Children's Home run by The Acorns Leicester Limited in Leicestershire

Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2783593 1

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Information about this children’s home

The home is run by a private company. It is registered to provide care for up to three children who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The responsible individual was present during the visit.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of the visit, no children were living in the home.

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This monitoring visit

This visit took place to monitor the provider’s compliance with the current restriction notice issued by Ofsted, which states that no children should be admitted to the home. No children have moved into the home and the registered person is complying with the notice.

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This monitoring visit

The registered manager post is currently vacant, and the responsible individual is overseeing the home. No staff are currently working in the home and have all acquired temporary employment with other providers.

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This monitoring visit

There has been no emphasis on having discussions or developing staff’s understanding of their safeguarding roles and responsibilities. At the time of the inspection, staff had not received any training to further develop their knowledge or awareness. For example, some staff shared with the provider that they struggled to manage children’s behaviours and complete safe holds when it was necessary to protect children from harm. Staff have not been supported to meet children’s needs and keep them safe.

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This monitoring visit

Safer recruitment of staff requires improvement. On two occasions it was identified that managers had not implemented a risk management plan for a staff member. The responsible individual did not provide assurances that immediate action would be taken in relation to the staff who is currently employed. As a result, there are no assurances that all staff will be safe to work with children. Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2783593 2 Leaders and manager say they want to provide good care for children. They have not reflected on the lessons learnt or identified how they can improve the care provided to children. Managers have changed documents to support staff in their work; however, staff have not been consulted to evidence that they understand the changes.

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This monitoring visit

Children’s bedrooms have been redecorated; they are spacious and modern. There are plans to make this home into a homely environment. There is ample space for children to enjoy.

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This monitoring visit

The progress towards meeting the statutory requirements and recommendations set at the inspection was considered. At the time of this visit, the provider still has time to meet the completion date. The requirements and recommendations are restated in this report and will be reviewed at the next visit. Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2783593 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

06/05/2025 Full Inadequate Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2783593 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(s) 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

help each child to understand how to keep safe;

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Requirement Due date

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

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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. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(ii)(vi)(b)(d)) 18 July 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

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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; 18 July 2025 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2783593 5 ensure that staff work as a team where appropriate.

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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’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

research and developments in relation to the ways in which the needs of children are best met; and

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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)(c)(e)(f)(g)(i)(ii)(h))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety.

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Requirement Due date

employ an individual to work at the children’s home; or

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Requirement Due date

if an individual is employed by a person other than the registered person to work at the home in a position in which the individual may have regular contact with children, allow that individual to work at the home,

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Requirement Due date

if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3).

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Requirement Due date

full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2. (Regulation 32 (1) (2)(a)(b) (3)(d)) 18 July 2025 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2783593 6 The registered person must maintain records ("case records") for each child which—

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Requirement Due date

are signed and dated by the author of each entry.

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Requirement Due date

securely in the children’s home during the period when the child to whom the case records relate is accommodated there. (Regulation 36 (1)(b)(c) (2)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that all records are available, signed and kept up to date, with updates and outcomes included in the records. 18 July 2025

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Requirement Due date

The registered person should ensure that—

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Requirement Due date

within 5 days of the use of the measure, the registered person or the authorised person adds to the record confirmation that they have spoken to the child about the measure. (Regulation 35 (3)(c)) 18 July 2025

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Requirement Due date

If the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005(a) applies to the home—

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Requirement Due date

the registered person must ensure that the requirements of that Order and any regulations made under it, except for article 23 (duties of employees), are complied with in respect of the home. (Regulation 25 (2)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that children are aware of the procedures that should be followed in the event of a fire and that they participate in fire drills. 18 July 2025

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that staff are familiar with the home’s policies on record-keeping, and understand the importance of careful, objective and clear recording. Staff should record information on individual children in a non-stigmatising way that distinguishes between fact, opinion Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2783593 7 and third-party information. Information about the child must always be recorded in a way that will be helpful to the child. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards,’ page 62, paragraph 14.4)  The registered person should ensure that children are encouraged by staff to see the home’s records as ‘living documents’, supporting them to view and contribute to the record that reflects their voice on a regular basis. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 58, paragraph 11.19)

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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: 2783593 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: The Acorns Leicester Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 50 Dalby Avenue, Bushby, Leicester LE7 9RD

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Inspector

Corline Parker, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2783593 9 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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