Children's home run by Lily Residential Services Ltd

Inspection report for children’s home: 2753268 1 Registered provider: Lily Residential Services 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 managed by a private provider. The home can provide care for up to three children with complex social and emotional needs. At the time of this inspection, two children were living at the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The home has no registered manager. The previous manager left on 29 April 2025. Recruitment for this post is currently taking place.

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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

Date of last inspection: 30 September 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: 2753268 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

30/09/2024 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2753268 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children love living at the home. Both children said that they wanted to stay until they are 18 years old. One child said that they did research into what living in a children’s home would be like and they read a lot of negative comments. The child said that this home is nothing like what he read about and stated, ‘it’s a brilliant place’. Children said that they know that staff care very much about them and want the best for them. They feel that they are treated with respect by the staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are making progress, even those who have been at the home for a short time. This progress includes the development of their independence skills and increased attendance at school. Staff are proud of the children’s achievements and celebrate these.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Consultation with children is a strength of the home. Children feel that staff seek, listen to and value their views and opinions. They feel very involved in their care, which supports them to represent their views at meetings with other professionals.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff are skilled at building strong, effective relationships with children even in a short period of time. Staff understand children’s needs and how to support each child.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff provide children with a welcoming home, which is light, airy and well furnished. Children like their rooms and spoke about how they were fully involved in creating these as well as choosing the décor in the communal areas. The children see it as their home, which stems from this involvement as it provides children with a sense of ownership.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children take part in a wide range of activities. They continue with existing hobbies and try out new interests. Children access clubs and facilities in the community, such as youth clubs and the gym. Children spoke about how much fun they have at the home and enjoy doing activities with staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff fully understand the importance of children’s education and provide children with effective support in this area. One child is on a phased return to school, which is gradually increasing. For the other child, who has not been at the home very long, a placement is being sought at a mainstream school for the start of the term in September.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Feedback from parents and other professionals is generally positive. However, some parents said that they would like the frequency and quality of communication with them to improve.

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

Children say they feel and are safe at the home. Staff ensure that safeguarding incidents are appropriately and swifty addressed, which protects children. Lessons learned from Inspection report for children’s home: 2753268 4 incidents are used to develop practice. Discussions with staff demonstrated their understanding of safeguarding practices and their role within these.

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

Behaviour is well managed. Despite the children being relatively new to the home, staff understand children’s triggers and how to support them when they are upset or anxious. Children said that they feel comfortable and confident to talk to staff about how they are feeling, their worries or concerns.

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

When children go missing from home, staff generally manage this well. There is an individualised protocol in place for each child, which staff follow. However, staff are currently using an app to track one child’s phone if they go missing. It is not clear that the child’s placing authority or parent have agreed to the use of this app. In addition, there has not been consideration of the impact on the child’s right to privacy.

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

Staff recruitment follows safer recruitment practices, which help to protect children from possible harm.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

There has been no registered manager or manager in post since 29 April 2025. Recruitment for this post is ongoing, with some interviews planned in the days following this inspection. Senior leaders and managers have put in place additional management support for the home. This has involved the responsible individual and two registered managers from the organisation’s other homes. These individuals have a good understanding of the home, the staff and, especially, the children. This arrangement has provided sufficient management oversight, which has reduced the impact on the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

There have been some changes in the staff team since the previous inspection and there are currently some staff vacancies. These are being covered by staff doing additional hours and a small group of regular agency staff. These agency staff know the children well. In addition, some staff from the organisation’s other homes have also provided staff cover. Leaders and managers are aware of the staffing situation. They have developed a plan to address this, which is currently being implemented, and recruitment is ongoing.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Staff are positive about working in the home. They feel supported in their role even though there is no manager in post and there are some staff shortages. They feel that they have pulled together as a team and supported each other. The staff acknowledged the support provided from leaders and managers in the organisation.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

When children move out of the home in an unplanned way, leaders and managers carry out effective reviews and the lessons learned are implemented to improve practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Children’s records are current and provide guidance for staff. However, some staff are using vague, emotive and institutionalised language. For example, they describe children’s behaviours as ‘heightened’ or ‘dysregulated’, and describe children who go Inspection report for children’s home: 2753268 5 missing as ‘absconding’. The use of such words detracts from the clarity of the records and does not support the children’s understanding of their time at the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Complaints are responded to and addressed in a timely manner. Clear records are maintained, which evidence all the actions taken. Inspection report for children’s home: 2753268 6

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that a review is undertaken regarding the use of the current parental control app on a child’s phone as this may impinge on the child’s privacy. This should be done with the child’s placing authority. In addition, any agreement to use this should include the placing authority. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards, page 42, paragraph 9.7)

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that communication with parents is consistent and of a good quality so as to support an effective working relationships with the parents. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 52, paragraph 10.3)

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that staffing levels are appropriate to meet the children’s needs, which include the implementation of the staffing plans that have been developed by senior leaders. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 54, paragraph 10.15)

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that a manager is appointed who has the relevant qualification and experience for the role. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 60, paragraph 12.2)

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that language used in children’s records does not contain institutionalised, vague or emotional language. These are the children’s records and should be written in a way that will be helpful to the child. This also applies to the home records as the use of such language detracts from the clarity of the record. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4)

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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: 2753268 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Lily Residential Services Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Spirare Ltd, Mey House, Bridport Road, Poundbury, Dorchester DT1 3QY

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Inspector

Wendy Anderson, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2753268 8 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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