Children's Home run by Barnardo’s in Leicestershire

Inspection report for children's home: 2778942 1 Registered provider: Barnardo Services 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 registered on 2 December 2024.

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Information about this children’s home

It provides care for up to three children who may experience social and/or emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

Two children have lived at this home. At the time of the inspection, one child was living at the home and was spoken to.

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Information about this children’s home

The home does not currently have a registered manager but one has been appointed who has applied to Ofsted. The responsible individual supported this 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

Overall judgement at last inspection: Not applicable

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: Not applicable Inspection report for children's home: 2778942 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

Not previously inspected Inspection report for children's home: 2778942 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is well presented. The child’s artwork is displayed throughout the home. This helps to make the home look personalised.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Overall, the child receives good-quality care from staff who know them well. Staff and children regularly spend time together. The child’s bedroom is personalised to their tastes and reflects the things that they like, enjoy and are interested in. They say that they like their home, and they demonstrate a strong sense of belonging.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s achievements are promoted which are recorded in the child’s ‘WOW book, staff proudly leave the book in communal areas. This enables everyone to see the children’s achievements.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

In addition to the daily activities, staff ensure that throughout the year children have opportunities to take part in varied day trips and holidays that take them across the country. These have enabled the children to learn and celebrate the diversity of our world through these inclusive experiences.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The managers and staff have had to manage some serious incidents. Staff have remained committed and resilient and used their skills and relationships with children to keep children safe. Staff have worked closely with professionals to ensure that they understand children’s vulnerabilities in relation to their next placement move. As a result, one child had a successful planned move to a home which met their holistic needs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child receives individualised care and support to ensure that their identity and cultural needs are promoted and met. As a result, they have been supported to develop an awareness of their identity, and this focus has been embedded throughout care practices.

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

The child does not go missing because staff are available for them. However, the homes risk assessment does not provide staff with information to support them to understand actions that they should take if the child goes missing.

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

Senior managers and professionals from the placing local authority agree on individualised safeguarding procedures to keep the child safe. Discussions with the child take place. However, this is not always recorded in a manner which is helpful to the child.

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

Allegations made by children have been taken seriously. Managers have taken swift action to address these. This has helped children know they have been listened to and has kept children safe. Inspection report for children's home: 2778942 4 Overall, the provider follows principles of safe recruitment. However, on one occasion, there was a gap in the records that summarise the vetting of new staff before they started to work in the home. This will be addressed by the management team.

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

Staff have a good understanding of children’s safety needs. However, risk assessments are not comprehensive. They fail to identify all risks and do not provide staff with clear guidance on how to manage known risks. For example, there have been incidents of a child pulling staff’s hair. This is not identified as a behaviour in the child’s risk assessment and does not provide guidance to staff on the action to take to manage the risk. This leaves children and staff vulnerable. Children are also not given an opportunity to reflect on incidents to help them to develop their understanding on how to manage their emotions more effectively.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home does not currently have a registered manager and there have been several changes to the management structure in the home. The responsible individual is providing additional oversight and scrutiny.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Multi-agency working is a strength in this home. This approach promotes the full involvement of the professional network around the child. There is very good daily communication between the care staff and other professionals. This means that approaches to care are well coordinated. Feedback from the placing authority is positive.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The child benefits from having a culturally diverse team. Staff report that they enjoy coming to work and staff morale is high. There is a committed and motivated team. Good staff retention has ensured that children experience a high level of consistency in their care, and they are able to develop trusting relationships with staff.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff supervision enables each member of staff to reflect on their practice and consider their further development, while keeping children central in their discussions.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders are aspirational for children and have a strong sense of commitment and loyalty from the staff team. Staff say that they feel supported by the Leaders and that they enjoy working in a positive environment.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There has not been consistent, quality management oversight of this home since their registration and leaders and managers have not always had strong oversight of children’s plans and documents. Staff say that since the recruitment of the new deputy they now receive a high level of support.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The homes systems in place to ensure that children’s care is monitored effectively is confusing for staff to navigate. However, this has not prevented the child’s needs being met. Inspection report for children's home: 2778942 5 Leaders acknowledge that improvement is needed and the plans that are designed to drive improvement forward are in in place. Inspection report for children's home: 2778942 6

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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 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 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

feedback on the experiences of children, including complaints received;

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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)(ii)(h)) 7 November 2025 Inspection report for children's home: 2778942 7 This specifically relates to ensuring accurate records are maintained. It also relates to the manager implementing and embedding effective monitoring and review systems.

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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

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. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This particularly refers to there being risk assessments and care plans in place that identify known and potential risk for each child, and staff being skilled and confident in challenging and dealing with inappropriate and risky behaviour. 7 November 2025

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Recommendation

 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

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: 2778942 8

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Children's home details

Registered provider: Barnardo Services Limited

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Children's home details

Registered provider address: Barnardo House, Tanners Lane, Barkingside, Ilford, Essex IG6 1QG

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Inspector

Corline Parker, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: 2778942 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 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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