Children's home run by Lily Residential Services Ltd

Inspection report for children’s home: 2650947 1 Registered provider: Lily Residential Services Ltd Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This children’s home provides care and accommodation for up to two children with social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, one child was living at the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager has been in post since 24 July 2024.

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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: 27 September 2022

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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: 2650947 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

27/09/2022 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2650947 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

This is the home’s first inspection since it reopened in August 2024. Before this, in December 2023, the home had a three-month condition imposed, as no children had been admitted to the home since 27 October 2023. A monitoring visit was undertaken in August 2024 after the provider notified Ofsted of its intention to accommodate a child.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Currently, there is one child living at the home. They moved in from one of the provider’s other children’s homes along with some of the staff. This meant the child knew and trusted the staff, who provided consistency of care. All of the staff have built good relationships with the child. They ensure the child feels cared for and loved.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The fun and laughter in this home make the child feel relaxed and happy. Caring and nurturing interactions were seen between staff and the child. These interactions show the child how much the staff care about them as well as their commitment to the child. The child is about to turn 16 and is planning with staff how they would like to celebrate their birthday. Staff know the child really well. They understand the child’s needs and additional vulnerabilities and how to meet these.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff are very proud of the child and the progress they have made. At their previous home, there were some significant incidents. The decision to move the child to this home was made due to leaders and managers recognising that the child needed a period of time to live on their own rather than in a group home. Since the move to this home, there have been very few incidents, and the child is flourishing. The number of staff required to support the child has reduced from two to one because of this progress.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child is in full-time education. Staff are currently working with them on the next steps regarding their education. Staff ensure the child takes part in a range of different activities. The child loves going shopping, watching wrestling matches and is looking forward to a planned concert trip. In addition, the child is very accomplished at creating wonderful diamond art pictures.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff provide the child with a comfortable and well-furnished home. Staff see this as the child’s home, and they ensure the child is involved in choosing how to decorate and furnish the home. For example, the child wanted a breakfast bar, so staff provided this. The outdoor space is limited, but it does provide space to sit outside and for flower borders.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child’s plans are current and provide clear guidance for staff. The plans are frequently updated to reflect the child’s emerging needs and the progress they have made.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

An external professional praised the team for their work with the child and recognises the progress they have made. Inspection report for children’s home: 2650947 4

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

The child feels safe at the home and is kept safe. Staff understand the child’s additional vulnerabilities and the child’s lack of understanding of risk, and they are helping the child to develop risk management skills. This includes the risk of potential exploitation online. Risk is well managed, and staff are not risk averse.

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

Staff have a good understanding and working knowledge of their safeguarding responsibilities and follow the safeguarding processes effectively. This helps to protect the child.

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

Behaviour is well managed as staff understand potential triggers and how to support the child when they feel anxious or upset. Behaviour support plans are current and provide clear guidance for staff. Restraint has not been used.

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

Recruitment practices follow safer recruitment guidance. However, leaders and managers are not consistently exploring potential issues with applicant interviews. In addition, information that leaders and managers hold about agency workers does not confirm their childcare experience.

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

The registered manager is experienced in residential childcare. They have a level 5 qualification, and they share their experience and knowledge effectively with their staff team and with other children’s homes’ managers. The registered manager is supported by an experienced deputy who also has a level 5 qualification.

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

Leaders and managers have a clear overview of the home. They understand the home’s strengths and areas for development and have plans in place to address them. Leaders and managers provide good role models for the staff team. They are ambitious for the future of the home and its development.

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

Currently, the staff team is small and relatively new. Additional staff have been recruited but have not yet started to work in the home. The staff team has shown great dedication and commitment to the child, with the majority doing over and above their allocated hours to provide continuity of care for the child. This has been monitored effectively by the registered manager as part of his oversight of staff well-being.

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

Staff in their probationary period, who are experienced in childcare, are working with agency staff who are known to the team and the child. A risk assessment for this was not initially in place but was completed during the inspection.

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

Staff feel valued by the registered manager. They find him very supportive, open and honest. Staff feel their training is of a good quality and supports their individual Inspection report for children’s home: 2650947 5 development as well as the development of the home. Staff training is enhanced by regular supervision, which is of an appropriate quality.

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

In conversations with staff and in some records, there is evidence of institutionalised, vague and emotive language. This reduces the clarity of records and does not support the child’s meaningful understanding of their time in the home.

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

The independent visitor is not ensuring that they send the reports of their visits to the home to Ofsted in a timely manner. Leaders and managers have already identified the need for the robustness of these reports to improve and support the development of the home. Inspection report for children’s home: 2650947 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 registered person must ensure that an independent person visits the children’s home at least once each month.

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Requirement Due date

The independent person must produce a report about a visit ("the independent person’s report") which sets out, in particular, the independent person’s opinion as to whether—

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Requirement Due date

children are effectively safeguarded; and

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Requirement Due date

the conduct of the home promotes children’s well-being. The independent person must provide a copy of the independent person’s report to—

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the independent visitor should ensure their report is received by HMCI before the end of the month that follows the month in which the visit took place. 31 March 2025

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure the profiles they maintain on agency staff consistently include the agency workers experience of working in childcare. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.1)  The registered person should ensure that any potential points of concern are consistency explored at the candidate’s interview. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.1) Inspection report for children’s home: 2650947 7  The registered person should ensure children records are written in a clear, objective, non-stigmatising way and do not contain emotive, vague or institutionalised language. (‘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: 2650947 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Lily Residential Services Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Spirare Ltd, Mey House, Bridport Road, Poundbury, Dorchester DT1 3QY

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Inspector

Wendy Anderson, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2650947 9 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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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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