Children's Home run by Oxfordshire County Council in Oxfordshire

Inspection report for children’s home: 2830769 1 Registered provider: Oxfordshire 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

This local authority children’s home provides care for up to 2 children who experience emotional and social difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The home provides short-term care for children aged between 12 and 17 years.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, there was one child living in the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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Inadequate

How well children and young people are helped and protected Inadequate

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Inadequate

The effectiveness of leaders and managers Inadequate

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Inadequate

There are serious and widespread failures that mean children are not protected or their welfare is not promoted or safeguarded. The experiences of children are poor and they are not making progress.

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Inadequate

Date of last inspection: 17 December 2025

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Inadequate

Overall judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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Inadequate

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2830769 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

17/12/2025 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children’s home: 2830769 3

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Summary of findings

Since the last inspection, leaders and managers have invested in staff training. However, this has not translated into improved staff practice. Following the admission of a child with complex needs and restrictive court orders in May 2026, staff were unable to safely manage escalating behaviours or consistently implement agreed care plans and risk assessments.

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Summary of findings

Significant weaknesses in communication, professional judgement, and safeguarding practice resulted in the child being exposed to serious risks of harm. Leaders and managers failed to take a proactive approach to planning and risk management and did not ensure that staff had the skills and support necessary to meet the child’s needs effectively. Consequently, the child has not experienced consistent, nurturing care.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Since moving into the home, there is little evidence of positive progress for the child and their wellbeing has deteriorated. Staff and managers have not demonstrated a sufficiently coordinated, child-centred or trauma-informed approach to meeting the child’s needs or managing known risks.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

The arrangements in place to manage risk have resulted in significant restrictions on the child’s liberty and day-to-day experiences. These measures have limited their ability to move freely within the home and access outdoor space, creating an environment that is overly restrictive and institutional. The home’s poor ventilation, combined with bolted windows in the child’s bedroom and communal areas, contributes to an uncomfortably hot living environment. In addition, concerns raised by staff regarding emergency evacuation arrangements further undermine confidence that the home can provide a safe and nurturing environment.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

The child is not receiving effective support to promote their development and improve outcomes. She is currently not accessing education and, despite discussions with the virtual school, there are no robust plans in place to support their re-engagement with learning. As a result, much of their day is characterised by supervision and monitoring rather than purposeful activity, education and social development. Staff are not sufficiently proactive in identifying opportunities that promote the child’s interests, wellbeing and personal growth.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

The quality of direct work with the child is poor. Key-work sessions lack purpose, depth and meaningful engagement, and do not effectively address the child’s individual needs, vulnerabilities or risks. There is little evidence that staff are helping the child to understand unsafe relationships, develop resilience, or build positive and trusting relationships with the adults who are caring for them and people of their own age group. Inspection report for children’s home: 2830769 4 The child’s dignity and welfare needs are not consistently prioritised. She has not been adequately supported to obtain essential clothing and personal items.

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

Children are not adequately protected from harm because safeguarding practice is weak, inconsistent, and ineffective. Staff do not consistently identify, assess, and respond to known and emerging risks. Risk assessments are poor quality, lack sufficient detail, and do not provide clear guidance for staff on how risks should be managed. As a result, staff responses to incidents are inconsistent and fail to sufficiently safeguard the child.

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

Serious concerns were identified regarding staff understanding and implementation of safeguarding procedures. Staff failed to take appropriate action when the child disclosed information indicating she had been exploited. They did not demonstrate professional curiosity, effectively assess the information shared, or ensure that safeguarding concerns were appropriately reported and acted upon. This left the child exposed to ongoing risk of harm.

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

Staff report receiving inconsistent messages from managers regarding expectations, interventions, and how risks should be managed. This has resulted in a lack of clarity and inconsistent approach to care. There is no dynamic risk assessment or clear guidance available to support staff in responding consistently to changing risks and incidents.

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

Furthermore, staff’s poor communication with each other and a lack of coordinated responses to risks have resulted in missed opportunities to protect the child from harm. Due to staff failure to protect them, the child was arrested by police and kept in custody overnight.

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

Risk management arrangements are further undermined by a lack of oversight of the home’s internet accessibility. Staff and managers were unaware of the child had access to the internet in their bedroom and was viewing content containing violent, abusive, and racist language music videos. This is inconsistent with the home’s strategies to protect the child from harmful influences and demonstrates weaknesses in safeguarding practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Management oversight is ineffective. Leaders and managers do not consistently monitor incidents, evaluate safeguarding practice, or ensure that lessons are learned from when concerns arise. There is no evidence that learning from previous incidents, physical intervention including missing-from-home episodes, has been systematically reviewed and used to improve safety planning.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The high level of staff conflict, mistrust, and poor professional relationships, has adversely affected staff wellbeing and the quality of care provided to the child. Staff report feeling unsupported and fearful of management, with poor communication and a Inspection report for children’s home: 2830769 5 lack of visibility and accountability from senior leadership team contributing to low morale and inconsistent practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Staff describe feeling overwhelmed and fatigued in their work with the child. This affects their ability to provide consistent, responsive care and further limits the home’s capacity to meet the child’s complex needs effectively.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Staff are not receiving reflective supervision that supports and promotes their learning and development, and how they are able to implement it in practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

There are several grievances raised by staff which are yet to be investigated. Regardless of the outcome, substantial restorative work will be required to rebuild trust, improve communication, strengthen accountability, and establish a culture that prioritises the needs of the child above interpersonal difficulties.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The home is not operating within their statement of purpose. The current practice of bolting the windows and locking the doors needs to be urgently reviewed, including in relation to staff confidence in their ability to evacuate in the event of an emergency.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Leaders have recently introduced new measures to strengthen practice. However, these are at an early stage, and it is too soon to assess their effectiveness. Consequently, there remains a significant risk that known hazards will not be appropriately managed, leaving the child vulnerable to harm. Inspection report for children’s home: 2830769 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

* 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

lead and manage the home in a way that is consistent with the approach and ethos, and delivers the outcomes, set out in the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff work as a team where appropriate;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child;

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Requirement Due date

understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home;

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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.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(c)(e)(f)(h)) 11 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. 11 October 2026 Inspection report for children’s home: 2830769 7 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

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;

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Requirement Due date

that the home’s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm;

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Requirement Due date

that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed, furnished and maintained so as to protect each child from avoidable hazards to the child’s health; and

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Requirement Due date

that the effectiveness of the home’s child protection policies is monitored regularly.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(v)(vi)(vii)(b)(d)(e))

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Requirement Due date

* The quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children;

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Requirement Due date

use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to— 11 October 2026 Inspection report for children’s home: 2830769 8 ensure that staff—

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Requirement Due date

protect and promote each child’s welfare;

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Requirement Due date

treat each child with dignity and respect;

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Requirement Due date

provide personalised care that meets each child’s needs, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans, taking account of the child’s background;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand and manage the impact of any experience of abuse or neglect;

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Requirement Due date

provide to children living in the home the physical necessities they need in order to live there comfortably;

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Requirement Due date

provide to children personal items that are appropriate for their age and understanding; and

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make decisions about the day-to-day arrangements for each child, in accordance with the child’s relevant plans, which give the child an appropriate degree of freedom and choice;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed and furnished so as to—

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Requirement Due date

enable each child to participate in the daily life of the home.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(b)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vii)(viii)(ix)(c)(i)(ii))

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Requirement Due date

The positive relationships standard is that children are helped to develop, and to benefit from, relationships based on—

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Requirement Due date

an understanding about acceptable behaviour; and

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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

meet each child’s behavioural and emotional needs, as set out in the child’s relevant plans; 11 October 2026 Inspection report for children’s home: 2830769 9 help each child to develop socially aware behaviour;

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Requirement Due date

encourage each child to take responsibility for the child’s behaviour, in accordance with the child’s age and understanding;

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Requirement Due date

encourage each child to take responsibility for the child’s behaviour, in accordance with the child’s age and understanding;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to develop and practise skills to resolve conflicts positively and without harm to anyone;

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Requirement Due date

communicate to each child expectations about the child’s behaviour and ensure that the child understands those expectations in accordance with the child’s age and understanding;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand, in a way that is appropriate according to the child’s age and understanding, personal, sexual and social relationships, and how those relationships can be supportive or harmful;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to develop the understanding and skills to recognise or withdraw from a damaging, exploitative or harmful relationship;

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Requirement Due date

strive to gain each child’s respect and trust;

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Requirement Due date

understand how children’s previous experiences and present emotions can be communicated through behaviour and have the competence and skills to interpret these and develop positive relationships with children;

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Requirement Due date

are provided with supervision and support to enable them to understand and manage their own feelings and responses to the behaviour and emotions of children, and to help children to do the same;

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Requirement Due date

that each child is encouraged to build and maintain positive relationships with others.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 11 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(viii)(ix)(x)(b)) Inspection report for children’s home: 2830769 10 The education standard is that children make measurable progress towards achieving their educational potential and are helped to do so.

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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

help each child to achieve the child’s education and training targets, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

support each child’s learning and development, including helping the child to develop independent study skills and, where appropriate, helping the child to complete independent study;

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Requirement Due date

understand the barriers to learning that each child may face and take appropriate action to help the child to overcome any such barriers;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand the importance and value of education, learning, training and employment;

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Requirement Due date

promote opportunities for each child to learn informally;

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Requirement Due date

raise any need for further assessment or specialist provision in relation to a child with the child’s education or training provider and the child’s placing authority;

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Requirement Due date

help a child who is excluded from school, or who is of compulsory school age but not attending school, to access educational and training support throughout the period of exclusion or non-attendance and to return to school as soon as possible;

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 8 (1)(2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vii)(viii)) 11 October 2026

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Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children—

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Requirement Due date

receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home; and

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Requirement Due date

have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— 11 October 2026 Inspection report for children’s home: 2830769 11 that children are admitted to the home only if their needs are within the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the home is to provide care and accommodation, as set out in the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

ensure the effective induction of each child into the home;

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Requirement Due date

manage and review the placement of each child in the home; and

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Requirement Due date

that each child’s relevant plans are followed;

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Requirement Due date

the registered person considers that the child is at risk of harm or has concerns that the care provided for the child is inadequate to meet the child’s needs;

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Requirement Due date

the child is, or has been, persistently absent from the home without permission;

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(i)(ii)(c)(i)(ii))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must compile in relation to the children’s home a statement (“the statement of purpose”) which covers the matters listed in Schedule 1.

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Requirement Due date

Subject to paragraph (6), the registered person must ensure that the home is at all times conducted in a manner which is consistent with its statement of purpose.

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Requirement Due date

Nothing in paragraph (5) or regulation 46 (review of premises) requires or authorises the registered person to contravene or not comply with—

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Requirement Due date

any other provision of these Regulations; or

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Requirement Due date

any conditions in relation to the registration of the registered person under Part 2 of the Care Standards Act 2000.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 16 (1)(5)(6)(a)(b)) 11 October 2026

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees—

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Requirement Due date

receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience; 11 October 2026 Inspection report for children’s home: 2830769 12 (Regulation 33 (4)(b))

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Requirement Due date

*These requirements are subject to a compliance notice.

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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: 2830769 13

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Oxfordshire County Council

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: County Hall, New Road, Oxford OX1 1ND

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Inspector

Shaheda Dhandia, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2830769 14 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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Inspector

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