes been hesitant to intervene during incidents. As a result, situations have escalated and opportunities to prevent incidents have been missed.

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improvement to be good

Leaders and managers have prioritised the development of new team members. Over recent months, staff practice has strengthened, and staff are increasingly able to respond appropriately to children’s needs.

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improvement to be good

Despite the challenges, children have made progress. Children’s education is well supported. One child completed their GCSEs this summer, and another successfully completed a college course. Although barriers to education arose during the year, the manager worked effectively with education providers to support both children to achieve positive outcomes. Inspection report for children’s home: 2654347 4 In addition, one child, who previously refused to attend school, was supported to engage in home learning. When children are placed from neighbouring local authorities, the manager works hard to maintain educational stability. For one child, this included coordinating arrangements across 4 different educational provisions.

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improvement to be good

Children are in good health. They access routine healthcare services and benefit from in- house therapeutic support. When additional needs are identified, the manager acts proactively to secure specialist services. One child recently moved out of the home in a planned way. The manager successfully advocated for specialist services to remain in place despite the child moving out of the area, ensuring continuity of support.

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improvement to be good

When children move on from the home, staff work hard to ensure that they experience positive endings. One child moved to another service within the organisation to support their growing independence and return to their home area. Another child’s move was unplanned due to circumstances beyond the manager’s control. Nevertheless, staff worked closely with the child’s local authority to ensure that support arrangements were in place. The child received leaving gifts, and staff visited them following the move to check on their wellbeing. Continued telephone contact and support were also offered.

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improvement to be good

Children feel listened to. The complaints process is accessible, and children have used it to raise concerns. One child said, ‘I have made complaints; I am kept up to date and told the outcome.’ In addition, detailed children’s meetings provide opportunities for children to share their views and feelings about the home. Children receive thoughtful responses from senior staff regarding the issues they raise.

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improvement to be good

Children have detailed care plans and individual risk assessments that are reviewed regularly. However, staff have not always fully understood children’s risks and vulnerabilities and have not consistently followed agreed behaviour management strategies.

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improvement to be good

Following a significant incident involving 3 children that resulted in extensive damage to the property, leaders completed a learning review. This identified missed opportunities for staff to attempt to de-escalate the situation at an earlier stage due to a lack of confidence in intervening.

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improvement to be good

There have been a high number of incidents since the last inspection. Shortfalls in supervision have resulted in children accessing one another’s bedrooms, engaging in risk-taking behaviour and becoming involved in a physical altercation.

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improvement to be good

Following the increase in incidents, leaders have completed detailed learning reviews and implemented additional support to strengthen staff practice. The senior leadership structure has been expanded, increasing the regional manager’s capacity and presence in the home. Inspection report for children’s home: 2654347 5 There have been a high number of incidents where children have gone missing from home. Staff understand their responsibilities when children go missing and work effectively with family members to locate children safely. Leaders escalate concerns appropriately to placing authorities and ensure that return home interviews are offered. Effective partnership working is evident where there are concerns about exploitation, enabling agencies to share information and reduce risks to children.

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improvement to be good

Physical intervention is rarely required. When used, it is proportionate and only used as a last resort. Records are detailed. However, opportunities to formally debrief staff and identify learning have occasionally been missed.

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improvement to be good

When allegations are made, leaders undertake thorough investigations and share information appropriately with safeguarding agencies. Prompt action is taken to manage identified risks, including reviewing staff working arrangements when necessary. Leaders have reflected on learning from these incidents and implemented additional training to strengthen practice.

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improvement to be good

Children have sometimes found the changes within the staff team difficult and have expressed their views through complaints and children’s meetings. Nevertheless, children can identify trusted adults within the home and feel able to share their worries and concerns with them.

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

The registered manager has been in post since the last inspection. She is passionate about improving outcomes for children and has high aspirations for their futures. The manager is supported by a deputy manager and a full staff team. Recruitment processes are effective and ensure that only suitable individuals work in the home.

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

Monitoring and oversight have not always been fully effective. The manager did not fully consider a safeguarding concern that arose during family time for one child. This resulted in a missed opportunity to notify Ofsted. The shortfall was subsequently identified during a visit by the independent visitor the following month.

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

Oversight arrangements have since strengthened. The regional manager now reviews incidents alongside the registered manager. Auditing activity has increased and is undertaken monthly, although these arrangements are not yet fully embedded. In addition, daily check-in calls support effective communication between leaders and managers, ensuring that significant incidents are identified promptly and appropriate action can be taken.

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

The regional manager’s presence in the home has significantly increased. They now spend several days each week within the service, alongside fortnightly visits and ongoing oversight from the responsible individual. Inspection report for children’s home: 2654347 6 The manager and senior leaders have a clear understanding of the challenges experienced by the home. They have reflected thoughtfully on incidents and identified areas for improvement. Increased support, monitoring and oversight are helping to strengthen staff practice and improve the quality of care provided to children.

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

Staff receive regular supervision and spoke positively about the support available through supervision, team meetings and training. Staff said that they feel valued by the manager. While supervision is taking place regularly, there is variation in the quality of supervision records. Leaders should ensure that all staff responsible for supervising others have the skills necessary to provide reflective and effective supervision.

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

The home is comfortable, welcoming and generally well maintained. Damage to the property is usually addressed promptly. However, following an incident several months ago, egg residue remained visible on an upstairs window. This was noticeable from outside the property and from a child’s bathroom. Action to resolve this issue was not sufficiently timely, which detracted from the overall appearance of the home. Inspection report for children’s home: 2654347 7

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered person 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 must comply within the given timescales.

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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

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(h)) 5 October 2026

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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

manage relationships between children to prevent them from harming each other; 5 October 2026 Inspection report for children’s home: 2654347 8 understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person;

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Requirement Due date

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child's welfare; and

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Requirement Due date

are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii))

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure the home is a nurturing and supportive environment that meet the needs of their children. Homes will, in most cases, be homely, domestic environments. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9)

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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: 2654347 9

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Positive Outcomes Childcare Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 1 Agriculture House, Southwater Way, Telford, Shropshire TF3 4NR

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Inspector

Joanne Hawkins, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2654347 10 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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