Children's home run by Happy Children Home Limited

Inspection report for children's home: 1258894 1 Registered provider: Happy Children Home Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is owned by a private provider and can provide care for up to six children who may have emotional and social difficulties.

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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 good

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outstanding

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

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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: good

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outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children's home: 1258894 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

28/03/2023 Full Good 14/09/2021 Full Good 03/09/2019 Full Good 14/01/2019 Full Good Inspection report for children's home: 1258894 3

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outstanding

The home is spacious and very well presented. Children’s bedrooms are personalised to their individual tastes, to a high standard. There is space where children can spend time alone if they wish and there are separate rooms where they can engage in social activities with peers, friends and family members.

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outstanding

The wishes and feelings of children are at the centre of life at this home. Staff consider children’s views in respect of every aspect of their care. Children and staff have outstanding relationships and children are extremely happy and are thriving in this home. Children say that they really like living at this home and that they can speak to staff about everything. One child said, ‘Staff treat us like family.’ Another child said, ‘The staff are actually really good.’ Children know that they are highly respected and listened to.

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outstanding

Children identify trusted staff they can talk to and they are extremely positive about their relationships with staff. One child who recently moved into the home stated, ‘I wouldn’t mind staying here until I’m 18.’ Another child said, ‘This home is like a home.’ Children feel extremely safe living here.

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outstanding

Children’s engagement with, and progress in, education is excellent. Staff help children to understand the importance of learning. Staff communicate regularly with education staff, and this is contributing to the progress children are making educationally.

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outstanding

Staff involve children in group and individual sessions relating to their interests and a range of other topics. These have included cooking, healthy relationships and celebrating special occasions. It has also included learning about current events in this country and worldwide. This helps children to understand and celebrate equality and diversity and understand the world they live in.

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outstanding

Staff and managers work closely with children’s families and other adults who are important in children’s lives. Staff are incredibly supportive with the arrangements for children to maintain their relationships with their family and friends. Staff welcome children’s families and friends into the home. One parent said, ‘The home is homely and welcoming, and staff are kind. My relationship with [name of child] has really improved, and staff contact me regularly.’

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outstanding

Children’s individual care plans are exceptionally detailed. They focus on children’s needs, wishes and feelings. Staff review and update them regularly to reflect any changes in the child’s life. This provides staff with guidance on how to support children to achieve their goals. Inspection report for children's home: 1258894 4

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

Children’s individual risk assessments reflect the children’s known vulnerabilities and staff update them regularly. The manager and staff support children to understand risk. One child described how they had changed because of the help and support provided by staff. They explained how they had had the opportunity to reflect on their previous behaviours and proudly said, ‘Family and friends say I have changed for the better.’

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

Due to the positive relationships children have with staff, they rarely go missing from this home. Children have individualised risk assessments in relation to going missing. As a result, the staff fully understand the procedures to follow should a child go missing.

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

The manager seeks specialist help for children when they need it. This includes helping children to access child and adolescent mental health services. This has provided an independent and safe space for children to make progress in addressing past experiences and trauma.

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

The manager places the safety and welfare of children first and recruits staff in accordance with safer recruitment protocols. New staff are subject to a range of checks designed to minimise the likelihood of children being harmed by those caring for them.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager, supported by two committed deputy managers, is child-centred and enthusiastic. They work together to provide children with a loving family-home experience.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Managers have developed daily handovers to support purposeful and up-to-date information-sharing regarding the children. This helps ensure that staff complete essential daily tasks to maintain a nurturing, comfortable home environment.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff feel well supported and are positive about working in the home. They receive regular reflective one-to-one supervision from their managers. This supports the development of their skills.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff have received training around the specific needs of children. This is developing their understanding of behaviour management and providing them with additional strategies on how best to support children. The manager is due to work with staff to improve the quality of record and report writing, as some records lack clarity.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager works well with the placing authority to ensure that all children receive appropriate support when they leave the home. On one occasion, the manager did not inform Ofsted that she was providing continuous care beyond a child’s 18th birthday. Inspection report for children's home: 1258894 5

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Recommendations

 Staff should be familiar with the home’s policies on record-keeping and understand the importance of careful, objective and clear recording. Staff should record information on individual children in a no-stigmatising way that distinguishes between fact, opinion and third-party information. Information about the child must always be recorded in a way that is helpful to the child. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4)  The manager should ensure they inform Ofsted when a child is still living at the home beyond their 18th birthday. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 63, paragraph 14.10)

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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: 1258894 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Happy Children Home Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: West Walk House, 99 Princess Road East, Leicester LE1 7LF

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Inspector

Corline Parker, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: 1258894 7 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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