Children's home run by Leicester City Council

Inspection report for children’s home: 2713112 1 Registered provider: Leicester City Council Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is owned and operated by a local authority.

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Information about this children’s home

It is registered to provide care for one child with learning disabilities.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager is suitably experienced and has been in post since the home opened on 9 November 2022.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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outstanding

How well children and young people are helped and protected outstanding

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outstanding

The effectiveness of leaders and managers outstanding

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outstanding

The children’s home provides highly effective services that consistently exceed the standards of good. The actions of the children’s home contribute to significantly improved outcomes and positive experiences for children and young people who need help, protection and care.

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outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: not applicable

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outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2713112 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

Not applicable Not applicable Not applicable Inspection report for children’s home: 2713112 3

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outstanding

The child is benefiting significantly from a bespoke placement and highly individualised care. Staff are aspirational and have supported the child to make exceptional progress in many aspects of their life.

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outstanding

Staff spend lots of quality time with the child. They thoroughly understand the child’s communication needs, and as a result, the child’s communication has significantly improved. This enabling approach means that the child is fully involved in making choices and influencing the day-to-day running of the home.

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outstanding

Prior to joining the home, the child found it difficult to attend standard medical appointments. Staff have supported the child to work through this anxiety by using social stories. This has helped the child to better understand their health needs. The child has learned the importance of attending medical appointments. For example, with the support of staff, the child now attends dentist and optician appointments. This helps the child to stay healthy. A health professional shared that the child is making exceptional progress. For example, the child is trying new things and has an improved quality of life. This is because of the high level of individualised care that staff are providing to the child.

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outstanding

The child has made excellent progress in education. For example, the child has increased their hours of study and they enjoy learning. From a starting point of 10, the child can now count to 100. This is a significant achievement. The manager and staff ensure that formal education continues during school holidays. This is happening to promote and maintain a consistent learning routine for the child. Staff are creative in engaging the child in educational activities. For example, after the child completed a complex jigsaw puzzle, staff proudly displayed this on the wall of the home to celebrate their achievement. Due to the amazing progress that the child has made, the child now has the option of returning to a formal education setting. This is an amazing achievement and staff have worked incredibly hard to help the child succeed.

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outstanding

Staff do not see the child’s complex health needs as a barrier. Staff work hard to help the child to have meaningful experiences. For example, the child has visited the beach and watched a film at the cinema, and although there were some logistical difficulties in making this happen, staff persevered to make the child happy. Staff celebrate the child’s achievements, and they look at creative ways to give the child as many opportunities as possible. As a result, staff have enabled the child to experience a greater range of activities. The child is growing in confidence. This is because staff are reinforcing to the child how well they are doing. Inspection report for children’s home: 2713112 4

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outstanding

Staff work closely with specialist agencies to support the child with their behaviour. This helps to reduce overall risk and keep the child safe. Where the child has exhibited risky behaviours, staff have taken immediate action to keep the child safe. Staff are good at completing clear, reflective records. The manager regularly reviews these records and makes the necessary changes to improve the quality of care provided.

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outstanding

Staff have a comprehensive understanding of the child’s known and emerging risk- taking behaviours. The child’s documents are individualised and detailed. These documents identify environmental triggers that can negatively affect the child’s behaviour. Staff have a workable understanding of these documents and, as a result, are confident in managing situations.

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outstanding

The child has made significant progress to reduce behaviours that challenge. Staff have been highly effective in helping the child to reflect and consider what they could have done differently to remain calm. Where staff hold the child to keep them and others safe, this is for the shortest time and is always carried out in a caring manner.

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outstanding

Staff and managers are strong advocates for the child and have good working relationships with other agencies. The manager has a good attitude to risk and will appropriately challenge wider professionals if they are being somewhat risk averse in their approach to care. Staff keep the child safe by taking a risk aware approach. For example, although swimming is deemed high risk for this child, the manager is looking at ways to try and make this possible.

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outstanding

Professionals shared that there is good communication with staff. One professional stated that ‘on a few occasions they have gone above what we expected’. Due to the high level of progress that the child is making, staffing ratios no longer need to be as high. This creates a greater sense of normality for the child.

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outstanding

The child does not go missing from care. However, the manager and staff fully understand their safeguarding roles and responsibilities for this situation if it were to happen.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The home is run by a very experienced and suitably qualified manager. She is registered for another home in the organisation and successfully splits her management time between the two. She is supported by a knowledgeable and committed deputy manager. The managers are passionate about creating opportunities that promote progress for the child. They are proud of how the members of the staff team have significantly influenced and enhanced the child’s life. Inspection report for children’s home: 2713112 5 Highly effective leadership promotes a strong ethos and culture of high aspiration and positivity. Staff are extremely positive about their work and talk with immense pride and affection about the child’s achievements. Staff work well together and look for new opportunities for the child. Staff enjoy working here and one staff member said, ‘I really want to see [name of child] progress. I want other people to see the

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager has ensured that new staff are recruited safely. New staff have a thorough induction programme, which ensures that they know and understand the needs of the child before starting work. Once new staff pass their probation, they are enrolled to complete all relevant qualifications within statutory timescales. The manager considers succession planning to ensure continuity of care for the child.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff say they are well supported by the manager. All staff benefit from reflective supervision. Supervisions are focused on the development of the service. All discussions focus on the needs of the child. Staff say that the manager is always available for informal discussions or to address any concerns. Mandatory training and needs-specific training for staff are readily available and kept up to date.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager has close management oversight of the home. She has effective quality assurance tools and reviews daily records. This scrutiny highlighted one restraint which had not been properly recorded. The manager took immediate action to rectify the situation and the quality of practice has since improved. The manager considers and acts following monthly reports by the independent visitor.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff continue to find ways to improve the environment. The child contributes to choosing colours and pictures for the walls. The manager has a development plan which includes the improvement of the garden area.

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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: 2713112 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Leicester City Council

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: City Hall, 115 Charles Street, Leicester LE1 1FZ

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Inspector

Alli Tandy, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2713112 7 regulates 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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