Children's Home run by AVB Enterprises Ltd in Leicester

Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2777336 1 Registered provider: AVB Enterprises 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 owned by a private provider and offers care for up to three children who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of this inspection, two children were living at the home, and their views were sought.

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Information about this children’s home

The post for a registered manager has been vacant since July 2024. A newly appointed manager is currently in post, and an interim home manager is providing support.

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Inspection date: 27 August 2025

Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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Inspection date: 27 August 2025

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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Information about this inspection

At this inspection, the inspectors evaluated:

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Information about this inspection

 the care of children  the safety of children  the effectiveness of leaders and managers. Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children, using the social care common inspection framework. This assurance 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’. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2777336 2

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Findings from the inspection

We did not identify any serious or widespread concerns in relation to the care or protection of children at this assurance inspection.

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Findings from the inspection

Since the last inspection, one child has moved into the home and one child has moved out. Suitability assessments for children living together in the home are not sufficiently robust. As a result, there is a lack of key information to inform effective decision-making regarding the staff’s ability to manage risk.

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Findings from the inspection

Children enjoy positive and meaningful relationships with staff who show emotional warmth to them. There is lots of fun and laughter. Staff prioritise building and maintaining relationships with children. This helps children to build trusting relationships with staff, which helps them to settle into the home.

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Findings from the inspection

Regular one-to-one discussions are held between staff and the children. They discuss important issues and concerns for each child. They are well recorded and include management comments. This provides regular opportunities for children to express their wishes and feelings.

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Findings from the inspection

Children who find school difficult are helped to learn and achieve. Staff work with other professionals to help children reintegrate into education. Staff appropriately challenge professionals and advocate for children to identify the right provision for their individual needs. One child who has been out of education is preparing to return to a provision in the new term.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff hold children as a final measure to ensure their safety and that of others. They use the least restrictive measure and force. The manager reviews incidents. However, while children are spoken to following an incident, they are not always provided an opportunity to voice how the incident has affected them. In one instance, a child later reported sustaining a mark after being physically held. This concern was not identified by managers or followed up appropriately.

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Findings from the inspection

Overall, staff respond appropriately to safeguarding incidents and follow children’s individual risk management plans when incidents occur. Records are detailed. However, leaders and managers do not consistently review all incidents. Opportunities to evaluate and strengthen safeguarding practice have been missed.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff are aware of the potential risks that children may encounter. Safety plans are made in collaboration with other professionals, including detailed assessments of risk. However, some assessments have not been updated to include the most recent incidents. Despite this, staff are aware of the risks posed to the children and familiar with the required actions to manage them.

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Findings from the inspection

Children feel able to make a formal complaint. The manager has thoroughly investigated most complaints or allegations and appropriately shared the findings Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2777336 3 with the local authority designated officer. The regulator has been notified when required.

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Findings from the inspection

Since the last inspection, there has been a further change of leadership in the home. The home’s manager resigned following the inspection, and a new manager has been appointed but is not yet registered with the regulator. She is being supported by the interim manager and responsible individual.

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Findings from the inspection

During the period of management change, the overall oversight of leaders and managers has not been consistent. There are gaps in the review and evaluation of incidents. This limits the opportunities to identify and share any learning and to support the staff team in reflecting on and improving their practice. The new manager is developing systems to improve oversight and monitor the quality of care and the daily functioning of the home.

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Findings from the inspection

Despite the shortfalls, staff report feeling supported by the manager and senior leaders. They are motivated and happy in their jobs. The team has worked through a turbulent time at the home. Despite this, the staff remain committed to the children.

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Findings from the inspection

The team has made some progress towards meeting the statutory requirements identified during the full inspection. One requirement and one recommendation have been met. Two requirements and two recommendations have been restated, and one further requirement has been raised. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2777336 4

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

13/05/2025 Full Requires improvement to be good 17/09/2024 Full Requires improvement to be good Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2777336 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 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

assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account the information in the child’s relevant plans, and, if necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child;

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies;

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Requirement Due date

that the effectiveness of the home’s child protection policies is monitored regularly. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(vi)(vii)(e))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that swift and appropriate safeguarding action is taken following the identification of a potential injury to a child.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that children’s views are consistently obtained following incidents.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that risk management plans are regularly reviewed so they contain relevant and accurate information.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that suitability assessments for children to live together are robust and consider all known needs. 9 October 2025 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2777336 6 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 their full 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

understand the impact of 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

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)(f)(h))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that management oversight is consistent and any shortfalls are addressed promptly.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that learning from incidents is recorded and shared as reflection with the staff team. 9 October 2025

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Recommendations

 The registered person should actively seek independent scrutiny of the home and make the best use of information from independent and internal monitoring (including under Regulations 44 and 45) to ensure continuous improvement. This also includes ensuring that the point-in-time surveys are distributed to all relevant parties so they can provide feedback. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 55, paragraph 10.24)  The registered person should ensure that the following elements of the workforce plan are included in the statement of purpose (in accordance with Schedule 1 (paragraphs 19 and 20)): the staffing structure, experience and qualifications of staff, and arrangements for supervision of staff practice. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 53, paragraph 10.10) Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2777336 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: AVB Enterprises Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Bhatt & Co, 5 University Road, Leicester LE1 7RA

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Inspectors

Caroline Coop, Social Care Inspector Jess Baines, Social Care Inspector Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2777336 8 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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