Children's Home run by Sevello Children’s Homes Limited in Essex

Inspection report for children’s home: 2825107 1 Registered provider: Sevello Children’s Homes 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 owned by a private provider. It offers care for one child with social and emotional difficulties. At the time of this inspection, one child was living at the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager has been in post since the home was registered in June 2025. This is the home’s second inspection.

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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 outstanding

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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: 4 November 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: 2825107 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

04/11/2025 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2825107 3

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Summary of findings

Staff keep the child safe and provide them with effective support. The staff build trusting relationships with the child. As a result, the child is making good progress from their starting points.

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Summary of findings

Staff work closely with external professionals to meet the child’s needs. The home is decorated to a high standard and has a family feel. The child is supported to develop new hobbies, skills and interests.

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Summary of findings

The experienced management team is highly skilled and inspirational. They hold the child at the front and centre of every decision made about their care and welfare.

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Summary of findings

Feedback from family and professionals was unanimously positive. They recognise that the care staff provide for the child is personalised and nurturing.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Since the last inspection, no children have moved in or out of the home. At the time of this inspection, one child had been living at the home for over a year.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child is supported to develop trusting relationships with staff. The child identifies staff as important figures in their life who bring stability and nurture. The child said, ‘I like living here. Staff are good; I get on with everybody here.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support the child to have positive experiences in and outside of the home. For example, staff supported the child to learn to swim, overcoming a previous fear of water. The child is provided with the opportunity to develop new hobbies and interests, such as cycling, quad biking and football. They have also enjoyed visiting theme parks and a holiday abroad this summer. These new experiences are helping to build the child’s confidence and social competence.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff work closely with a therapist employed by the home, as well as with external agencies. They take an integrated approach to supporting the child with their health and emotional wellbeing. This enables staff to provide a personalised approach that meets the child’s individual needs and positively influences their progress. A professional said the child had shared with them that they were happy at the home and want to remain living there until they are 18, while they prepare for independent living and adulthood.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff have created a stable foundation for the child, which has helped the child make significant progress from their starting points. This is particularly noticeable with improvements in personal safety, education and social skills. A grandparent of the child said, ‘This is the best place [name of child] has ever been. [Name of child] is more settled. The staff are really lovely.’ Inspection report for children’s home: 2825107 4 Staff understand the importance of education. They create clear routines and structure, which support the child to engage with their learning in a meaningful way. Staff advocate for the child and work closely with education providers. This joined-up approach helps the child to make progress. For example, with support from staff, the child was helped to progress to an alternative educational provision and a tutor. This has enabled them to pursue their interest in construction-based vocational training.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff maintain good-quality records and take the time to capture the child’s wishes and feelings in the child’s individual support plan. The plan is written in a child-focused way and includes a comprehensive overview of the child’s life. This approach helps the child to understand their experiences and progress.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The house is welcoming and has a homely feel. Both the indoor and outdoor spaces are well maintained and equipped to a good standard to suit the child’s needs. The child’s bedroom is personalised, comfortable and decorated in line with their tastes and preferences.

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

The child feels safe at the home. They feel able to talk to staff about any concerns they may have. The child finds that staff and managers are available and approachable.

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

The child benefits from a nurturing environment where positive behaviour is consistently promoted. Staff use creative ways of helping the child to understand and manage their behaviours. The manager ensures that the child’s risks are identified, understood and managed well by staff. As a result, the level of incidents remains low. Consequences are very seldom implemented by staff and, when used, are relevant to the child’s behaviour.

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

Staff ensure that the child is safeguarded effectively. Planning by staff is effective and minimises risks to the child inside and outside the home. The child’s risks are well understood and are consistently reducing from their starting points. Staff help the child to learn to manage risk while maintaining appropriate support. Consequently, the child has built their skills and confidence as they develop age-appropriate freedoms, such as going into town independently.

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

The child rarely goes missing from home. However, when this has happened, staff have responded appropriately and quickly to help find and return them as soon as possible. Managers work proactively and effectively with external agencies. This multi-agency response helps to reduce these risks.

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

Incidents of restraint are only used very rarely and only as a last resort. The child and staff are given the opportunity to reflect on incidents and are provided with child-focused aftercare. All interventions are reviewed by the manager, and risk management plans are updated. Inspection report for children’s home: 2825107 5 Concerns relating to staff conduct are very rare; when they do happen, they are managed sensitively and quickly. Collaborative work with social workers and the local authority designated officer ensures that children are kept safe. The manager identifies learning points and addresses these with staff. Learning is then fully embedded in staff practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The highly competent manager has a clear vision and a strong desire to achieve positive outcomes for children. She has developed a home in which staff share a core belief in therapeutic approaches and ensure that children receive the best care the team can provide.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager is supported by an experienced and committed senior leadership team, whose members are equally enthusiastic about their roles. Leaders and managers have high expectations for staff and work closely together to successfully lead the team.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The leaders and managers enjoy spending time with the child and ensure that the child is at the heart of everything they do. This helps the child develop trusting relationships with adults in the home and a strong sense of belonging. Consequently, the child sees the leaders and staff as incredibly important people in their lives. The relationships that staff build with the child underpin the positive outcomes being achieved for the child.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Leaders and managers have created an extremely positive and reflective culture; ongoing professional development for staff is fully supported. Staff receive good-quality, reflective supervision based on the home’s therapeutic approach. This helps staff explore important topics and reflect on their everyday practice, enhancing children’s care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager has a strong understanding of the strengths and areas for development. Detailed reviews of the child’s experiences, along with their responses, are regularly obtained and actioned regarding further improvements. This helps to support the manager’s extensive knowledge of the child’s lived experiences and needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Leaders and managers use highly effective systems for auditing and monitoring records. Leaders and managers can evidence the significant progress for the child from their starting point. Managers are curious to understand what is happening for the child and explore all avenues to ensure support for the child is in line with their needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The feedback provided by staff and professionals about the home’s leadership and management is overwhelmingly positive. One member of staff wrote, ‘I feel like it’s such a lovely home; all the management are great, and they are a great company to work for.’ Inspection report for children’s home: 2825107 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: 2825107 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Sevello Children’s Homes Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Unit 1C, The Gattinetts, Hadleigh Road, East Bergholt, Colchester CO7 6QT

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Stephen Robertson

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Inspector

Anda Roddy, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2825107 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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