Children's home run by Leeds City Council in Leeds

Inspection report for children’s home: SC406505 1 SC406505 Registered provider: Leeds 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 is a local authority short breaks setting that offers care for up to 12 children who may have learning disabilities, physical disabilities and/or sensory impairments.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in June 2024.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, there were six children staying at the home, with a total of 49 children accessing the service. Inspectors spent time with all six children during this inspection.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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outstanding

How well children and young people are helped and protected outstanding

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outstanding

The effectiveness of leaders and managers outstanding

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outstanding

The children’s home provides highly effective services that consistently exceed the standards of good. The actions of the children’s home contribute to significantly improved outcomes and positive experiences for children and young people who need help, protection and care.

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outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: outstanding

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outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC406505 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

05/03/2024 Full Outstanding 15/03/2023 Full Outstanding 21/06/2021 Full Outstanding 07/01/2020 Full Outstanding Inspection report for children’s home: SC406505 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children feel happy, safe and secure during their stay. One child said, ‘It [the home] is a sound place where children can go for a rest.’ This reflects the supportive and reassuring environment provided by the staff. Staff create a calm and stable atmosphere, offering consistent emotional support that helps children to feel valued and understood.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff demonstrate an in-depth knowledge of each child and are highly attuned to their individual needs. This is consistent across all 49 children who stay at the home. They provide warm, nurturing care with patience and a deep understanding of the children’s unique requirements. As a result, children feel safe, secure and valued, which enables them to develop confidence, build positive relationships, and make significant progress in their emotional well-being and overall development.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children are supported to make choices in their daily lives, promoting their independence in line with their age and development needs. They are actively involved in decisions, from selecting their meals to choosing activities that reflect their interests and preferences. This inclusive approach empowers children, giving them a sense of control and ownership over their experiences while helping them to develop their decision- making skills.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children are supported to make progress from their unique starting points. Staff provide individualised support to help children develop essential life skills. For example, two siblings who previously struggled to tolerate eating together can now share mealtimes in the same room. One child has been supported to eat meals away from their family home, a significant step in their development. These achievements not only enhance children’s well-being but also have a positive impact on family life, helping to create more settled and enjoyable mealtimes at home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Parents speak extremely highly of the care provided, with more than one parent referring to the home as a ‘lifeline’. They appreciate the staff’s commitment to supporting their children in developing essential self-care skills, including personal hygiene and keeping their rooms tidy. Parents have expressed heartfelt thanks, stating they ‘cannot thank the staff enough’ for the positive difference made in their children’s lives.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The children’s council remains a real strength of this home. Children are actively involved in preparing a manifesto to present their reasons for wanting to be chosen as a council representative. Their voices are genuinely heard, and they effectively use this platform to request items such as disco lights, new bedding and musical instruments. Once the council has agreed on the desired outcomes, staff take prompt action to source and provide these items, ensuring that the children’s requests are met and valued. Inspection report for children’s home: SC406505 4

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

Children are supported to stay as safe as possible in the real world, with a strong emphasis on promoting independence, in line with each child’s individual needs. This ranges from assisting children in using the toilet independently to helping them to walk safely in the community. One child was able to inform the inspector about their food allergy, demonstrating an understanding of their own complex dietary needs. This approach helps children to develop essential life skills, and it promotes a greater sense of self-awareness.

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

Every aspect of care in this home is meticulously planned to ensure a positive experience for the children. Each child’s stay is carefully arranged in advance, with close communication with parents and carers. Staff carefully consider the children who come for each stay in order to enhance the experience for everyone. When children arrive, staff are ready and waiting to greet them at the door, providing a warm welcome and supporting a smooth transition from school transport to the home. Nothing is left to chance, ensuring that each child’s experience is well organised and nurturing.

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

There have been no physical interventions required, thanks to the staff’s deep understanding of the children. They are highly skilled at recognising early signs of distress and they use effective distraction and de-escalation techniques. For instance, when one child was struggling to wait for the computer to load, a staff member quickly noticed the child’s distress cues and used playful distraction to help keep them calm. This proactive and thoughtful approach ensures that children feel supported and understood.

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

There are clear processes and plans in place to manage medication, which can be challenging given that children only stay for two to three nights. To stay on top of this, staff communicate with parents before each child’s arrival to get updates on any medication, ensuring that all medication is accompanied by prescription labels. For children who have the cognitive ability and may work towards self-administration in the future, staff have developed child-friendly medication records.

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

Role play within the home is effectively utilised to support children’s understanding of activities in the community. For instance, a play shop with pretend money encourages children to grasp the concept of waiting to make a payment and to understand the value of money. For those children who are able, this is further developed by taking them to a local shop, providing opportunities to apply these skills in real-life contexts. This approach enables children to transfer essential life skills from role play to real-world situations.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager remains dedicated to providing an outstanding service for the children, never taking previous judgments for granted. She consistently strives for ongoing improvement and development of the home. This commitment is clearly demonstrated through the development of a transitions programme for children approaching the age of Inspection report for children’s home: SC406505 5 18, as well as the creation of a new music and sensory room, further enhancing the children’s experience and opportunities for growth.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager actively supports staff in enhancing their knowledge and skills to better meet the needs of the children. Research into the complexities of food obsessions, food avoidance and sensory overload has played a crucial role in supporting the children’s development in this area. This support is reflected across various aspects of food provision for children, including the design of menus, meal mats, the chef’s understanding of individual dietary needs, the layout of the dining room, and the thoughtful pairing of children who eat together. These efforts have a positive impact and ensure that the children’s needs are met.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager understands that happy staff lead to a happy home and, ultimately, happy children. She is present in the home, which allows for exceptional oversight and ensures a strong focus on maintaining respect and dignity for all children. Any issues in practice are quickly identified and addressed, preventing potential issues from escalating. For example, staff are reminded to knock before entering children’s bedrooms, reinforcing a culture of respect and care. This proactive approach helps maintain a positive environment for both staff and children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Parent and carer coffee mornings are held regularly throughout the year, each being purposeful and aligned with the children’s needs. A recent session focused on transitions, offering practical support to parents and carers as they help their child move towards adulthood. Transitions social workers are invited to share additional insights, providing valuable information and guidance to families. These sessions create a strong sense of community and ensure that parents and carers are well supported in navigating important changes in their children’s lives.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager takes prompt and decisive action when incidents of a safeguarding nature arise. Thorough investigations into staff practice are conducted, and appropriate action is taken to ensure the safety and well-being of the children. There is an open and transparent culture in the home, where staff feel comfortable coming forward if a mistake has been made. The manager ensures that learning takes place from these incidents, and new processes are implemented to reduce the risk of recurrence.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

No requirements or recommendations were identified at this inspection. Inspection report for children’s home: SC406505 6

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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: SC406505 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Merrion House, Merion Centre, Leeds LS2 8LX

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Inspectors

Jo Birtwhistle, Social Care Inspector Joanna Beal, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC406505 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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