Budwood LimitedOfsted inspection, 11 Sept 2026

Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: Budwood Limited 1 Budwood Limited Registered provider: Budwood Limited

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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provider

This service is owned and managed by a private provider. The provider can accommodate up to 21 children living in six shared or group living situations in premises used to accommodate only looked-after children or care leavers.

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provider

At the time of this inspection, the service was providing support for 18 children aged 16 and 17.

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provider

The registered service manager who was also the nominated individual left the organisation in May 2026. A new manager has been appointed and is in the process of applying to register as both the registered service manager and nominated individual.

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Inspection dates: 9 to 11 September 2026

The inspection was announced on 7 September 2026, and the inspectors were on site from 9 September 2026 to 11 September 2026.

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Outcome

Inconsistent quality of service delivery adversely affects some children’s experiences, and this may limit their progress. Leaders and managers must make improvements.

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Summary of findings

Children benefit from warm, welcoming and well-maintained homes where they feel safe, valued and listened to. Children are supported by nurturing relationships with staff and effective interventions are helping many to make positive progress in education, employment and training. Further work is needed to ensure children’s views are consistently reflected within key planning documents.

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Summary of findings

Children benefit from effective safeguarding arrangements, underpinned by personalised risk assessments, robust management of allegations against staff, and a strong safeguarding culture where concerns are taken seriously and acted upon Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: Budwood Limited 2 promptly. Further work is needed to ensure risk assessments consistently reflect current risks and clearly evidence children’s involvement in risk management planning.

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Summary of findings

Since the last inspection, new leadership arrangements have brought renewed focus and momentum to the service, with managers demonstrating a strong understanding of areas for development and beginning to implement a range of improvements to practice, recording systems and oversight. The impact of these changes is not yet tangible, and some concerns remain regarding aspects of service delivery, weaknesses in referral and matching processes, placement stability and the move on plans for children.

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Overall experiences and progress of children

Children live in homes that are maintained to a very good standard and provide a warm, welcoming, and nurturing environment. Thoughtful attention has been given to creating spaces where children feel valued, safe, and able to develop a sense of belonging. Children spoke positively about their homes and relationships with staff, demonstrating that they feel comfortable sharing their views. One child said, ‘I’m happy and find my home a nice place, everyone is happy and inviting and cheerful’, while another commented, ‘the staff are good, helped me settle, good, nice humans’. These experiences reflect the positive and supportive culture within the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children

Children are encouraged to express their views and influence aspects of daily living. They were able to discuss changes they disagreed with, with one child commenting that ‘some of the rules are alright and some need to be worked on’. While a range of consultation tools are available, and one child remarked, ‘I use my voice rather than a piece of paper’, some key documents, including support plans, do not consistently capture children’s views. This limits the extent to which records fully reflect children’s wishes and feelings and remains an area for further improvement.

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Overall experiences and progress of children

The progress that children make in respect of learning and education is mixed. Notably, those children who are settled and live harmoniously with their peers are making positive progress in their learning. They are supported by an education lead who is highly committed to improving outcomes and uses relationship-based practice to engage those who have experienced prolonged periods out of education. The impact of this work is evident in the increasing number of children successfully accessing college courses, employment and training opportunities, helping them to develop skills and confidence for their future.

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How well children are helped and protected

Children benefit from individual risk assessments that are regularly reviewed and generally reflect their known risks and vulnerabilities. Key documents are personalised and provide staff with clear guidance to manage and reduce risk. This supports a consistent approach to safeguarding and helps staff remain focused on the risks most relevant to each child. Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: Budwood Limited 3 However, some risk assessments require further review to ensure they accurately reflect children’s current circumstances and emerging risks. In addition, children’s involvement in the development and review of these documents is not always clearly evidenced. While leaders recognise the importance of capturing children’s views in a meaningful way rather than through a tokenistic or overly formal process, records do not consistently demonstrate how children’s wishes, feelings, and experiences have

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How well children are helped and protected

Investigations into allegations against staff are of a high quality and provide strong assurance that safeguarding concerns are managed robustly and in line with established procedures. For example, detailed chronologies clearly evidence timely referrals, strategy discussions, investigations, information sharing, and ongoing professional oversight, while effective cross-referencing across recruitment records strengthens accountability and provides a comprehensive audit trail.

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How well children are helped and protected

Leaders and managers respond promptly to concerns, undertake thorough investigations, engage appropriately with relevant professionals, and record clear outcomes. As a result, children benefit from a strong safeguarding culture where concerns are taken seriously and managed effectively to promote their safety and welfare.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

Since the last inspection in June 2025, the service has undergone a significant period of change in its leadership and management arrangements. The previous registered service manager, who also held the role of nominated individual, left the provider in May 2026. A new manager has been appointed who brings relevant experience and a good understanding of supported accommodation. Alongside other senior leaders, they have demonstrated a realistic awareness of the service’s strengths and weaknesses and have begun to address areas requiring further development. This reflective approach provides a stronger foundation for improvement and has created renewed momentum across the service.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

The incoming manager and area manager have been instrumental in driving improvements to practice and recording systems, demonstrating a clear commitment to raising standards. Although many of these developments remain in their infancy and their long-term impact on outcomes for children cannot yet be fully evaluated, there is evidence of positive progress.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

Staff were particularly positive about improvements to recording systems and the introduction of revised support plans and risk assessments, recognising that these are more reflective of children’s individual needs and risks. However, some staff, children and professionals expressed concerns regarding changes and the perceived impact on children. Managers are aware that ongoing oversight and evaluation is required to ensure that these changes become embedded and lead to sustained improvements in practice and outcomes. Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: Budwood Limited 4 Since the last inspection, leaders and managers have recognised that referral and compatibility decisions have not always ensured that children admitted to the service were suited to the supported accommodation model. Although most children moved on through planned transitions, a notable proportion of departures were associated

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

with placement instability arising from behaviour, aggression or risk-taking behaviours. Managers have responded proactively by demonstrating flexibility in moving children between homes where this was considered necessary to reduce risk and improve outcomes. While these measures have not always been successful for a small number of children, it is positive that the new manager has identified these shortfalls and is strengthening referral processes. This should support improved placement stability and reduce the likelihood of unplanned endings in the future. Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: Budwood Limited 5

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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 Supported Accommodation (England) Regulations 2023 and the ‘Guide to the Supported Accommodation Regulations, including 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 supported accommodation undertaking that puts children first and prioritises their wellbeing and development.

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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 supported accommodation undertaking in a way that is consistent with the ethos, and delivers the outcomes, set out in the undertaking’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that arrangements are in place to manage referrals of children to the supported accommodation undertaking and admissions of children to premises used as supported accommodation, including, where relevant, emergency referrals and admissions. (Regulation 4 (1) (2)(a)(f)) 1 December 2026

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Requirement Due date

The support standard is that children receive individual and tailored support that meets their needs.

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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

ensure that children are encouraged and enabled to take a lead role in determining the support they receive and to participate in and influence how the supported accommodation operates;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that plans for support are based on initial referral information, are meaningful and are created in full consultation with the child, taking account of relevant plans for the child; 1 December 2026 Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: Budwood Limited 6 keep the child’s support under review, taking into consideration the plans for support, and relevant plans, to ensure that the child’s needs continue to be met and that the child is kept safe;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that an adequate level of support is available to the child to assist with the transition out of supported accommodation. (Regulation 7 (1)(2)(a)(b)(c)(l))

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children 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 Supported Accommodation (England) Regulations 2023. Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: Budwood Limited 7

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Supported accommodation provider details

Registered provider address: Malvern View, Hanbury Road, Stoke Prior, Bromsgrove B60 4AD

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Inspectors

Linda Bond, Social Care Regulatory Inspector Stacey Pellow, Social Care regulatory Inspector Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: Budwood Limited 8 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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