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

This home is owned by a private provider and is registered to provide care for up to three children who may require support with social and emotional needs.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager’s post has been vacant since September 2024. There is an interim home manager in post. However, they have not yet applied to register with Ofsted.

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Information about this children’s home

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

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Information about this children’s home

Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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Information about this children’s home

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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Information about this inspection

At this inspection, the inspector evaluated:

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Information about this inspection

 the care of children  the safety of children  the effectiveness of leaders and managers. The inspector has 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 identified the following serious and widespread concerns in relation to the care or protection of children at this assurance inspection:

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Findings from the inspection

 There are serious and widespread failures in leadership, safeguarding practice and risk management practice that place children at risk of harm.  The provider has not demonstrated the capacity to make urgent improvements required to ensure children’s safety and well-being.  Two full inspections have resulted in requires improvement judgements, demonstrating the provider’s inability to improve.

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Findings from the inspection

This visit was undertaken following an increase of serious incidents notified to the regulator. In the absence of a registered manager, attempts to seek assurances about the care of children from the responsible individual were not successful. It was identified that during a particular time of crisis the responsible individual was on leave. This therefore raised significant concerns regarding leadership and management of the home, as it was unclear what senior support and oversight was in place whilst the responsible individual was on planned leave.

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Findings from the inspection

The home registered with Ofsted in June 2024. The registered manager resigned after just three months. Since September 2024, two managers were appointed and failed to register with Ofsted. A third manager has been appointed and is not yet registered with Ofsted. Managers in post have not responded effectively to the identified shortfalls in care practice. This has created periods of instability in the staff team, which has resulted in poor decision-making and has significantly impacted the safety and stability of children.

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Findings from the inspection

Since the last inspection, one child has moved into, and out of, the home within a short period of time. This placement ended abruptly and without proper planning, following a serious safeguarding incident. This experience had a negative impact on the child’s emotional welfare.

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Findings from the inspection

Suitability assessments for children living together in the home are inadequate. The provider failed to consider the views of children already living in the home, or those of the wider safeguarding networks, when assessing compatibility and safety. As a result, decision-making lacks crucial information about the potential impact of a child being welcomed into the home and the staff’s capacity to manage associated risks. This undermines the stability of the home and does not support positive outcomes for children.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff failed to meet the needs of one child. A decision was made with the placing authority to move this child to an unregistered semi-independence placement, supported by the staff team, which was poorly planned. The impact of this move for the child was not fully considered and the rationale for the move was not in the Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2777336 3 child’s best interests. This resulted in the placement failing within a very short period and caused avoidable instability and an increase in safeguarding risks for the child.

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Findings from the inspection

Risk management plans are not reviewed or updated sufficiently after safeguarding incidents. This prevents staff from managing children’s behaviour effectively as they do not have accurate information. Furthermore, managers do not ensure that all staff have read and understood assessments of risk. Therefore, they cannot be assured that staff follow the agreed plans consistently.

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Findings from the inspection

Records of physical intervention are poor. They do not include sufficient detail about the type, duration or justification of holds used. This means that the provider cannot always demonstrate that the use of physical intervention is necessary, proportionate or safe. Staff do not record what alternative strategies were attempted prior to holding a child, which prevents effective review and learning.

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Findings from the inspection

The recording of safeguarding incidents is inconsistent and lacks necessary clarity and detail. As a result, information shared with safeguarding partners is incomplete and does not provide all the relevant details required for them to take appropriate action. This limits the ability of safeguarding partners to maintain effective oversight and contribute meaningfully to multi-agency care planning. For example, one social worker said that vital information relating to a child being under the influence of alcohol was omitted from an incident report. They report that the information was obtained when the social worker contacted the manager to discuss the incident.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff responses to known risks relating to substance misuse are insufficient. Records identify incidents of suspected substance misuse. However, they do not demonstrate professional curiosity or evidence that staff take appropriate and timely action to assess or reduce risk. For example, on one occasion, a child was observed receiving and unknown substance from a peer in the community. Staff did not intervene or challenge this behaviour and failed to recognise or report it as a safeguarding concern in a timely manner. Such delays in response mean that children have not been kept safe.

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Findings from the inspection

Where there are suspicions that a child is misusing substances, staff do not routinely seek medical advice or support. This lack of proactive and informed response demonstrates poor safeguarding practice and a lack of effective risk management. Children do not therefore receive the specialist help they require.

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Findings from the inspection

Following safeguarding incidents, managers do not consistently ensure that debrief discussions with children and staff are completed. Consequently, opportunities to identify shortfalls in practice are missed. Oversight of incident reports is not completed in a timely manner and lacks rigour. This means that shortfalls in both staff practice and recording are not identified and addressed by managers.

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Findings from the inspection

Leaders and managers have not ensured that all serious events have been notified to Ofsted in line with regulatory requirements. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2777336 4 The responsible individual has failed to adequately supervise the management of the home. Two managers in post have failed to register with Ofsted and then left their employment. The current manager is not yet registered with Ofsted. Leaders have failed to address this significant shortfall in a timely manner and have failed to ensure that there is adequate management oversight during periods of challenge. Leaders have made the decision to welcome more children to the home when this has not been in their best interests.

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Findings from the inspection

As a result of this inspection, the regulator has issued two compliance notices and a restriction of accommodation notice, preventing any further children from living at the setting. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2777336 5

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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 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 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 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

help each child to understand how to keep safe;

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Requirement Due date

have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm;

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Requirement Due date

manage relationships between children to prevent them from harming each other;

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Requirement Due date

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

take effective action 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 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;

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Requirement Due date

that the premises used for the purposes of the home are located so that children are effectively safeguarded; 2 December 2025 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2777336 7 that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed, furnished and maintained so as to protect each child from avoidable hazards to the child’s health; and

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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)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(b)(c)(d)(e))

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Requirement Due date

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

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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 staff have the skills and oversight to protect children.

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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 suitability assessments for children to live together are robust and consider all known needs.

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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 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; 2 December 2025 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2777336 8 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

research and developments in relation to the ways in which the needs of children are best met; and

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Requirement Due date

feedback on the experiences of children, including complaints received; and

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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)(c)(d)(e)(f)(g)(i)(ii)(h))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that management oversight is consistent and any shortfalls in staff practice 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.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that there is sufficient senior leadership oversight to support the home manager in providing adequate and consistent oversight of the home.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that there is a suitable registered manager in post for the home.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must prepare and implement a policy ("the behaviour management policy") which sets out—

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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

(details of the child’s behaviour leading to the use of the measure; 2 December 2025 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2777336 9 the date, time and location of the use of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

a description of the measure and its duration;

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

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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Requirement Due date

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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Requirement Due date

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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Requirement Due date

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; and

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

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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

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

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Requirement Due date

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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Requirement Due date

the matter; 2 December 2025 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2777336 10 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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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

*These requirements are subject to a compliance notice. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2777336 11

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: AVB Enterprises Ltd

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Children’s home details

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

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Inspector

Caroline Coop, Social Care Inspector Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2777336 12 regulates 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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