Children's Home run by Leighview Social Support in Southend on Sea

Inspection report for children’s home: 2783264 1 Registered provider: Leighview Social Support

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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 privately owned home provides care for one child with emotional and social difficulties. One child was living at the home at the time of the inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

The home registered with Ofsted in June 2024, and the manager registered with Ofsted at the same time as the home. This is the home’s first inspection since registration.

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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

Date of last inspection: not previously inspected

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: not applicable

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2783264 2

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

There is one child living in the home. They have lived in the home for more than two years. The child did not wish to speak with the inspector; however, indirect feedback of the child’s views was sought from the child’s placing authority, education establishment, home staff and records. This feedback was positive.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff know the child well. They speak fondly and with respect about the child and the relationship they have with them. Staff want the child to feel safe and happy, and want to help the child make progress.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child’s wishes and feeling are listened to and captured by staff. The provider has improved the quality of their records following registration and routinely seeks and records the child’s views. The home has a complaints procedure in place, and the child knows that they can raise a complaint or a concern if they need to.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff encourage and promote education. When issues arise, such as with attendance, staff and managers work with education providers and virtual schools to try to support the child to overcome them. If approaches are not successful, managers and staff show persistence. This includes challenging staff or providers to support the child.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff promote leisure and interests. This has included taking the child horse riding and to a gym. Staff also encourage activities around the home. For example, they helped the child to decorate the home for Halloween. Staff and managers help the child to learn independence skills, such as cooking and laundry. Staff also use one-to-one sessions to encourage positive aspects of care, such healthy eating and exercise.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support the child with their physical and emotional health. Staff have registered the child with all local health services and support them to attend all routine appointments. The home does not have an in-house therapeutic provision, but staff and managers work effectively with other agencies to identify appropriate therapeutic support.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff and managers promote and support family relationships where they are safe for the child. This includes encouraging some family members to visit the home. Friendships are also promoted; children’s friends visit the home regularly. Social connections support children’s identity and the building of social relationships.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is well furnished and decorated. Bedrooms are large and can be personalised. Shared spaces are also well furnished, and the home was clean and tidy in all areas.

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

The staff provide the child with appropriate help and protection. Staff know their safeguarding responsibilities. All staff have completed safeguarding training. Staff were Inspection report for children’s home: 2783264 3 able to talk about how they would respond to safeguarding incidents. The manager understands the procedures to follow in the case of an allegation of abuse, and staff know the home’s whistle-blowing practices.

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

Staff know the child’s strengths and vulnerabilities. Staff are aided by risk assessment and behaviour support plans, which are detailed and individualised. Plans and assessments identify behavioural triggers, preventative measures, and de-escalation responses. Staff update plans and assessments regularly.

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

Staff do not use physical intervention, and instead focus on using de-escalation techniques. However, staff have had training in how to use physical interventions and were able to talk about how they would use restraint techniques if needed.

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

The child has been helped to make substantial progress since they moved in. Risks have reduced as a result. Staff and managers continue to support the child to make positive changes in behaviour. They use behaviour charts, rewards and consequences appropriately, which are well recorded.

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

Staff and managers have helped the child to stop going missing. This is a significant improvement. The manager and staff know missing procedures and protocols well. There is a detailed child missing policy and risk assessment, which staff and managers were able to talk about confidently.

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

Safe recruitment practices have not consistently been followed. For example, recruitment records had incorrect dates or were not clear. Not all checks are complete or recorded fully. While there is no evidence that this has led to unsuitable staff being employed in the home currently, it is essential that staff recruitment is stringent, and all checks are undertaken.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager is suitably qualified, competent and committed to supporting staff and children. They have good expectations and aspirations for the home and shown insight and reflection on where practice can improve.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home has a stable staff team. Staff speak positively about working in the home and with each other.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff speak positively about the support from the manager. Staff feel able to have open discussions with them. They have regular supervision sessions, which they say are helpful and supportive. Staff highlight a strong culture of teamwork. There is comprehensive training, which staff say helps them to build the necessary skills to work with children in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home has established effective links with other professionals and agencies in the local area. This includes education services, virtual schools, health services and youth Inspection report for children’s home: 2783264 4 offending. Feedback from external agencies has been good; professionals spoke highly of the home and the progress that the child has made since moving in.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager makes generally effective use of monitoring and reviewing. For example, they respond to recommendations from the regulation 44 visitor. However, monitoring has not identified some issues with some records. Although these gaps have not had a direct impact on the quality of care provided, they have the potential to do so and are important archives for children who may wish to access them in the future. Inspection report for children’s home: 2783264 5

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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 registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety.

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Requirement Due date

employ an individual to work at the children’s home;

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Requirement Due date

if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3).

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Requirement Due date

full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2. (Regulation 32 (1) (2)(a) (3)(d)) 31 December 2024

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure all children’s case records are kept up-to-date and signed and dated by the author of each entry. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.3)  The registered person should ensure that staff are familiar with the home’s policies on record-keeping and understand the importance of careful, objective and clear recording. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4)

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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: 2783264 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Leighview Social Support

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 62 Sandown Avenue, Westcliff-on-Sea SS0 9YB

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Sibangani Mswelanto

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Inspector

Daniel Rankin, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2783264 7 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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