Children's Home run by Paramount Children Care LTD in Leicester

Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2627088 1 Registered provider: Paramount Children Care Limited

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is privately owned. It is registered to provide care for up to four children who may have emotional and social difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

There has been no registered manager since 4 November 2024. However, a manager has submitted their application to register with Ofsted.

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Information about this children’s home

The inspector was aware during this monitoring visit that serious child protection allegations are being investigated by the appropriate authorities. While Ofsted does not have the power to investigate allegations of this kind, the ongoing actions taken by the setting in response to the allegations were considered alongside other evidence available at the time to influence the outcome of this visit.

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This monitoring visit

This children’s home was inspected on 2 April 2025. A further visit took place on 1 May 2025 due to a serious safeguarding concern and a complaint being received following the 2 April 2025 inspection. The findings from both inspections informed the home’s current judgement, which is inadequate.

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This monitoring visit

A restriction of accommodation notice was issued on 2 May 2025. The purpose of this monitoring visit was to monitor compliance with the notice and assess whether there was sufficient evidence for the notice to be lifted.

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This monitoring visit

A new manager has been in post since 12 May 2025, and she has worked for the organisation as a registered manager previously. The manager has made considerable improvements to the home since the last inspection visits.

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This monitoring visit

The home has been repaired and redecorated. Shared areas are comfortable, and furnishings have been renewed. Children’s bedrooms are comfortably furnished and Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2627088 2 ready to welcome children into the home. Further improvements are scheduled, including the renewal of bedroom windows to make them safer for children.

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This monitoring visit

Two children are living at the home; however, one child has been staying with family for several weeks. The manager and staff are in regular contact with the child and visit them daily to ensure that they are safe and well. They have been providing care for the child by supporting them with health appointments and ensuring that they have pocket money and clothes. This shows the child that they are valued and cared about.

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This monitoring visit

The other child is also spending regular time away from home. Staff ensure that they are safe and well as far as possible. The manager is working with relevant agencies to ensure that all relevant safeguarding processes are in place to keep this child safe. The manager is currently challenging agencies where responses have not been in the child’s best interests. More positively, this child has increased their school attendance with the support of staff. As a result, their school is planning to increase the child’s timetable, which will enhance their learning opportunities.

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This monitoring visit

One child smokes cannabis in their bedroom, which was a concern at the last inspection. Since then, the manager has ensured that daily checks are undertaken to remove any items of concern from the child’s bedroom. Direct work has been undertaken with the child to increase their awareness of the risks posed by smoking in the home. The child has had an initial meeting with a young person’s drug service to help them understand the risks to their health. The child is yet to fully engage with this service.

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This monitoring visit

Child protection allegations remain under investigation. Leaders and managers are fulfilling their safeguarding responsibilities. They have ensured that the required internal processes have been implemented to protect children. The responsible individual is assisting the relevant agencies, as appropriate, to ensure that children are kept safe from harm while investigations are ongoing.

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This monitoring visit

The manager has undertaken a series of developmental activities to ensure that staff understand their safeguarding responsibilities. This is specifically in relation to managing and reporting allegations and concerns raised by children. There is clear information in place to inform and guide staff through these processes. The work undertaken is yet to be tested for effectiveness.

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This monitoring visit

No new requirements or recommendations were made following this monitoring visit. The existing requirements and recommendation will be reviewed at the next full inspection.

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This monitoring visit

The restriction of accommodation notice was lifted following this monitoring visit. Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2627088 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

22/05/2024 Full Good 29/11/2023 Full Good 30/08/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good 18/01/2022 Interim Declined in effectiveness Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2627088 4

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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 must comply with 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

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

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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 have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child;

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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

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)(c)(d)(e)(h))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring that there are robust quality assurance and monitoring systems in place, which are regularly used and recorded. 20 May 2025

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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— 20 May 2025 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2627088 5 that staff—

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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

understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person;

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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)(ii)(iii)(v)(b)(d))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the manager providing children with an environment that is physically safe and supports their well-being.

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Requirement Due date

Risks management plans must be inclusive of all risks for children. Staff should follow these plans so that consistent care can be provided to children.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that the employment of any person on a temporary basis at the children’s home does not prevent children from receiving such continuity of care as is reasonable to meet their needs. (Regulation 31 (1))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, leaders and managers should ensure that staff understand the day-to-day needs of the children and that children receive a consistent level of care that helps them to make progress. 20 May 2025

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Requirement Due date

The positive relationships standard is that children are helped to develop, and to benefit from, relationships based on—

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Requirement Due date

an understanding about acceptable behaviour.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— 20 May 2025 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2627088 6 help each child to develop and practise skills to resolve conflicts positively and without harm to anyone. (Regulation 11 (1)(a)(b) (2)(iv))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, children should be helped to manage behaviours before the point of escalation and crisis to prevent assaults and injuries to staff and children.

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Requirement Due date

The quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children;

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Requirement Due date

use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to leaders and managers ensuring that staff are consistently delivering care to children that helps them to make progress. This includes having effective day-to-day routines in place and helping children to develop good routines at night. 20 May 2025

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Requirement Due date

The education standard is that children make measurable progress towards achieving their educational potential and are helped to do so.

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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

support each child’s learning and development, including helping the child to develop independent study skills and, where appropriate, helping the child to complete independent study;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand the importance and value of education, learning, training and employment;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to attend education or training in accordance with the expectations in the child’s relevant plans. (Regulation 8 (1) (2)(a)(ii)(iv)(x)) 20 May 2025 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2627088 7 This specifically relates to leaders and managers ensuring that children are helped to make progress in education by having established routines in place. Leaders and managers should create a positive culture in the home around education that inspires children to attend their education provision and make progress.

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Requirement Due date

When children do not have education plans, leaders and managers should ensure that there are interim arrangements in place that motivate children to learn.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must make arrangements for the handling, recording, safekeeping, safe administration and disposal of medicines received into the children’s home.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that—

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Requirement Due date

a record is kept of the administration of medicine to each child. (Regulation 23 (1) (2)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the manager should ensure that staff record and administer medication in accordance with regulation. Management oversight of medication practice should be vigilant. 20 May 2025

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Requirement Due date

have the capacity, experience and skills to supervise the management of the home, or the homes, in respect of which the responsible individual is nominated. (Regulation 26 (7)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the responsible individual taking ownership of the shortfalls in children’s care. The responsible individual should improve practice to support children’s well- being and safety. 20 May 2025

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that the use of door alarms is regularly reviewed, and justification for the continued use of door alarms is clear within the children's planning. ('Guide to the Children's Homes Regulations, including the quality standards', page 15, paragraph 3.9) Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2627088 8

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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: 2627088 9

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Children's home details

Registered provider: Paramount Children Care Limited

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Children's home details

Registered provider address: Para Group House, 6-11 Riley Street, Willenhall WV13 1RH

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Inspector

Laura Walker, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2627088 10 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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