Children's Home run by Bess Solutions Limited in Leicestershire

Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2652672 1 Registered provider: Bess Solutions Limited

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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 company. The home provides care for up to two children who may have social and emotional difficulties or autism spectrum disorder.

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Information about this children’s home

There was one child living in the home at the time of the visit.

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Information about this children’s home

The home is led by an experienced registered manager.

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Information about this children’s home

Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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Information about this children’s home

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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Information about this inspection

At this inspection, the inspector evaluated:

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Information about this inspection

 the care of children  the safety of children  the effectiveness of leaders and managers. The inspector has looked closely at the experiences and progress of children, using the social care common inspection framework. This assurance 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’. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2652672 2

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Findings from the inspection

We did not identify any serious or widespread concerns in relation to the care or protection of children at this assurance inspection.

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Findings from the inspection

At the last full inspection, four statutory requirements and two recommendations were set. At this assurance inspection, three of these requirements have not yet been met and are reset. One recommendation has been met and one remains in place. A new requirement has been set following this visit.

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Findings from the inspection

There continues to be one child living in the home, and there are no plans to move another child into the home. This is in line with the child’s needs. The child living there is happy and has now been living in the home for a long period. Staff have supported the child to build positive and trusting relationships with adults that care for them. The child has strong attachments to certain staff.

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Findings from the inspection

The home is generally well maintained and decorated. Areas have been adapted to meet the child’s needs. The conservatory has been transformed into a learning and exercise space. Damage that has been caused has now been repaired. The child’s bedroom is newly decorated. However, the bathroom connected to the bedroom is of a poor and unhygienic standard.

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Findings from the inspection

The child remains without an identified education provision. The child’s education, health and care plan is up to date. The manager is actively seeking support from professionals to find a school. The child has access to a tutor that supports learning in the home. Sessions are planned and the child is making progress in different subject areas. A creative mentor has been introduced to the child’s plan. These sessions have captured the interest of the child and are having a positive impact on learning.

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Findings from the inspection

The staff are not yet providing a creative approach to learning outside of planned education hours. Staff are not planning or capturing when they support the child with informal learning.

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Findings from the inspection

The child is safeguarded effectively. The manager has ensured that risk management plans are in place and regularly reviewed. The plans are clear and provide staff with the information they need to support the child to reduce risk. Behaviour support plans have improved. The child’s diagnosis and how they process information are embedded in the plans. This helps staff to understand the child and support them when they feel overwhelmed or frustrated. However, the child’s strong attachment characteristics are not identified in plans, despite them being recognised as a barrier to relationships and a trigger to incidents.

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Findings from the inspection

The child is supported to spend time with family. The staff have ensured that the distance to travel is not an issue. This has been a positive experience for the child Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2652672 3 and their family. The child has taken ownership of the plan in seeking where to meet. They are looking forward to time with family happening more.

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Findings from the inspection

The home is led by an experienced registered manager. They are passionate about the experiences and well-being of the child. The manager leads by example in ensuring that the child has opportunities to make progress. Staff feel supported by the manager. Professionals expressed that the manager’s approach and communication ensured strong collaborative working.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff training has improved in some areas relating to the child’s diagnosis and needs. However, other areas have not been considered that would help staff support the child. The response to a previous recommendation around restraint training for staff has been poor. Staff have been working in the home for several months without training. There is now a plan in place, and staff were being trained at the point of the inspection.

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Findings from the inspection

There has been a lack of progress in establishing a stable and consistent team of staff. Some staff have left or been dismissed. Some staff have taken extended leave. This has an impact on the child because these staff members are people that are important to them. A new staff member with considerable experience has been recruited. This is having a positive impact on the team. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2652672 4

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

18/06/2024 Full Requires improvement to be good 18/04/2023 Full Requires improvement to be good 24/05/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2652672 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 education standard is that children make measurable progress towards achieving their educational potential and are helped to do so.

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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

help each child to achieve the child’s education and training targets, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

support each child’s learning and development, including helping the child to develop independent study skills and, where appropriate, helping the child to complete independent study;

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Requirement Due date

promote opportunities for each child to learn informally;

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Requirement Due date

help a child who is excluded from school, or who is of compulsory school age but not attending school, to access educational and training support throughout the period of exclusion or non-attendance and to return to school as soon as possible. (Regulation 8 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(v)(viii))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the need for an education plan for staff to be able to plan and support the child’s progress and achievements with home learning. 1 April 2025

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Requirement Due date

The leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that—

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Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

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Requirement Due date

promotes their welfare. 30 April 2025 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2652672 6 In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child;

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Requirement Due date

understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(c)(f))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to staff not being trained to meet or fully understand the needs of the child. This also specifically relates to staff being trained to use physical intervention.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must prepare and implement a policy (“the behaviour management policy”) which sets out—

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Requirement Due date

how appropriate behaviour is to be promoted in the children’s home; and

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Requirement Due date

the measures of control, discipline and restraint which may be used in relation to children in the home.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must keep the behaviour management policy under review and, where appropriate, revise it. (Regulation 35 (1)(a)(b) (2))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to behaviour support plans containing key information about the child’s needs and understanding. 1 April 2025

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Requirement Due date

The quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children;

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Requirement Due date

use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential.

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed and furnished so as to—

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Requirement Due date

meet the needs of each child; 28 February 2025 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2652672 7 enable each child to participate in the daily life of the home. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(c)(i)(ii))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, this relates to the child’s bathroom facilities being of an acceptable and hygienic standard.

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that care is taken to ensure that medicines are administered in line with a medically approved protocol. Regulation 23 requires the registered person to make suitable arrangements to manage, administer and dispose of any medication. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 35, paragraph 7.15) Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2652672 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Bess Solutions Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 194 Narborough Road South, Leicester LE3 2LD

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Jason Darbyshire

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Inspector

Chris Haines, Social Care Inspector Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2652672 9 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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