Children's Home run by Laska Care and Education Ltd in North Yorkshire

Inspection report for children’s home: 2567806 1 Registered provider: Laska Care and Education Ltd

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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 private organisation. 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

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

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in May 2020.

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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

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2567806 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

24/04/2024 Full Good 24/07/2023 Full Requires improvement to be good 14/06/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good 21/06/2021 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2567806 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children said that they enjoy living in the home. The staff spend quality time with the children and encourage them to share their ideas and opinions. Children have a sense of belonging because of the support offered by staff. Despite having a challenging time, one child said, ‘I now feel like this is my home.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are making progress, and their health needs are met. Staff have a good understanding of children’s individual and complex health needs. Children have ongoing health support, including timely mental health help during challenging times. Staff work with specialist services and support children to attend therapeutic appointments. Additionally, staff encourage the children to have a healthy lifestyle, including regularly going to the gym.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff work with schools, colleges and the virtual school to secure suitable learning opportunities for children, including those who struggle to attend education. Staff also use activities, including cooking and trips to museums, to provide learning to children in a creative and enjoyable way. Children are making progress and, for one child, this has seen them securing employment. A professional from the virtual school said, ‘Staff are committed to supporting [name of child] to have the best possible support during a challenging time.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff offer the children individual and sensitive care that helps them to have positive care routines. The children are encouraged to develop their independence skills in line with their needs and circumstances. For example, some children travel independently on public transport and do their own food shopping and cooking. This support helps the children to develop their social skills and self-esteem.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support children to see their families and significant others. The children are supported to access a variety of activities that are enjoyable and educational. Staff help children to embrace their individual cultural needs, including attending their place of worship.

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

The children talk about feeling safe. They have varied relationships with staff but have close and trusted adults who they can talk with. The children know how to make a complaint. The staff understand children’s risks and take children’s concerns seriously. When necessary, staff will carry out a search of a child’s bedroom. This is done sensitively and recorded appropriately.

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

The children have individual risk assessments. They provide staff with the guidance to support children and manage any known risks. Staff understand children’s missing- from-home procedures. When children go missing, staff actively look for them and Inspection report for children’s home: 2567806 4 report them as missing to the police. This results in a coordinated response that helps to reduce actual harm or risk of harm to children.

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

The staff offer the children sensitive support and positive praise that helps them to understand their behaviours. Staff have focused discussions with children to help them understand associated risks, including safe travel and internet safety. This helps children to manage their behaviour and relationships, which helps them to feel safe.

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

Children are supported to take risks appropriately in line with their development, resilience and individual needs. The registered manager works with the placing local authority to ensure that children have plans that meet their needs. Furthermore, she escalates concerns to placing authorities to ensure that children have necessary legal plans to help keep them safe.

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

On occasion, staff physically hold children to keep them and others safe. These holds are proportionate and used as a last resort when all other de-escalation techniques have been unsuccessful. When consequences are used following unwanted behaviour from children, these are restorative and proportionate.

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good

The registered manager has positive relationships with staff and the children. The home is staffed by a stable and committed staff team, who feel supported.

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good

The manager understands the home and uses monitoring and reviewing systems to maintain their oversight. However, these have not consistently been effective in raising concerns in a timely manner. The registered manager has delayed sharing significant information with Ofsted. This does not support timely independent oversight for children.

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good

Leaders and managers have not consistently identified issues and assured appropriate and timely oversight of significant incidents. On two separate occasions, the registered manager has delayed escalating concerns raised by children about their care. This has resulted in a delay in sharing information with the child’s social worker and the local authority designated officer.

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good

On occasions when children have raised concerns regarding staff practice, it is not clear that actions are taken in line with children’s risk assessments and the home’s procedures. The gap in records means that the local authority is unable to be assured that timely actions are taken to ensure children’s welfare.

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good

Staff benefit from receiving regular supervision sessions and team meetings. These meetings strengthen practice and help staff to develop the necessary skills and knowledge to care for the children effectively. Inspection report for children’s home: 2567806 5 Staff receive training in line with the home’s policies, and staff access additional support and practice guidance to help them understand the children's individual needs. One staff member has not been supported to secure the relevant qualification for their role. However, the registered manager has plans in place to address this and support staff development.

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good

The registered manager has made changes to the home so that it feels homely and welcoming. Inspection report for children’s home: 2567806 6

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered persons 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 persons must comply within the given timescales.

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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

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

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)(b) (2)(a)(f)(g)(ii)(h))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered persons should ensure that management oversight is carried out in a timely manner, ensuring that actions are carried out to promote children’s welfare in accordance with the children’s plans and the home's procedures. In addition, ensure that allegations made against staff are shared with all relevant parties without delay.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement has been restated. 30 May 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: 2567806 7 The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if—

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Requirement Due date

there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there. (Regulation 40 (4)(c)) 30 May 2025

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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: 2567806 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Laska Care and Education Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Euroway House, Roydsdale Way, Bradford BD4 6SE

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Inspector

Gina Lightfoot, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2567806 9 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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