Children's Home run by Anchor Care and Education Ltd in Leicestershire

Inspection report for children’s home: 2637127 1 Registered provider: Anchor Care and Education Limited

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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 privately owned and provides care for up to four children who experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

Two children were living at the home at the time of the inspection. Two children were spoken to during the inspection.

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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: 12 November 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: 2637127 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

12/11/2024 Full Good 08/08/2023 Full Good 10/10/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good 20/07/2022 Full Inadequate Inspection report for children’s home: 2637127 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

During the inspection, two children were living at the home. Since the last inspection, one child has moved into the home and one child has moved out of the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff are fun and nurturing and build positive relationships with the children. One child spoke positively about the care they receive. The child aspires to qualify as a social worker in the future, and their preference would be to work with children at the home. Staff give children positive experiences and deliver bespoke care.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

One child was home tutored in the home before starting school, takes pride in their school work and enjoys attending school full time. Another child who recently moved into the home is being home tutored until an appropriate school provision is found. The child is engaging well with the tutor. Children are making good progress with education.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children benefit from therapy that meets their needs. One child has engaged with art therapy and another child is looking forward to starting equine therapy. Encouraging children to engage in therapy of their preference will help children to invest in important therapeutic intervention.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children have opportunities to try a wide range of new activities and experiences. These have included football, fishing, day trips and forest walks. Children spend time with children from another children’s home, including Easter and Christmas parties. Children engage in fun and enriching experiences.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Two family members are impressed with the care that children receive. A parent of a child who moved out of the home said, ‘I cannot fault the manager or staff. They prepared my child for living independently. Parents feel assured that children are receiving good quality care.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is spacious, welcoming and well decorated. The children benefit from various communal areas. The children asked for a communal room to be converted into a cinema room for them to enjoy. The children have had input with regard to the decor in the home. Children’s bedrooms are personalised.

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

Children are safeguarded and feel safe at the home. The manager has ensured that the staff have appropriate training, and that they understand safeguarding procedures. The staff are confident and well equipped to manage safeguarding incidents, which helps keep children safe.

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

Effective protocols give good guidance to staff on managing incidents of children going missing from the home. Staff manage incidents well and with sensitivity. Staff always Inspection report for children’s home: 2637127 4 welcome children back to the home and ensure that the children receive an independent return interview. Following feedback from one child, the manager and staff are working with the child to agree independence in the community with their friends. This approach supports positive risk taking and helps to reduce the number of missing-from-home incidents. Since the child moved to the home, there has been an overall reduction of missing-from-home incidents.

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

The manager works in a multi-agency way to safeguard children. One child, who is at risk of being exploited, has worked with staff to understand safe relationships, recognise risks and implement safety strategies. Educating and helping the child has helped to reduce the risks.

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

There have been some incidents of one child being held. These have been necessary and proportionate. The child has been spoken to after incidents. However, the manager has not ensured that staff have had a debrief following the incidents. Opportunities for learning from incidents could be missed.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager is knowledgeable and has a relevant level 5 diploma. She is an excellent role model to staff. She has support from a competent deputy manager. Staff said that the managers are ‘fair, approachable and supportive’. The manager has high expectations of staff. Morale is high because staff are motivated to deliver good quality care to children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The staff and manager benefit from input from a therapist to help them understand the children’s past trauma. The therapist helps staff to implement helpful strategies to support children. The therapist also provides a weekly drop-in service that any of the staff can access.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive good quality, face-to-face training. The manager has created six-monthly personal development plans for staff and is dedicated to their development. Most staff hold either a relevant level 3 diploma or are working towards it within agreed timescales. Some staff have completed or are enrolled on a level 5 qualification. Some staff are also enrolled on a leadership and management development course. Staff have a good knowledge of how to meet the children’s needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff said that they feel valued and respected by the manager. Staff have good quality and regular supervision. The manager supports staff, and, in addition, they have access to external therapy. This support helps to create a stable and resilient staff team, whose members can provide good care for the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

A social worker is impressed with the care provided by the manager and staff. She said the manager and staff are fantastic and are providing the care the child really needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Children’s records are generally good quality and accurate. However, some important information relating to two incidents is not fully recorded to reflect care provided. Inspection report for children’s home: 2637127 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 prepare and implement a policy (“the behaviour management policy”) which sets out the measures of control, discipline and restraint which may be used in relation to children in the home.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that within 24 hours of the use of a measure of control, discipline or restraint in relation to a child in the home, a record is made which includes—

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Requirement Due date

details of any methods used or steps taken to avoid the need to use the measure;

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Requirement Due date

the effectiveness and any consequences of the use of the measure.

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Requirement Due date

within 48 hours of the use of the measure, the registered person, or a person who is authorised by the registered person to do so (“the authorised person”)— has spoken to the user about the measure.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that staff are debriefed following physical interventions within appropriate timescales. 29 July 2025

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that staff understand the importance of careful, objective and clear recording. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4) Inspection report for children’s home: 2637127 6

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Information about this inspection

The inspector has 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: 2637127 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Anchor Care and Education Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Ensors Accountants LLP, Saxon House, Moseley’s Farm Business Centre, Fornham All Saints, Bury St. Edmunds IP28 6JY

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Inspector

Amy Miles, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2637127 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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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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