Children's Home run by Leicester City Council in Leicester

Inspection report for children’s home: SC039025 1 SC039025 Registered provider: Leicester City Council

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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 run by a local authority. The home provides care for up to six children who may have social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has been registered with Ofsted since 2016 and is suitably qualified.

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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: 27 February 2024

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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: SC039025 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

27/02/2024 Full Good 13/03/2023 Full Good 31/08/2021 Full Outstanding 23/09/2019 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: SC039025 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s experiences are understood by staff. They adapt their approach and responses well. Staff recognise behaviour can be a form of communication and children are helped to make positive choices. The members of the management team are further developing staff’s understanding around child-centred care.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported to build and maintain relationships. Staff know the importance of maintaining family connections for children. Children are also helped to maintain friendships and have invited friends to join them in activities.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Effective communication with educational providers ensures that children have the right level of support. Staff support children to make progress in their education and celebrate their achievements. One child didn’t have any form of education before living at this home. They are now engaged in learning through a blended approach. Children are encouraged to be part of their community. The manager has engaged local charitable organisations to support care leavers with food parcels. The children have become included in the process of food collection. This has enabled reflective discussions and learning relating to independence, help and supporting others.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is well maintained. The children have access to shared areas as well as the privacy of their own bedrooms. There are developing plans to decorate the games room so that the children can use this space in the near future.

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

Managers have ensured that staff have access to plans which detail the children’s individual needs. Plans for children detail how staff must care for each child. Risk assessments are clear in guiding staff to what they must do keep children safe. Managers ensure that children’s plans are reviewed on a regular basis.

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

Children have missing from care risk assessments. These guide staff to know what to do if they have concerns about a child’s whereabouts. When children go missing regularly, effective planning with the social worker is in place to reduce missing-from-care episodes. However, when the police are asked to help with finding a missing child, the manager has not always informed the regulator in line with regulation.

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

Children are helped to understand the routines, boundaries and expectations when living in the home. Children have been helped to understand how to have healthy routines and how to keep themselves safe. Staff support children with their emotional behaviours with compassion and understanding. When appropriate, staff sensitivity challenge discriminatory views and help children to understand empathy and respect. Children are given the opportunity to reflect and learn through key-work sessions. This allows children to consider different approaches and responsible decision-making. Inspection report for children’s home: SC039025 4 Leaders and managers have ensured that recruitment of staff is safe. Staff have access to training and development opportunities to ensure they are confident in responding to safeguarding concerns. Managers have developed proactive and effective multi-agency practices, ensuring a holistic approach to keeping children safe and meeting their needs.

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

Staff have effectively helped children to manage difficult emotions. There has only been one incident of physical intervention. Effective management oversight of this incident highlighted areas for improvement in staff practice, including a need for clearer recording of incidents.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager has good insight into the home’s strengths and areas for improvement. They are supported by two deputy managers. As members of a management team they know how best to help staff develop relationships with children, and they support them to make progress.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive regular professional supervision. This is enhanced through group training opportunities that equip staff to meet the needs of the children. Staff are qualified or are working towards the required qualification. In addition, staff complete mandatory training and an array of additional online training.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The members of the staff team are settled and provide consistent care to children. Staff are supported, valued and feel included in decision-making. A diverse staff team reflects the needs of the children they look after. Cultural beliefs are explored and celebrated. This promotes children’s understanding of living in a multi-cultural society.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager works in close collaboration with external professional agencies. They keep professionals continually updated regarding the children and their needs. The manager is a strong advocate for children to ensure that their wishes are heard and acted on. Inspection report for children’s home: SC039025 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 notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if—

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Requirement Due date

an incident requiring police involvement occurs in relation to a child which the registered person considers to be serious;

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Requirement Due date

there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40 (4)(b)(e))

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Requirement Due date

This particularly refers to an incident requiring police involvement when a child was missing. 25 February 2025

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Recommendations

 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. Staff should record information on individual children in a non-stigmatising way that distinguishes between fact, opinion and third-party information. Information about the child must always be recorded in a way that will be helpful to the child. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4)  The registered person should have systems in place so that all staff, including the manager, receive supervision of their practice from an appropriately qualified and experienced professional, which allows them to reflect on their practice. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.2)

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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 Inspection report for children’s home: SC039025 6 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: SC039025 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Leicester City Council

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Leicester City Council, City Hall, 115 Charles Street, Leicester LE1 1FZ

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Inspectors

Becky Thompson, Social Care Inspector Tazim Akhtar, Social Care Inspector Simon Hunter, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC039025 8 regulates 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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