Children's Home run by The Drive Care Homes Ltd in Bexley

Inspection report for children’s home: 2692918 1 Registered provider: The Drive Care Homes Limited

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home was registered with Ofsted in September 2022 and is privately owned.

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Information about this children’s home

It provides care for up to 4 children with learning disabilities.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, 3 children were living at the home. The inspector used verbal communication, Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) and communication tools to engage with the 3 children during the inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

The qualified registered manager and responsible individual have both been in post since September 2022.

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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

Date of last inspection: 17 February 2026

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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: 2692918 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

17/02/2026 Full Good 06/08/2024 Full Good 05/09/2023 Full Good 10/01/2023 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2692918 3

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Summary of findings

Children make good progress and are supported to attend and enjoy school. Staff work closely with education providers and share information promptly to promote consistency in the care and support given to children.

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Summary of findings

Most areas of the home are clean, well maintained and suitably decorated. Staff ensured that one child’s bedroom provided them with a homely and nurturing environment during the inspection.

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Summary of findings

Effective safeguarding practice is embedded throughout the home. Children know how to raise concerns and make complaints, which are responded to promptly by leaders, the manager and staff.

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Summary of findings

The manager promotes a positive and supportive culture. She ensures that staff receive appropriate supervision and training to continually improve the care provided to children.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children make good emotional and social progress through effective partnership working between external professionals, the manager and the staff team. Staff support children to attend health appointments with their parents, helping to ensure that their emotional, behavioural and health needs are met.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Professionals speak positively about the care provided to children. One social worker described staff as important in a child’s life, while another said staff are patient and caring and have helped their child make significant progress. This reflects the positive impact of the support provided.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children make good educational progress. Staff have helped improve attendance at school since children moved into the home. One child is supported to travel independently and enjoy her college experience. Staff work closely with education providers and share information promptly to ensure a consistent approach, supporting children to attend and achieve positive outcomes.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Exceptionally creative methods are used to capture children’s views. Structured key-work sessions and informal one-to-one discussions help children engage in a fun, child-centred way. Games, PECS visual prompts, body language, and videos encourage children to express themselves and discuss issues. This helps children feel listened to and ensures that their wishes are considered.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children enjoy a wide range of activities at home and in the community, including swimming, bowling, visits to central London and holidays with staff. These experiences help children develop confidence, social skills and positive memories. Inspection report for children’s home: 2692918 4 Children live in a clean, well-decorated home. Communal areas are maintained to a good standard, and each child has a personalised bedroom, reflecting their interests and personality. However, one child’s bedroom needed attention to ensure that this was in keeping with the otherwise homely and nurturing environment. Leaders, the manager and staff addressed this during the inspection.

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

Safeguarding is embedded in practice. Staff discuss children’s safety during daily shift planning and handovers, ensuring that their welfare remains central to their day-to-day care.

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

Children know how to raise concerns and use effective communication tools to share worries with staff and managers. Leaders and managers respond promptly to complaints, assessing and escalating concerns where necessary. Allegations are reported to the relevant safeguarding agencies and thoroughly investigated.

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

Staff do not use physical intervention, as they successfully de-escalate challenging situations. Positive relationships between staff and children encourage engagement and help children seek support when struggling with their emotions. Staff help children explore strategies to self-soothe and manage their feelings.

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

Children live in a safe environment. Health and safety checks are completed regularly, and personalised emergency evacuation protocols help children understand evacuation procedures. This ensures that children recognise potential risks and know how to respond in an emergency situation.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager maintains a caring and welcoming culture in the home. She demonstrates strong leadership skills that promote effective care practices and positive outcomes for children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager and staff receive regular, effective supervision. These sessions include reflective discussions that support professional development and good practice. Staff have positive relationships with the manager and feel well supported. One staff member said, ‘I can openly speak to her. She is always available and empathetic.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers promote staff development effectively. Staff complete mandatory training and receive additional training tailored to children’s individual needs. This enhances staff knowledge and skills and enables them to deliver a high standard of care. Leaders and managers promote equality, diversity and inclusion effectively. Children understand and respect each other’s differences and disabilities. Children who communicate verbally engage positively with their nonverbal peers using a variety of communication methods. Staff support children to attend their chosen places of worship, Inspection report for children’s home: 2692918 5 and together, they celebrate a variety of cultures through shared meals from different countries. Children’s views are valued, helping them feel included and respected. Inspection report for children’s home: 2692918 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: 2692918 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: The Drive Care Homes Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Cyrinus House, 18 Hatherley Road, Sidcup DA14 4BG

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Inspector

Alphie Khumalo, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2692918 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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Inspector

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