Children's Home run by A and R Guardian Services Limited in Leicestershire

Inspection report for children's home: 2645675 1 Registered provider: A&R Guardian Services Limited

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Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is privately owned. It provides care for up to two children who may have social and emotional needs. At the time of the inspection, one child was being cared for.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager is suitably experienced and was registered with Ofsted on 7 July 2023.

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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

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children's home: 2645675 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

13/06/2023 Full Good 12/09/2022 Full Inadequate 09/02/2022 Full Good Inspection report for children's home: 2645675 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff provide highly individualised care. They understand the child’s starting points. Staff use creative methods to help the child communicate when they find it difficult to use spoken words. Staff celebrate the child’s character. The child is increasingly able to express themselves, for example by playing jokes on staff and visitors to the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff help the child to build effective relationships with other professionals. Staff prepare the child for challenging situations, for example returning to education or having vaccinations. The child now accesses specialist health support more independently. This promotes their mental health and safety.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff encourage the child to express their creativity and choices around the home. Staff display the child’s artwork of staff as a centrepiece. This shows the child it is their home and promotes a sense of belonging. The child says they like everything about their home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff understand the barriers the child faces in accessing education. The child had been out of education for some years. Staff build on the child’s interests to develop educational activities. Staff put together a memory book which the child looks through. This acknowledges their achievements. Staff support the child to take part in tutoring. One tutor said staff are open and eager to get involved in lessons. The child now completes extended pieces of writing, will ask if they don’t understand, reads aloud and gets involved in debates.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child lives far from their home area. Staff listen to and understand the child’s wishes and feelings about their family. Staff work effectively with the child’s social work team and family members to manage their time together safely. The child now sees some family unsupervised.

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

Staff help the child to reduce the risks they face from unsafe behaviours. Staff support the child during periods of crisis . There has been a reduction in self-injurious behaviour and episodes of missing from home. The child has not had a significant incident for several months. This is considerable progress.

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

When the child has gone missing, staff communicate effectively with other professionals and they act proactively to find the child. Return interviews are offered. When the child returns to the home, staff balance their responses to ensure that they do not trigger further distress. The trusting relationships the child has with staff help them to feel increasingly secure in the home. Inspection report for children's home: 2645675 4 The manager participates in regular multi-agency meetings to safeguard the child. The manager consults appropriately with the child’s psychologist when reviewing risk and altering restrictions, for example before re-introducing items that could present a risk to the child. One psychologist reports the manager ensures that all staff are updated and makes the agreed changes.

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

Risk assessments detail the different vulnerabilities the child may face. The child shows patterns and progress. Staff know the child’s triggers. The child’s independent reviewing officer said staff pick up on cues as they know the child well. The child’s safety plan is completed with staff and other professionals. Staff help to develop the child’s skills in managing their own safety.

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

The manager identifies training to ensure that staff are skilled to keep the child safe. Staff received external training from people with lived experience of showing distress in unsafe ways. Staff accessed a programme piloted by an external therapeutic service. The facilitating psychologist found that staff were able to think beyond the child’s surface behaviour. The facilitator added, ‘The team are brilliant. They have a good relationship with one another. The manager has a brilliant relationship with staff and is very encouraging of them, they are comfortable to show their feelings in front of [the manager].’ The child benefits from a ‘receptive, accepting, reflective and responsive team’ that utilises child-specific training.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is committed to the child. This commitment is shared by the team and remarked on by several professionals. The manager and staff are responsive to external feedback and implement changes. The manager and responsible individual say the directors are supportive and provide resources to benefit the child and staff development.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager promotes a culture of learning. She identifies opportunities to support staff’s professional development. The manager uses staff’s individual strengths, for example delegating a staff member to lead on the child’s education.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff help the child to express their views and wishes. The child messages the manager directly. The child is given the staff rota to help the child plan when they want to do activities with particular staff. The child adds to the chalk board monthly planner. The manager comments on weekly children’s meetings and ensures that actions are followed through.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Supervision is regular and largely of good quality. It shows reflective practice. Managers plan to develop skills through further training for supervising staff. Staff say it is an environment where they like to work. One staff member said, ‘It is home from home.’ However, the manager has not routinely received a record of supervision. Inspection report for children's home: 2645675 5 A requirement has been set which relates to a transparency issue between the responsible individual and the directors. This impeded on the directors’ ability to make care planning decisions. Inspection report for children's home: 2645675 6

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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 Children’s Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the ‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’. The registered person(s) must comply within the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

An individual may only carry on a children’s home if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (5).

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Requirement Due date

the individual is of integrity and good character. (Regulation 26 (1) (5)(a))

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Requirement Due date

This relates to a transparency matter between the r esponsible individual and the director. 17 August 2024

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Recommendations

 A record of supervision should be kept for the manager. The record should provide evidence that supervision is being delivered in line with regulation 33(4)(b). (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.3)

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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: 2645675 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: A&R Guardian Services Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Eastgate House Office 3 First Floor, 19-23 Humberstone Road, Leicester, Leicestershire LE5 3GJ

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Christopher Quinn

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Inspector

Helen Gronhaug, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: 2645675 8 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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