Children's Home run by A and R Guardian Services Limited in Leicestershire

Inspection report for children's home: 2645675 1 Registered provider: A and R Guardian Services Limited

p.1

Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The home is privately owned. It provides care for up to two children who may have social or emotional difficulties. At the time of the inspection, one child was living at the home. The child did not wish to offer feedback during this inspection.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in July 2023.

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

p.1

outstanding

How well children and young people are helped and protected outstanding

p.1

outstanding

The effectiveness of leaders and managers outstanding

p.1

outstanding

The children’s home provides highly effective services that consistently exceed the standards of good. The actions of the children’s home contribute to significantly improved outcomes and positive experiences for children and young people who need help, protection and care.

p.1

outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

p.1

outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children's home: 2645675 2

p.1

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

03/07/2024 Full Good 13/06/2023 Full Good 12/09/2022 Full Inadequate 09/02/2022 Full Good Inspection report for children's home: 2645675 3

p.2

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The home is welcoming and maintained to a high standard throughout. There is a family atmosphere which helps children feel comfortable, safe and valued. The home is highly personalised throughout, with photographs showing the child enjoying a wide range of experiences and activities with staff. This helps the child build a sense of belonging. The child’s bedroom is personalised, and the child’s sense of identity comes through. The investment made by the child in personalising their space is a clear indicator they feel secure and settled.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff offer exceptional care to the child. They consistently provide high-quality, nurturing care which is tailored to the child’s individual needs. Staff help the child and show compassion. This has helped the child to establish meaningful relationships. The child is learning how to trust adults through experiencing care from staff who do not give up on them. There have been times of high distress for the child and staff have shown resilience throughout, which is commendable.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The care planning for this child is exceptional. Practice is informed by research into the child’s specific needs, which provides the child with the personalised approach required. The manager ensures specialist services are available to the child and supports the child to meaningfully engage with these services.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The child has highly complex mental health needs and fluctuating high-risk behaviours. Since the last inspection, the child has had several lengthy hospital admissions. Despite these significant challenges, staff have remained highly committed to the child’s care and well-being. They have gone above and beyond to create opportunities for the child to develop positive and lasting memories. One example was arranging a sleepover at the home with a close relative who is important to the child. Staff travelled across the county to support this, showing dedication and creativity in meeting the child’s needs. This helped promote the child’s sense of identity and connection, which had a positive impact on their emotional well-being.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff understand the complexities in relation to the barriers around the child accessing education. The manager has worked closely with relevant professionals to support the child’s educational needs. Since the last inspection, there have been times when the child has been engaged in education. This has included engaging with a tutor at times, which is significant progress. The manager and staff have high aspirations for the child and work with relevant agencies to ensure the right plans are in place.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The child has made progress in the last year. Independence is a trigger for the child; staff work with the child in a trauma-informed way and support them in subtle and skilful ways. External professionals commented on the progress the child has made in their independence skills. Inspection report for children's home: 2645675 4

p.3

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

The manager and staff have been required to manage a considerable level of risk. The level of risk and responses required from staff to ensure the child is safe have been constantly changing and have required a dynamic response. The manager and staff have worked above and beyond to prevent the child coming to harm. External professionals said that the positive, trusting relationships the child has with staff allow staff to clearly recognise, better than anyone, when the risk is escalating. The manager takes a ‘shared risk’ approach, which ensures all relevant agencies are involved in the meticulous risk management for the child.

p.4

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

The manager participates in regular multi-agency meetings to safeguard the child. She regularly consults with the child’s psychologist when reviewing safety planning, to support the child to take risks in line with their development.

p.4

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

The manager and staff are working closely with the child’s psychologist and outreach worker, who have commended the level of risk which the manager and staff are supporting this child with. The child’s psychologist said the manager and staff have helped the child feel safe and provided consistency.

p.4

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

Staff care deeply for the child, and this is reflected in their responses when the child has been missing from home. There is excellent communication between the manager and relevant professionals to ensure the child returns home safely. Staff actively search for the child and there are meaningful discussions when the child returns, to explore how episodes of going missing can be avoided in future.

p.4

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

The manager and staff use their skills and experience to support the child with difficult feelings. They use trauma-informed research to achieve this. This has created a sense of safety for the child. There have been two incidents of physical intervention since the last inspection. When this has been used, it has been necessary and proportionate, and the records are detailed and reflective.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager is impressive. She is dedicated to the child in her care and is determined to continue to help the child make positive progress. The manager has high aspirations for the child and has consistently shown care and compassion. She is supported by a competent deputy manager.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager is an exceptional role model to her staff team and is valued by them. She inspires the staff to provide the very best care. She is open and transparent, which helps create an open culture in the home. The manager is reflective and there are regular team discussions, also involving relevant agencies, which encourage staff to constantly evaluate the effectiveness of their interventions. The team is always looking for ways to improve the outcomes for the child they are caring for. Inspection report for children's home: 2645675 5 Staff are exceptionally well supported and understand the importance of creating a safe and trusting environment in which children can thrive. This is clear in the way the team has managed the child’s selective mutism. While the child has had some difficulty communicating with some external professionals, they engage confidently with the staff team. This progress is a direct result of the staff’s consistent care, strong relationships

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

and the emotionally secure environment which has been created in the home.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

External professionals consistently commend the team’s positive impact on the child’s development. The manager ensures that staff are reflective, receive high-quality supervision and have a strong understanding of the child’s needs and how best to meet them. This creates a culture of high expectation, accountability and continual development, which leads to staff feeling more confident in helping the child make progress.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

External professionals speak very highly of the manager and say her communication is excellent. One professional commented that the manager and staff are ‘the best team’ they have ever worked with and that they go ‘above and beyond’ for the child.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

No requirements or recommendations have been made.

p.5

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: 2645675 6

p.5

Children’s home details

Registered provider: A and R Guardian Services Limited

p.6

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Pegasus House Office 14, 4th Floor, 17 Burleys Way, Leicester, Leicestershire LE1 3BE

p.6

Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Christopher Quinn

p.6

Inspector

Becky Thompson, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: 2645675 7 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.

p.6

Inspector

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.7

Inspector

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.7

Inspector

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.7