Children's Home run by Leeds City Council in Leeds

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2794799 1 Registered provider: Leeds City Council

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This is a local authority home. It provides care for up to two children who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The home and the manager registered with Ofsted in August 2024.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection there were two children living in the home. Both children were spoken with during this visit.

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This monitoring visit

This home was judged inadequate at the full inspection on 25 and 26 February 2025. This monitoring visit was carried out to determine whether the compliance notices that were made in respect of regulations 12 (the protection of children standard), 13 (the leadership and management standard) and 14 (the care planning standard) had been met.

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This monitoring visit

Increased staffing levels ensure that children receive support during periods of difficulty. Staff implement safety plans that contribute to helping children feel safe. Although incidents continue to occur, children report that staff are available to support them during these times, this helps children feel more supported and reassured.

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This monitoring visit

Staff say that improvements are beginning to take place and that the home is moving in a positive direction. Increased staffing in the evenings has contributed to staff feeling safer and more able to carry out their roles effectively, particularly in relation to safeguarding children during the night.

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This monitoring visit

Children’s care plans, including behaviour support plans, have been reviewed and updated to better reflect the children’s individual needs. Staff are aware of the Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2794799 2 strategies in place and have begun to implement changes in practice. Although it is early in the process, there are signs of positive progress for the children.

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This monitoring visit

The home has been redecorated throughout and is clean and tidy. All previous damage has been repaired. Children’s bedrooms have been furnished and decorated in line with their preferences, this helps to give the children a sense of pride in their home.

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This monitoring visit

The manager reports feeling better supported by senior leaders. The reallocation of responsibilities has enabled him to spend more time in the home, increasing his oversight of day-to-day practice. While management audit and oversight tools are still in the early stages of implementation, they are beginning to support the identification of shortfalls.

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This monitoring visit

While the provider has made progress in addressing the most significant shortfalls identified during the full inspection, further improvements are still required. Sufficient action has been taken to meet the steps outlined in the compliance notices. However, the remaining shortfalls will be issued as requirements until they are fully resolved.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

25/02/2025 Full Inadequate Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2794799 3

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered person 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 must comply with the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

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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

assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the child’s relevant plans, and, if necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand how to keep safe;

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Requirement Due date

have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm;

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Requirement Due date

manage relationships between children to prevent them from harming each other;

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Requirement Due date

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare; and

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Requirement Due date

that the home’s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm;

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Requirement Due date

that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed, furnished and maintained so as to protect each child from avoidable hazards to the child’s health. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(vi)(b)(d)) 4 May 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 4 May 2025 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2794799 4 promotes their welfare.

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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

lead and manage the home in a way that is consistent with the approach and ethos, and delivers the outcomes, set out in the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff work as a team where appropriate;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to 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;

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Requirement Due date

demonstrate that practice in the home is informed and improved by taking into account and acting on—

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Requirement Due date

feedback on the experiences of children, including complaints received; and

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Requirement Due date

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(d)(e)(f)(g)(ii)(h))

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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

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

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Requirement Due date

that each child’s relevant plans are followed. (Regulation 14 (1)(a) (2)(c)) 4 May 2025

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if— 4 May 2025 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2794799 5 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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Information about this inspection

The purpose of this visit was to monitor the action taken and the progress made by the children’s home since its last Ofsted inspection.

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Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under The Care Standards Act 2000. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2794799 6

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Children’s home details

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

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Inspector

Jo Birtwhistle, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2794799 7 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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