Warwickshire County Council is pleased to announce that Cherry Tree House has been judged as ‘good’ by Ofsted.
Ofsted inspectors found that the Stratford-upon-Avon home for looked after children provides effective services for children and young people.
Cherry Tree House is the first children’s home in Warwickshire and offers local provision to the looked after children from the county, helping to keep them closer to their friends, family and communities and supporting them to achieve.
The inspection, published on 13 October, highlights that the children at Cherry Tree House are cared for by staff who have their best interests at heart. The report noted that staff are passionate about their role and have high aspirations for children. The relationships that children have with staff are a key factor in the progress that children make.
The report stated: “The children at Cherry Tree House are encouraged to improve their educational outcomes, the staff work closely with the children and schools to support their attendance and not miss out on educational opportunities. The children are able to take part in a range of activities in and out of the home to broaden their social experiences. For example, they have enjoyed holidays to the seaside, theme parks, laser tag and bowling. Additionally, children contribute to their local community and bake cakes and biscuits for their neighbours. As a result, children are welcomed into the social circles of their neighbourhood.”
Councillor Sue Markham, portfolio holder for Children and Families, said: “We are really proud of this report, the purpose of Cherry Tree House is to provide a safe and welcoming environment for our looked after young people and inspectors clearly found that to be the case. The report highlights the support and care from staff and their focus on the young people, which reflects our Child Friendly ambitions to help children and young people to be safe, skilled, heard, happy and healthy.”
Cherry Tree House is the first home for children to open in Warwickshire with plans in place to create similar homes elsewhere in the county. The model replicates a family environment and only a small number of children are accommodated at any time in each location. Watch a virtual tour of Cherry Tree House, below.
To find out more about working with Warwickshire children and families and for roles in residential settings go to www.warwickshire.gov.uk/workforus.