Children's home run by Centauri Care Ltd

Inspection report for children’s home: 2780199 1 Registered provider: Centauri Care Ltd Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is operated by a private company. It provides care for up to three children who experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of this inspection, one child was living at the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The home has been without a registered manager since May 2025. On 11 July 2025, a new manager from the organisation was appointed to work at the home. They are in the process of applying to register with Ofsted.

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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: 16 December 2024

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2780199 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

16/12/2024 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children’s home: 2780199 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The inspector spoke with the child living at the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is safe, homely and well maintained. The child’s bedroom is personalised and reflects their individual interests and hobbies. Staff regularly encourage the child to share their views on how the home environment could be improved. This inclusive approach helps the child feel settled, secure and valued at the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff help the child to develop independence and life skills. As a result, the child has grown in confidence and is now planning to access a range of new hobbies and activities in the community. The child has clear aspirations for the future and has been supported by staff to explore new experiences, which has positively impacted their self-esteem.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff consistently celebrate the child’s achievements. Rewards and incentives are regularly reviewed to ensure that they remain relevant and personalised, helping to motivate the child to work towards their individual goals. The incentive chart is adapted to reflect progress and recognise success, reinforcing positive behaviours and achievements.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child attends their education provision regularly and has made excellent progress across a range of subjects since moving into the home. When the child raised concerns about a peer relationship at school, staff worked effectively with the education provider to resolve the issue. This ensured that the child felt heard and was confident in returning to school with appropriate support measures in place.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child is consistently encouraged to maintain relationships with family and friends. Staff facilitate time with friends in the home, enabling the child to sustain meaningful connections with significant people in their life.

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

Before moving into the home, self-harm had been identified as a significant risk to the child’s safety. Since admission, there have been no reported incidents of self-harm, representing a notable area of progress. During their most recent care review, the child identified this achievement as something they were proud of and wished to share, highlighting the positive impact of the support they have received.

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

Staff provide consistent support to help the child manage their emotions and feelings. They take time to understand what strategies work best for the child, enabling effective communication and resolution of issues. This proactive approach has meant that physical restraint has not been required, contributing to a safe and supportive environment for both the child and the staff. Inspection report for children’s home: 2780199 4 The child can identify trusted adults at the home and feels comfortable expressing their worries, wishes and feelings. Staff routinely seek the child’s views, and when concerns or ‘grumbles’ are raised, the child receives a timely response from a manager outlining the steps being taken. This approach reinforces that the child’s voice is valued and that their views are taken seriously.

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

However, staff are not consistently recruited safely. Gaps have been identified in the recruitment checks used to determine their suitability to work with children. This compromises the robustness of safeguarding arrangements and presents a risk to children’s safety.

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

When incidents occur, the manager provides clear oversight and captures the learning that has taken place. This promotes open and constructive dialogue between the manager and the child, supporting reflection and continuous improvement.

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

There have been significant changes in the staff team. While the responsible individual has made efforts to ensure consistency by deploying familiar agency staff, the child has expressed, on multiple occasions, the negative impact of this instability. Disruptions to relationships and attachments with staff have affected the child’s sense of security. During this period, the child has not had access to independent advocacy support, which has limited their ability to have their voice heard and their views acted on. This reduces opportunities for the child’s wishes and feelings to be validated and meaningfully considered.

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

There are gaps in the oversight of quality assurance processes. Updates to the child’s risk assessment and relevant policies have not been consistently shared or communicated effectively to the staff team. Additionally, a review of the quality of care provided to children has not been carried out. This limits the manager’s ability to identify areas for improvement and take action to enhance the quality of care.

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

Although staff receive regular and effective supervision, annual appraisals have not been carried out. This restricts the manager’s ability to assess staff performance, review progress against previously set goals, and establish future development targets. As a result, opportunities to strengthen staff practice and support professional growth are missed. Inspection report for children’s home: 2780199 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 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

the individual is of integrity and good character;

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Requirement Due date

the individual has the appropriate experience, qualification and skills for the work that the individual is to perform;

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Requirement Due date

the individual is mentally and physically fit for the purposes of the work that the individual is to perform; and

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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)(a)(b)(c)(d)) 26 September 2025

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees—

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Requirement Due date

have their performance and fitness to perform their roles appraised at least once every year. (Regulation 33 (4)(c)) 26 September 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— 26 September 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: 2780199 6 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

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

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Requirement Due date

The children’s views, wishes and feelings standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

develop positive relationships with them;

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Requirement Due date

take their views, wishes and feelings into account in relation to matters affecting the children’s care and welfare and their lives.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to— ensure that staff—

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Requirement Due date

keep the children’s guide and the home’s complaints procedure under review and seek children’s comments before revising either document;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that an explanation is given to each child as soon as reasonably practicable after the child’s arrival about—

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Requirement Due date

how to make a complaint or representations in relation to the home or the care the child receives and how any such complaint or representations will be dealt with; and 26 September 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: 2780199 7 what advocacy support or services are available to the child, how the child may access that support or those services and any entitlement the child may have to independent advocacy provision; and

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the views of each relevant person are taken into account, so far as reasonably practicable, before making a decision about the care or welfare of a child. (Regulation 7 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(c)(d)(i)(ii)(iii)(e))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must complete a review of the quality of care provided for children (“a quality of care review”) at least once every 6 months.

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Requirement Due date

In order to complete a quality of care review the registered person must establish and maintain a system for monitoring, reviewing and evaluating—

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Requirement Due date

the quality of care provided for children;

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Requirement Due date

the feedback and opinions of children about the children’s home, its facilities and the quality of care they receive in it; and any actions that the registered person considers necessary in order to improve or maintain the quality of care provided for children.

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Requirement Due date

After completing a quality of care review, the registered person must produce a written report about the quality of care review and the actions which the registered person intends to take as a result of the quality of care review (“the quality of care review report”).

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Requirement Due date

supply to HMCI a copy of the quality of care review report within 28 days of the date on which the quality of care review is completed; and

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Requirement Due date

make a copy of the quality of care review report available on request to a placing authority, if the placing authority is not the parent of a child accommodated in the home.

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Requirement Due date

The system referred to in paragraph (2) must provide for ascertaining and considering the opinions of children, their parents, placing authorities and staff. (Regulation 45 (1) (2)(a)(b)(c) (3) (4)(a)(b) (5)) 26 September 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: 2780199 8

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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: 2780199 9

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 39 Hollowtree Road, Hamilton, Leicester LE5 1TH

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Inspector

Charlotte Tippett, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2780199 10 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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