Children's Home run by Walsall Metropolitan Borough Council in Walsall

Inspection report for children’s home: SC063815 1 SC063815 Registered provider: Walsall Metropolitan Borough Council

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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 4 children with social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

3 children were living in the home at the time of the inspection and spoke to the inspectors.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager of the home registered with Ofsted in January 2014 and is suitably experienced.

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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: 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: SC063815 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

04/11/2025 Full Good 10/12/2024 Full Good 20/11/2023 Full Good 25/01/2023 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: SC063815 3

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Summary of findings

Children benefit from stable and nurturing relationships with staff and feel secure, valued and well cared for. They are making good progress from their individual starting points in education, health and emotional wellbeing. Children receive well-planned support when moving into and out of the home, helping them to experience positive transitions. Risks are well understood and managed, and children access specialist support to help them understand past experiences and reduce future risks. Strong leadership and effective oversight contribute to good-quality care delivered by a stable staff team. Although some records do not consistently capture children’s views, children’s experiences remain central to practice and decision-making.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children speak positively about their experiences of living in the home. One child said, ‘I have never been so happy in my life. It is the best house ever.’ Children benefit from stable and consistent care. One child has lived in the home for 3 years and the 2 others have lived there for more than a year. The stability provided by staff and managers has helped children to develop a strong sense of belonging, build trusting relationships and make progress from their starting points.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported to make good progress in line with their individual plans. Staff work proactively to meet children’s health, education and emotional wellbeing needs. Children attend school regularly and are making progress in their learning. When challenges arise in education, staff work closely with schools and other professionals to ensure that children receive the support they need.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff help children to understand the impact of their decisions and encourage them to make positive choices. For example, one child was supported to access a healthy lifestyle programme that improved their understanding of health and wellbeing.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Appropriate health assessments are completed, and children access specialist services when these are needed. As a result, children receive coordinated support that promotes their health, education and emotional development.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s bedrooms are personalised and reflect their individual interests, identities and experiences. Photos of important events, achievements and celebrations are displayed throughout the home, helping children to see their memories and achievements valued. This promotes children’s sense of belonging and helps them feel settled, valued and at home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported to move into and out of the home in a thoughtful and child- centred way. Staff work closely with children and relevant professionals to help ensure that transitions are well planned and promote positive experiences. One child was Inspection report for children’s home: SC063815 4 successfully supported to move to a foster home with their sibling. Children also help to prepare welcome packs for new children moving into the home. This helps children feel involved in the home and contributes to a welcoming and inclusive environment. Staff place a strong emphasis on promoting children’s identities and individuality.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are encouraged and supported to pursue hobbies and activities that reflect their interests and strengths. One child attends horse-riding sessions, another regularly plays football and goes bike riding, and a third enjoys singing and music. These opportunities enable children to develop confidence, learn new skills and experience success. As a result, children are supported to develop a positive sense of self and enjoy enriching experiences that contribute to their overall wellbeing.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported to maintain meaningful relationships with the people who are important to them, and family time is actively promoted. Staff work closely with family members and specialist services when relationships are difficult or there are concerns about children’s safety. They provide appropriate support and guidance to help children maintain and strengthen relationships when this is in their best interests. As a result, children spend valuable time with family and other people who are important people to them, helping them to maintain a sense of identity, belonging and emotional security.

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

Children are safeguarded effectively. Robust risk assessments and risk-management plans provide staff with clear and practical guidance about how to respond to children’s individual risks and vulnerabilities. These documents are regularly reviewed and updated to reflect children’s changing needs and circumstances. As a result, managers and staff have a clear understanding of the risks facing each child and take appropriate action to promote their safety while supporting their independence and development.

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

Children are supported well during times of crisis. Staff provide therapeutic care and use a curious and reflective approach to understand children’s experiences, feelings and behaviours. They know children well and respond consistently, in line with agreed strategies and plans. As a result, children receive support that helps them manage difficult experiences and reduces the likelihood of situations escalating. Since the last inspection, there have been no incidents of children going missing from home or requiring physical intervention.

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

Children are supported to stay safe through clear and well-understood strategies that reflect their individual needs and vulnerabilities. These include safety apps on mobile phones and regular bedroom checks when appropriate. Staff regularly speak with children about risks and help them to recognise situations that may affect their safety. Children understand the routines and boundaries in place and receive consistent guidance from staff. As a result, children benefit from support that promotes their safety while helping them develop their understanding of risk. However, records of incidents and key discussions are not always sufficiently clear, and children’s voices are not consistently reflected. This reduces leaders’ ability to demonstrate how children have contributed to decisions affecting their care and safety. Inspection report for children’s home: SC063815 5 When children make allegations about members of staff, managers respond promptly

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

and investigations are undertaken without delay. This helps to ensure that concerns are taken seriously and appropriately considered. However, investigations do not consistently evidence that all relevant children have been spoken to. Furthermore, children’s views about the outcome of investigations are not always clearly recorded. This limits leaders’ ability to demonstrate that children’s experiences, views and wishes have been fully explored and considered as part of the investigation process.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and staff are committed to the children and know them well. They reflect on children’s behaviours and demonstrate a good understanding of how children’s lived experiences influence their needs and responses. Leaders and managers have high aspirations for children and work proactively to secure the resources and support they need to thrive. They help children to develop confidence, resilience and a positive sense of self-belief. As a result, children are supported to make good progress from their individual starting points and to build positive futures for themselves.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers know children well and have a clear understanding of their plans, needs and circumstances. Children’s plans are individualised, child focused and identify clear goals for their care and development. Leaders and staff advocate strongly on behalf of children and work effectively with partner agencies to secure the specialist services and support they need. As a result, children receive coordinated care that helps them make good progress from their starting points and achieve positive outcomes in many areas of their lives.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders, managers and staff access consultation and specialist support to strengthen their understanding of children’s needs and enhance the care they provide. They work collaboratively with professionals and families to ensure that children receive coordinated and effective support. Feedback from families and professionals is consistently positive, particularly regarding the quality of care provided to children and the communication maintained by staff and managers. Leaders advocate effectively for children and provide appropriate challenge when services do not respond promptly or when children’s needs are not being met. As a result, children benefit from well-coordinated support that helps them make progress and access the services they need.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers invest in staff development through relevant training that helps staff develop the skills and knowledge needed to meet children’s individual needs. Staff speak positively about the support, guidance and encouragement they receive from leaders and managers. This contributes to a stable workforce and promotes consistency of care for children. As a result, children benefit from trusting relationships with staff who know them well and understand their needs and experiences.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive regular supervision and reflective support that helps them to develop their practice and improve outcomes for children. Leaders and managers promote a learning culture by drawing on research and specialist knowledge to strengthen staff Inspection report for children’s home: SC063815 6 understanding of children’s behaviours, experiences and emotional needs. This helps staff provide thoughtful, consistent and child-centred care. When shortfalls in practice are identified, leaders and managers address these appropriately through supervision, additional support and, where necessary, formal HR processes. This promotes accountability and helps to maintain good standards of care for children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers complete regular audits and maintain effective oversight of incidents and key areas of practice. Monitoring systems are used to identify strengths and areas for development, helping to drive improvement in the home. Independent scrutiny from external professionals provides additional challenge and assurance regarding the quality of care children receive. Managers also hold regular team meetings where staff practice, audit findings, children’s progress and their support needs are discussed. This oversight helps to ensure that children receive consistent, well-planned care that is responsive to their changing needs. Inspection report for children’s home: SC063815 7

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that staff are familiar with the home’s policies on record-keeping and understand the importance of careful, objective and clear recording. Information about the child must always be recorded in a way that will be helpful to the child. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4)

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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: SC063815 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Walsall Metropolitan Borough Council

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Walsall Metropolitan Borough Council, PO Box 15, Walsall WS1 1TP

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Inspectors

Nus Bibi, Social Care Inspector Mandy Wake, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC063815 9 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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