Children's home run by Lioncare Ltd Operating as The Lioncare Group in Epping Forest

Inspection report for children’s home: SC014235 1 SC014235 Registered provider: Lioncare Ltd operating as The Lioncare Group Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is privately owned and provides care for up to seven children who experience social, emotional and mental health difficulties. At the time of this inspection, seven children were living in the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted on 25 February 2016.

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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

Date of last inspection: 31 January 2024

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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: SC014235 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

31/01/2024 Full Good 20/03/2023 Full Outstanding 02/06/2021 Full Outstanding 09/12/2019 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report for children’s home: SC014235 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children thrive in this home and benefit from the safety and nurture that the staff consistently provide. The children make exceptional progress and take full advantage of the opportunities presented to them. The culture in the home encourages a shared group experience in which emotions and behaviours are openly discussed. This is helping the children to develop insight into their behaviours and to consider the strategies that they can use to help them to progress.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Since the last full inspection in January 2024, two children have moved out of the home. These moves were carefully planned, with staff listening to the children and considering how best to support them in the transition. Visual timetables and structured routines, such as packing their belongings and spending increased time away from the home, have sensitively helped these children to move on at a pace suited to their needs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Before children move into the home, the registered manager carries out a detailed suitability assessment. This includes a review of education support, the current dynamics in the home and whether staff have the necessary skills and training to meet the child’s needs. Any risks highlighted during this process are incorporated into personalised safeguarding profiles, which are kept under regular review by the children’s allocated workers. One child proudly showed inspectors his welcome guide to the home, which is full of staff photos and helpful information. This level of planning is helping children to settle into the home comfortably. One child said, ‘I love living here, I have made good friends with the other children.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children’s progress in their school attendance and educational achievements is exceptionally strong. All children are making steady progress with their learning. When needed, timetables are adjusted to help children to return to education and increase their time in school. Children transitioning from primary to secondary school are fully supported by staff to visit, explore, and ask relevant questions to prospective school leaders. One child has recently been supported to decide which local school they would prefer to attend. This approach mirrors that of a committed parent and endorses the inclusive approach that staff have towards children and their education.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Leaders are risk aware, rather than risk adverse. When needed, they appropriately challenge professionals to review the ongoing use of any restrictive safety equipment for children. This is suitably risk assessed and kept under review. This approach has helped one child to flourish and grow, due to staff giving them the support and time needed to practice their focus, patience and problem-solving skills.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children have their healthcare needs met to an excellent standard. Staff facilitate and support children to attend medical appointments. Children’s emotional and psychological well-being is promoted to an excellent standard. Planned and regular sessions with Inspection report for children’s home: SC014235 4 psychologists and therapists are helping children to reflect on their present and past experiences. This is resulting in significant progress and positive outcomes for children.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff support children to understand their emotions, using a range of social and behavioural targets. Children are heavily invested in their targets and recognise the progress that they are making. This approach is positively supporting children’s social and emotional growth.

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

A strength of the home is the emphasis on group living and the importance of community meetings. These meetings provide a well-used opportunity for children to discuss their day, achievements and behaviours. This approach ensures constant reflection and provides a forum where differences can be safely voiced and explored and achievements celebrated.

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

Staff speak to children about their worries and feelings. Children say that they feel listened to and can speak with a trusted member of staff. When difficulties arise in the home, staff are quick to intervene and support children to navigate their strong emotions. Staff record children’s group-living dynamics well, and there are clear strategies in place to promote positive relationships.

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

Children make good progress in managing their behaviours and emotions. Most children move into the home with a history of trauma and can struggle to understand their feelings. Consistent staff practice, which is underpinned by staff trained in the provider’s therapeutic model of care, helps children to manage their unsettling emotions and to develop better coping skills and strategies.

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

The language used by staff in the home, both recorded and spoken, reflects their love, understanding and patience for the children in their care. When needed, staff hold children to keep them safe and to help them to contain their emotions. There is excellent transparency in all holds being used, and records demonstrate a commitment from staff to use the least restrictive holds, based on children’s age and vulnerabilities. Leaders work collaboratively with trainers to appropriately assess holds for children, mirroring effective strategies detailed in children’s positive behaviour support plans. One social worker said, ‘Children feel safe and secure with staff thanks to their consistent behaviour management.’

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

Case managers develop risk assessments that clearly identify the potential risks at various times and spaces throughout the day. Where required, individual risk assessments interlink with education plans, which creates consistency across settings. This means that there is a good holistic understanding of risk presentation and a consistent approach for children.

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

In an isolated incident, the planning for one child’s activity was not thoroughly arranged with an external community project. When unexpected changes to the plan arose, staff and managers did not follow the child’s risk assessment. As a result, the child has been Inspection report for children’s home: SC014235 5 unable to return to the project. The registered manager has referred this incident to the necessary safeguarding professionals and has worked with the child’s professional network to devise an intensive care programme and bespoke support plan. This incident is currently under investigation with senior leaders.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager and deputy manager have a shared vision for the home. They are focused on providing a secure and stable home for children to enable them to progress and achieve. They work in close partnership with a range of professionals and specialist services to safeguard children and to meet their holistic and therapeutic needs. This approach demonstrates the leaders and managers’ dedication to wanting the absolute best care and outcomes for children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Children receive baseline psychological assessments when they move in. These assessments focus on priority planning and child-led targets and aspirations. This approach, underpinned by regular therapy sessions for children and therapeutic practice reviews for staff, means that children are supported at a pace suited to their readiness, needs and understanding. All children are receiving individualised therapeutic support, including play and equine therapies.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff speak well of the support that they receive from managers, both professionally and personally. Staff have the training and skills to meet the children’s needs and are regularly supervised by line managers who are trained and skilled in the delivery of reflective supervision. In addition, the staff group is supported by an external independent consultant every month to reflect on its group-work practice with children. . This is helping staff to think about their approaches and responses to children using different scenarios.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager and staff plan thoughtful holidays and festive celebrations for children. Children speak fondly of their experiences with staff and share their excitement and stories with new children who move into the home. This means that newly arrived children are looking forward to celebrations, such as wearing their pyjamas downstairs and eating chocolate for breakfast on Christmas morning. These shared experiences, created by staff, are instilling warm childhood memories for all children. Inspection report for children’s home: SC014235 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

The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

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Requirement Due date

assess whether a child is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the child’s relevant plans, and, if necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, when risk permits, activities for children must be well planned in advance and staff must be clear on risk management strategies and arrangements. 1 January 2025

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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: SC014235 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Lioncare Ltd operating as The Lioncare Group

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Lioncare House, 58a Livingstone Road, Hove, Sussex BN3 3WL

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Inspectors

Kelly Monniot, Social Care Inspector (lead) Becky Paradise, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC014235 8 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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