Children's Home run by Elstree Home Care Ltd in Leicestershire

Inspection report for children’s home: 2849520 1 Registered provider: Elstree Home Care Ltd

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Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is privately owned. It is registered to provide care for two children who may have social, emotional or behavioural needs.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in July 2025.

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Information about this children’s home

There was one child being cared for in the home at the time of the inspection, a second child had recently moved out. The residing child shared their views as part of the inspection.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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inadequate

How well children and young people are helped and protected inadequate

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inadequate

The effectiveness of leaders and managers inadequate

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inadequate

There are serious and widespread failures that mean children and young people are not protected or their welfare is not promoted or safeguarded. The care and experiences of children and young people are poor and they are not making progress.

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inadequate

Date of last inspection: not previously inspected

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inadequate

Overall judgement at last inspection: not applicable

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inadequate

Enforcement action since last inspection: not applicable Inspection report for children’s home: 2849520 2

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inadequate

The experiences of children have been negatively impacted by the significant shortfalls in the help and protection of children.

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inadequate

Ofsted received concerns from external professionals about the ending of one child’s placement. They complained that the placement was ended abruptly and without sufficient notice being given to the placing local authority for the child. Although there were some mitigating circumstances, leaders of the home acknowledge this as a shortfall and have reflected that this had a negative impact on the child.

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inadequate

The manager agreed to care for a child despite staff being ill-equipped to meet the complex needs of the child. The specific risks for the child had not been adequately assessed before the child moved to the home. As a result, there was an over-reliance on emergency services to help staff in managing the child’s behaviour. This child did not have a good experience of being cared for in the home. Overall, the care planning for the child was poor.

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inadequate

The staff do not have a good understanding of children’s health needs. Children are not in good routines to support healthy eating, stimulation or sleep routines. One child has a health condition that requires them to have a reduced salt intake. Despite this, there have been no discussions with the child about the importance of nutrition, and their food intake has largely consisted of processed foods.

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inadequate

When children do not want to take their medication, there is no review of the possible impact this could have on the child. There is no record of discussions with health professionals. One child had medication prescribed, but there was no risk assessment to direct staff in managing the child’s medication. This was necessary because the medication could have side effects. When children are away from the home, there are no plans to ensure that their medications go with them. Additionally, when one child’s placement ended, their medication remained in the home. Medication practice is not yet effective to meet children’s needs.

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inadequate

Children have moved to the home without an identified education provision in place. The manager has supported children with their education by attending relevant meetings. The manager is teaching a child how to box to support the child’s fitness and well-being. However, the child is not yet accessing the education they need to help them start making progress.

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inadequate

Family members, for one child, provided good feedback about the care and experiences that their child was receiving. Staff take this child to see their family who live out of area, and this has enabled the child to maintain these good and strong relationships. Inspection report for children’s home: 2849520 3

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

There are no effective systems to demonstrate how children’s safety and well-being needs are met by the staff and managers. Subsequently, when children are involved in serious incidents, the recording of such incidents is poor. The recording lacks crucial information such as what happened, those involved, what the management oversight is or the impact on the child. Managers have not set actions following incidents, and it is unclear which safeguarding partners have been updated. Risk assessments are not updated following serious incidents.

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

Children’s risks relating to self-harm are not well understood by staff. Incidents of self-harm are not recorded effectively, and so it is unclear how or why a child may have hurt themselves. Children’s injuries are poorly described; similarly, it is unclear what medical treatment has been given or what support the child has received. There is no specialist equipment in the home that would be required for some incidents of self-harm, despite there being serious concerns about risk and vulnerability for children.

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

When children’s personal items have needed to be searched to retrieve items that could be harmful, there is no recording of such incidents. Therefore, it is unclear why a search has taken place, what items have been retrieved or how the risks for the child may have changed.

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

On one occasion, staff needed to use a physical intervention to retrieve an unsafe item from a child. This intervention was unsuccessful, and the item was not retrieved. There is no record of this physical intervention to describe how staff tried to remove the item or what the impact was on the child. There was no evidence of the child or staff being spoken to following this incident and a lack of management oversight.

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

If children go missing, these incidents are not recorded well, and so it is unclear how staff respond to children who are missing to keep them safe. However, for one child, the regularity of them going missing has significantly reduced, which is very positive.

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

Since the home was registered, there have been several serious incidents that Ofsted has not been notified of. This limits Ofsted’s ability to regulate the service and to ensure that actions are being taken to safeguard children.

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

Staff have taken action to try and support children when they are at risk of harm. They have tried to monitor them and check on their well-being. The manager has taken some action to prevent a child from buying vapes in the local area. Inspection report for children’s home: 2849520 4

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The manager and responsible individual are new to the role and recognise that changes need to be made to improve the overall leadership and management of the home. There is a focus on wanting to help and support children; however, current processes are not working to enable this to happen.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Safer recruitment processes are in place for staff when they first start. However, these checks are not regularly monitored and reviewed. As a result, the Disclosure and Barring Service check for a staff member had expired for over a year. This person had been working in the home with no risk assessment in place. The responsible individual has subsequently taken steps to rectify this.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Complaints and allegations against staff are poorly recorded. It is not clear who concerns have been escalated to or if investigations are taking place. There is no management oversight, and so it is unclear what steps have been taken to address the concerns.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

When staff have sustained injuries while at work, there is no record of these injuries or any assessment of what the impact was on staff. There is no record of staff being asked about their well-being.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

There is no record of staff receiving supervision or a team meeting since the home opened. Although the home only opened in July 2025, there have been several significant incidents for children that will have had an impact on the staff who were involved.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Staff like their roles caring for children, and they value the support offered by the manager and responsible individual out of hours. Staff present as caring people who want good outcomes for children. Staff receive relevant training and say that they feel supported by senior leaders.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Overall, the manager and responsible individual have not implemented safeguarding policies and procedures for staff. Information for children and staff is being held in different locations, which limits the manager’s ability to oversee the quality of care being provided to children. Inspection report for children’s home: 2849520 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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understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person;

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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 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)(a)(v)(vii)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, this relates to serious incident reports needing to have sufficient detail and management evaluation to understand the actions of staff. When children or staff are injured, records should be clear, evaluative and contain clear management oversight. When children are missing, these incidents should be clearly recorded and evaluated by the manager. Children’s risk assessments should be regularly updated and evaluated by the manager. When children’s items are searched, this should be recorded and the decision-making evaluated. Staff should have access to the appropriate equipment when a child is at risk of ligature. 3 November

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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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helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

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promotes their welfare. 3 November Inspection report for children’s home: 2849520 6 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 have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of 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

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. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(c)(f)(ii)(h))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, this relates to complaints and allegations being accurately recorded, assessed and responded to appropriately. All management decision-making should be recorded.

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Requirement Due date

The manager should review all safeguarding policies and procedures and ensure that staff are implementing these effectively.

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The manager should ensure that staff have regular professional supervision and debrief sessions following incidents. Additionally, the manager should implement systems to monitor the quality of care being provided to children.

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The health and well-being standard is that—

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children are helped to lead healthy lifestyles.

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

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achieve the health and well-being outcomes that are recorded in the child’s relevant plans. 10 November Inspection report for children’s home: 2849520 7 (Regulation 10 (1)(c) (2)(a)(i))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that advice from health professionals is recorded in children’s files and that discussions with children about health and nutrition take place and are recorded. Ensure that children are supported by staff to have healthy routines.

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Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children—

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receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home; and

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have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home.

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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 children are admitted to the home only if their needs are within the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the home is to provide care and accommodation, as set out in the home’s statement of purpose. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, this relates to the manager ensuring that children receive effective and meaningful transitions when moving to the home and when leaving the home. 11 November

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must make arrangements for the handling, recording, safekeeping, safe administration and disposal of medicines received into the children’s home. (Regulation 23 (1))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, this relates to medication plans being robust when children are away from the home. When children do not accept their medication, staff should know about possible side effects, and health advice should be sought and documented when necessary. When children move out, their medication should leave with them or, where appropriate, taken to the pharmacy. 11 November

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Requirement Due date

within 24 hours of the use of a measure of control, discipline or restraint in relation to a child in the home, a record is made which includes—

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Requirement Due date

the name of the child; 11 November Inspection report for children’s home: 2849520 8 details of the child’s behaviour leading to the use of the measure;

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the date, time and location of the use of the measure;

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a description of the measure and its duration;

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details of any methods used or steps taken to avoid the need to use the measure;

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the name of the person who used the measure (“the user”), and of any other person present when the measure was used;

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Requirement Due date

the effectiveness and any consequences of the use of the measure; and

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a description of any injury to the child or any other person, and any medical treatment administered, as a result of the measure;

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within 48 hours of the use of the measure, the registered person, or a person who is authorised by the registered person to do so (“the authorised person”)—

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has spoken to the user about the measure; and

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Requirement Due date

has signed the record to confirm it is accurate;

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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)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(b)(i)(ii)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, this relates to incidents of restraint needing to be recorded and evaluated by the manager. This practice should meet regulatory standards.

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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

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)(d)) 11 November Inspection report for children’s home: 2849520 9 In particular, the manager should ensure that all staff have up- to-date safer recruitment checks in place to ensure their suitability to work with vulnerable children.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if—

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Requirement Due date

a child is involved in or subject to, or is suspected of being involved in or subject to, sexual exploitation;

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an incident requiring police involvement occurs in relation to a child which the registered person considers to be serious;

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there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there;

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a child protection enquiry involving a child—

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concludes (in which case, the notification must include the outcome of the child protection enquiry); or

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there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious.

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Requirement Due date

A notification made under this regulation—

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the other persons, bodies or organisations (if any) who or which have been notified; and

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Requirement Due date

any actions taken by the registered person as a result of the matter;

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must be made or confirmed in writing. (Regulation 40 (4)(a)(b)(c)(d)(i)(ii)(e) (5)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the manager must notify Ofsted of all safeguarding notifications without delay. 11 November

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Requirement Due date

*These requirements are subject to a compliance notice. Inspection report for children’s home: 2849520 10

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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: 2849520 11

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Elstree Home Care Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Suite 1 And 2, Unit 1a First Floor Sandown Road Industrial Estate, Sandown Road, Watford, Hertfordshire WD24 7UB

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Inspector

Andi Lilley-Tams, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2849520 12 and inspects 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 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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