Children's Home run by Blue Valley Care Ltd in Leicester

Inspection report for children’s home: 2795704 1 Registered provider: Blue Valley Care Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is owned and managed by a private company. It provides care for up to two children with social and emotional needs.

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Information about this children’s home

The home is led by a manager who registered with Ofsted in August 2024.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of inspection, there was one child living in the home. The child was spoken with as part of the inspection.

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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 requires improvement to be 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: not applicable Inspection report for children’s home: 2795704 2

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children’s home is well cared for by the staff team. The building is modern and well maintained. There was one child living in the home at the time of inspection. The child’s bedroom reflected their hobbies and interests, with pictures, posters and collectable items. Staff support the child to develop their personal space in a way they choose.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child is being supported by staff to engage with new activities that build their self- esteem and well-being. Staff have arranged for the child to attend a local music project. The child is involved in developing a summer house into a space for boxing and fitness. The manager has arranged for the child to have sessions in a local gym so that they can build relationships with children their own age. Staff plan and take part in activities that the child likes. This is helping the child to build confidence.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The manager and staff developed a good understanding of the child’s experiences before the child moved in. The manager ensures that staff know how experiences impact the child’s behaviours and responses. There is an effective plan to meet the child’s emotional needs. The child likes the way staff are caring for them. This has led to staff being able to have meaningful conversations with the child. Discussions are planned and thoughtful. The child is responding well to this, and they have begun to trust the staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The manager has led a determined approach to sourcing education for the child. They have involved specialist services to support the child and to identify suitable provision. The staff are helping the child to overcome barriers to learning. The child agrees that assessments should be completed to identify additional needs. The staff know that issues regarding confidence and identity are impeding the child’s learning opportunities. There is a clear plan in place about how staff can help the child in these areas.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

One child, who has left the home, had a poor experience. The home was not prepared to meet the child’s needs. The home had not planned well for the child to move in, and the placement was ended after a very short period. The manager and staff have reflected on and learned from this experience. This learning has been used to ensure that the new child experienced a positive move to the home and is making progress.

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

The child says they feel safe living in the home. The child can express their emotions and frustration through behaviours. The staff have an excellent understanding of how to support the child when they are feeling distressed. Detailed behaviour support plans mean staff are consistent and caring. The child can work through emotional responses because staff know the right approach to use in those moments. Inspection report for children’s home: 2795704 3 Risk management plans are detailed. They are effective documents that the manager ensures the staff are familiar with. This means the approach to risk management is cohesive and effective. Some identified risks in the child’s plans are not relevant. This wrongly labels the child.

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

Incidents of self-harm are not frequent but are a concern. The manager has ensured that staff understand the reasons behind this behaviour. Support and safety plans are detailed. This means that staff understand the triggers that may cause the child’s well- being to decline. Staff have clear strategies that focus on prevention and early intervention. The wider plan for raising the child’s self-esteem links positively into reducing these incidents. The staff have maintained the link to specialist mental health services for the child. They are accessing regular external support to help with difficult past experiences.

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

The use of physical intervention in the home is low. However, there were several incidents relating to the previous child. Interventions by staff were necessary in keeping the child safe and preventing harm. There is in-depth reflection after incidents take place. This provides assurances that the actions taken were safe and in the best interests of the child.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The manager has high expectations of staff and the development of their practice. They have high aspirations for the children in their care. They are focused on children making progress.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The staff team is still developing. Staff’s experience and knowledge are improving under the leadership of the manager and deputy manager. Staff are supported and receive regular, quality supervision. Staff say that they love working in the home and are invested in the ethos that is promoted.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Some staff’s practice and conduct have fallen short of expectations. The manager has acted appropriately to address this to maintain standards of care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The manager knows the strengths of the team. They know the areas for development, and they use professional meetings and discussions to raise standards. Team meetings are frequent and in depth. The manager is meticulous in sharing feedback and exploring development ideas. Staff are encouraged to share their views. They feel comfortable to speak up about issues that worry them.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Professionals speak highly of the team in the home. They feel that the staff team is dedicated and professional. Communication with professionals is excellent. One social worker said, ‘I have never known anyone communicate with emails or calls as well as they do.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The leadership team within the organisation is not yet working cohesively. Decision- making in relation to children moving into the home has been poor. It has not been Inspection report for children’s home: 2795704 4 done in the best interests of the child or with acknowledgement of the manager’s concerns. Roles within the organisation have not been set out clearly from the point of the home being registered. This has led to one child having a poor experience.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The oversight of safer recruitment has not been managed effectively. The manager did not have all the information required in relation to one staff member’s safety checks. There is a director working with children in a support role whose checks have been completed by a family member. This does not offer sufficient independent oversight of safer recruitment. Inspection report for children’s home: 2795704 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 care planning standard is that children—

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Requirement Due date

receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home; and

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Requirement Due date

have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home.

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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

that children are admitted to the home only if their needs are within the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the home is to provide care and accommodation, as set out in the home’s statement of purpose. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)) 31 March 2025

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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; or

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Requirement Due date

if an individual is employed by a person other than the registered person to work at the home in a position in which the individual may have regular contact with children, allow that individual to work at the home, if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3).

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Requirement Due date

the individual is of integrity and good character;

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Requirement Due date

the individual has the appropriate experience, qualification and skills for the work that the individual is to perform; 28 February 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: 2795704 6 the individual is mentally and physically fit for the purposes of the work that the individual is to perform; and

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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)(b) (3)(a)(b)(c)(d))

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that staff continually and actively assess the risks to each child and the arrangements in place to protect them. Where there are safeguarding concerns for a child, their placement plan, agreed between the home and the placing authority, must include details of the steps the home will take to manage any assessed risk on a day-to-day basis. Where risks are not present the need for children’s plans to contain an assessment should be reviewed. (Guide to the Children’s Home Regulations, including the quality standards,’ page 42, paragraph 9.5)

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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: 2795704 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Blue Valley Care Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 34 Wiltshire Crescent, Basingstoke RG22 5FE

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Inspector

Chris Haines, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2795704 8 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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