Children's Home run by 5ab Care Ltd in Staffordshire

Inspection report for children’s home: 2703722 1 Registered provider: 5ab Care Ltd Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is privately owned and provides care for up to 3 children who experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, 2 children were living in the home. The inspector spoke with both children.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in January 2023. She also manages another home in the same organisation.

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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: 2703722 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

27/08/2025 Full Requires improvement to be good 09/12/2024 Full Good 19/09/2023 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children’s home: 2703722 3

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Summary of findings

Children receive good-quality care and are making positive progress. Staff have strong, trusting relationships with the children, who report feeling safe, supported and listened to. Children’s individual needs are understood well, and children benefit from consistent care, effective safeguarding practice, and support that promotes their wellbeing and independence. Staff provide a nurturing environment where children can develop and achieve their potential.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children live in a nurturing and well-maintained home. The environment is personalised and reflects children’s identities, interests and achievements. Staff actively seek children’s views and involve them in decisions about the home. Children have a strong sense of belonging and feel valued by the adults who care for them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children benefit from trusting relationships with staff who understand their individual needs and experiences. Staff provide consistent and nurturing care that supports children’s emotional wellbeing and development. Effective partnership working with families and professionals helps to ensure that children receive the support they need. Children speak positively about the staff and say that they value their support and guidance.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff promote the importance of education and provide children with effective support to help them engage in learning. The registered manager advocates strongly on behalf of children to secure educational provision that meets their individual needs. When children are not accessing formal education, staff provide meaningful learning opportunities and follow clear plans to support their educational development. As a result, children make progress from their starting points.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support children to develop their independence in line with their age, understanding and individual needs. Children are encouraged to learn practical and life skills that help prepare them for the future. Effective planning with partner agencies ensures that children receive the guidance and support they need. As a result, children become increasingly confident and better prepared for the next stages of their lives.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Overall, children’s moves into and out of the home are planned well. For one child, staff continued to provide support for an agreed period after the child moved on, helping them to settle into their new home and maintain positive progress. However, one child experienced an unplanned move because staff were unable to meet their needs. The registered manager has reflected on this experience and improved her assessment processes, which are now better informed. Children who have moved into the home since have settled quickly and are making positive progress. Inspection report for children’s home: 2703722 4

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

Staff understand children’s risks and vulnerabilities well and use this knowledge to provide consistent care and support. Children’s risks and plans are regularly reviewed to reflect their changing needs and circumstances. Children say they feel safe and value the support they receive from staff. Staff are well placed to respond to risks and promote children’s safety and wellbeing.

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

Physical restraint is rarely used. When necessary, staff use it only as a last resort and in a manner that is proportionate to the identified risk. Staff employ a range of strategies to de-escalate situations and reduce the likelihood of incidents. The registered manager maintains effective oversight of incidents and ensures that learning is identified and shared with staff. Reflective discussions with children and staff help children understand their emotions and develop safer ways to manage them.

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

Staff respond promptly when children go missing from the home. They follow children’s plans and work closely with safeguarding agencies to support children’s safe return. Staff and managers review incidents and take action to address the factors that contribute to children going missing. This approach has resulted in a reduction in missing-from-home incidents.

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

Staff understand the risks associated with self-harm and suicidal ideation and respond appropriately to children’s needs. Children receive targeted support that helps them to manage their feelings and develop safer coping strategies. This has contributed to a significant reduction in incidents and improved outcomes for children.

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

Children know how to raise concerns and are confident that staff will listen to them. Complaints are responded to promptly and are thoroughly investigated. Children are kept updated and understand the outcome of their complaint. Learning from complaints strengthens practice and improves children’s experiences.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager is committed to delivering high-quality care for children. She is ably supported by deputy managers and senior leaders, who share a clear vision for the care provided to children. This fosters a positive, child-centred culture, helping to ensure that children receive consistent care from a skilled and experienced team of staff. Staff speak positively about the support they receive and say they feel valued in their roles.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager works effectively with professionals and others who are important in children’s lives. Strong partnership working helps to ensure that children’s needs are understood and responded to appropriately. Professionals speak positively about the communication and collaborative approach and report that this supports children to make good progress.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager has a clear overview of the quality of care provided to children and the operation of the home. She regularly reviews practice and takes action when Inspection report for children’s home: 2703722 5 improvements are needed. Staff receive effective support and direction to develop their skills and understanding. As a result, children benefit from care that is consistent, safe and responsive to their needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive regular, reflective supervision that supports their development and promotes effective practice. Team meetings are used to share learning and consider children’s progress and experiences. The home’s therapist contributes to these meetings, providing specialist advice and guidance that strengthens staff’s understanding of children’s emotional needs. This helps staff to deliver consistent and informed care that supports positive outcomes for children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager is a positive advocate for children and works proactively with partner agencies to ensure that children’s needs are met. She challenges delays and shortfalls in services, including when education arrangements have not been secured promptly. This effective advocacy helps children to access the services and support they need and contributes to their progress and wellbeing. Inspection report for children’s home: 2703722 6

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that children’s needs are thoroughly assessed before decisions are made about moving them into the home. In doing so, they should be satisfied that staff can respond effectively to children’s assessed needs. The registered person should also consider the likely impact of any new admission on the children already living in the home. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 56, paragraph 11.4)

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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: 2703722 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Devonshire Business Centre, Unit 27 Works Road, Letchworth Garden City, Hertfordshire SG6 1GJ

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Inspector

Hayley Booth, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2703722 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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