Children's Home, Residential special school run by Sheffield City Council in Sheffield

Inspection report for children’s home: SC458115 1 SC458115 Registered provider: Sheffield City 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

This home is run and operated by a local authority. It is registered to provide care for up to 7 children who may experience social and emotional difficulties, and who may have learning disabilities.

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Information about this children’s home

The main building provides accommodation for up to 6 children. In addition, there is an annex building on the grounds that provides accommodation for one child. The main building is no longer operational. The children have moved out, and there is a plan to vary the conditions of the registration with Ofsted.

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Information about this children’s home

There was one child living in the annex building at the time of the inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in November 2025.

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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: requires improvement to be good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC458115 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

10/06/2025 Full Requires improvement to be good 06/08/2024 Full Requires improvement to be good 10/04/2024 Full Inadequate 21/11/2023 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: SC458115 3

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Summary of findings

Due to the condition of the main building, senior leaders made a decision to close the home. The 5 children that were living in this building have transitioned into their new homes. Transitions for the children who have moved out have been positive and well planned.

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Summary of findings

One child continues to live in the home’s annex building. This child was living at the home at the time of the last inspection. The child is settled and is making progress in all areas of their life. The child is subject to restrictions of a court order, which means that they receive high levels of supervision from staff and there are restrictions to the building, which help staff to keep the child safe.

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Summary of findings

Leadership and management of the home are effective. The management team has improved systems to review the quality of care provided to the child and to monitor staff development. Changes to the staffing arrangements mean that there is now a stable core staff team, which has led to improved continuity of care for the child.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Leaders and managers make child-centred decisions when children move out of the home. Five children moved into their new homes in adult residential services. The transitions for these children were positive and well planned. Staff continue to maintain their relationships with the children, and they visit the children in their new homes.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child living at the home is settled, and they are making progress. This is because staff provide them with a high standard of nurturing care, positive routines and structure. Staff understand the importance of building trusting relationships with the child and provide them with consistent and predictable care. This positive approach has helped to reduce the child’s anxieties and has provided them with an increased sense of safety.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child’s education is provided through a combination of home tuition and informal learning. Staff are aspirational for the child, which has helped them to embrace and enjoy learning and to make progress in their education.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child is making progress in their independence skills. The manager and staff encourage the child to take balanced risk, which has led to staff and professionals gaining a better understanding of the child’s capabilities. The child has increased mobility in the home and in the community, and they now complete some personal care routines independently. Inspection report for children’s home: SC458115 4 The child’s physical and mental health needs, and their additional learning needs, are understood by staff. There is an importance placed on working in partnership with health professionals. This provides an additional layer of support for staff to equip them to meet the child’s needs. It also ensures that the child accesses the right help and support. This has led to improved health outcomes for the child.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child is provided with a range of activities, which provide the child with new experiences. Staff’s innovative approach to planning activities for the child has helped to reduce some of the anxieties that the child experiences when they go out into the community. Records show that activities are well planned and that the child is provided with support and reassurance.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff understand the child’s communication needs. Records capture the child’s wishes and feelings, and they show that staff consult with the child regularly using the child’s preferred communication methods.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff capture children’s experiences of living at the home, and this starts from the day the child moves in. There are lots of lovely photos of children enjoying activities and celebrating special occasions with staff and other people who are important in their lives.

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

The manager and staff work hard to ensure that children feel safe and have a sense of stability and security. When children become anxious, frustrated or upset, staff respond sensitively and provide children with reassurance. This positive approach helped the children who felt anxious about moving into their new homes.

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

Serious incidents are rare. When incidents do happen, staff support the child and use their relationships with the child to respond, which reduces the need for staff to intervene physically. When the child has been held, records show that the use of restraint has been necessary to keep the child safe. Staff are provided with the opportunity to discuss the incident, and the child’s wishes and feelings are sought.

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

The child is subject to restrictions to their liberty by a court order. Overall, the child’s individual risk assessment and safety plan reflects the restrictions in place, and it provides staff with clear guidance to follow. However, while the use of surveillance and monitoring devices is permitted by the order, the guidance for staff on how and when to use them is not documented clearly in the child’s plan.

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

Staff talk to the child about how they are feeling, and they help them to identify and name any difficult emotions that they may be feeling. Staff work in partnership with mental health professionals to make sure that the strategies they use to help the child with their emotional wellbeing are appropriate to the child’s understanding. The child is making progress in their tolerance of difficult emotions. Inspection report for children’s home: SC458115 5

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is suitably skilled and experienced. She is a positive role model for staff, and she provides them with effective leadership. She is aspirational for children, and her decision-making is child centred.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has a strong day-to-day oversight of the home. When shortfalls arise, they are addressed in a timely way. The manager and her deputy have embedded new systems, which have led to significantly improved monitoring of children’s records and staff development.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Changes to the staff team have been made with the child in mind. There is now a core staff team, which has improved stability and continuity of care for the child.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff said that they feel supported by leaders and managers and that morale in the team is positive. Staff receive regular supervision that provides them with an opportunity to reflect on their practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff development is kept under review by the manager. Staff receive a wide range of core training, and the manager ensures that staff have access to additional training to equip them to meet the individual needs of the child living at the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager and staff understand the importance of multi-agency working. The manager has built positive relationships with other professionals, and she is confident to challenge others to ensure that the child’s plan is being met. One professional said, ‘The child is making good progress. Staff have a positive approach, and they want the best for [name of child].’ Inspection report for children’s home: SC458115 6

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Recommendation

 The registered provider must ensure that any home using CCTV or other monitoring equipment has a written policy describing how this will support the safeguarding and wellbeing of those living and working in the home in accordance with Regulation 24. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 16, paragraph 3.16)

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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: SC458115 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Sheffield City Council

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Town Hall, Pinstone St, Sheffield S1 2HH

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Inspector

Rachel Webster, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC458115 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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