Children's Home run by Barnardo’s in Leicestershire

Inspection report for children’s home: 2826938 1 Registered provider: Barnardo Services 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 managed by a charity working in partnership with a local authority. It can provide care for up to three children who may have social and emotional needs.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager is suitably experienced and registered with Ofsted.

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Information about this children’s home

One child was living at the home at the time of inspection and was spoken to.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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requires improvement to be good

How well children and young people are helped and protected requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The children’s home is not yet delivering good help and care for children and young people. However, there are no serious or widespread failures that result in their welfare not being safeguarded or promoted.

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requires improvement to be good

Date of last inspection: not previously inspected

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: not applicable

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: not applicable Inspection report for children’s home: 2826938 2

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improvement to be good

This was the first inspection since the home registered. Two children have moved into the home since it opened. One child moved out due to escalating risks and engaging in dangerous behaviours with the other child. The children moved in within a short time of each other and had a negative impact on each other. The second child was an emergency placement, which is not within the home’s admission criteria.

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improvement to be good

The home is modern, well maintained and well furnished. Staff understand the importance of a positive and homely environment for children to live in. Children have spaces in the home to relax and enjoy activities. There is a cinema room fwhere the child frequently enjoys watching films. Any damage caused in the home is quickly rectified. This ensures children are not reminded of moments when they have struggled to manage their feelings and emotions.

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improvement to be good

Staff support children with their health. Children are helped to attend medical appointments with health professionals. Staff plan healthy meals for children and ensure a balanced diet is provided. Children are encouraged to be involved in preparing meals and shopping for ingredients.

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improvement to be good

There are issues with children misusing drugs and alcohol. Staff have made referrals to specialist health services, but children are not yet engaging with this support. Staff require additional training around substance misuse to better understand their role in helping children who engage in this.

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improvement to be good

Children say that there are staff they like and have positive relationships with. Staff speak positively about the children and show genuine care and concern for their welfare. Children say that they know they can go to staff when they need support. Staff are developing relationships by instigating meaningful discussions with children. However, plans for discussions do not always highlight children’s progress, together with topics staff are worried about, which limits children being able to identify where they are making improvements.

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improvement to be good

Staff support children to attend education. There are good relationships between the staff and professionals at the school. Communication between staff and the school is regular and effective. This ensures that information is shared so that the appropriate support can be put in place in response to the child’s needs each day. The school has raised concerns about the way staff greet children when they collect them. Staff are putting rules and boundaries before any emphasis on exploring the child’s day and well- being.

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improvement to be good

Inspection report for children’s home: 2826938 3 Children have risk assessments in place, but these are not effective in reflecting their individual risks. It is not clear what actions staff should take to support children to reduce or prevent some risks. One child has set fires since moving to the home. There are no clear steps for staff to follow in relation to this. Children are at risk of being exploited. Risk assessments do not guide staff as to how they should monitor children’s activities, in particular their online conversations and interactions.

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improvement to be good

The manager has worked alongside the child’s placing authority to construct a partnership safety plan. This plan is written to and for the child. The plan is updated when new risks and concerns emerge. There is a well-written plan for how staff can support a child with behaviour which may challenge. The intervention plan demonstrates the manager understands the child’s needs and responses to emotions and experiences. The plan details how staff should consider their interactions and language when supporting the child. However, some staff spoken to were not aware of the plan and its use.

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improvement to be good

Children frequently go missing from home. The response to children going missing has been positive. Staff go above and beyond in their efforts to locate children and ensure they are safe. Staff work effectively and collaboratively with the police to bring children home. One member of the local police commented on the quality of staff practice and commitment when reporting children missing and actively being part of the search for them.

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improvement to be good

One child is involved in incidents of self-harm and substance misuse. The manager and staff are responding with genuine care. The child’s safety and well-being are paramount. The child has been supported to access specialist mental health support at a time when they are experiencing significant emotional instability in their life. The manager has introduced a clinical psychologist to work with the child and to support the staff. Staff have very little experience in managing self-harm and require further training in this area.

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improvement to be good

The use of restraint in the home is rare. Staff are trained in how to use restraint safely when managing incidents involving children. Records of the use of restraint are clear and detailed. When staff have intervened, it was as a last resort and was proportionate to the situation. However, the manager has not reviewed all uses of restraint to be assured that staff have acted safely and in line with their training.

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

The home is led by a dedicated and experienced manager. The manager is supported by an equally committed deputy and responsible individual. The management team are aware of the strengths of what is a new and relatively inexperienced staff team, as well as areas that require development.

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

Staff receive effective training as part of their induction and ongoing development. However, more bespoke training that relates to children’s specific needs and risks has not Inspection report for children’s home: 2826938 4 been prioritised. Leaders and managers have been aware of some risks in the home for several weeks but have not implemented a plan to ensure that staff have the necessary skills to support children.

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

The provider’s statement of purpose requires review. It does not reflect the current staff team’s details. The manager also needs to review the home’s approach to admissions and whether they will consider emergency placements in the future.

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

The managers provide effective support to the staff team. There are vacancies for team leaders that the provider is recruiting for. The manager and deputy split their time effectively over the week to ensure that the staff have continual oversight and guidance when supporting the children. Staff receive regular supervision from managers. Staff are encouraged to reflect after incidents, and their welfare is important to the manager. Staff can now receive clinical supervision to support their development in managing particularly challenging situations.

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

External professionals said that the manager and staff are strong communicators and that the team is committed to children making progress. Professionals feel there is an open culture of learning in the home. However, they felt that the team lacks experience in supporting children who struggle with behaviours relating to past trauma and issues with attachment. Inspection report for children’s home: 2826938 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

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)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, risk assessments and home care plans must be in place that identify known and potential risks for each child, and staff must be aware of individual plans and their use. Staff must be skilled and confident in challenging and dealing with inappropriate and risky behaviour. 30 December 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—

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Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and promotes their welfare.

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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 work as a team where appropriate;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child; 30 December 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: 2826938 6 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. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(c)(d)(e))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, staff must receive training that aligns with the needs of the children living in the home and have the experience and knowledge to be prepared for the varied needs of vulnerable children in their care.

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Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children—

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

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

ensure the effective induction of each child into the home;

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Requirement Due date

manage and review the placement of each child in the home; and

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Requirement Due date

plan for, and help, each child to prepare to leave the home or to move into adult care in a way that is consistent with arrangements agreed with the child’s placing authority. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b) (2)(b)(i)(ii)(iii))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, admissions of children must be considered in line with the experience and skills of the team in the home. 30 December 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: 2826938 7

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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: 2826938 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Barnardo Services Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Barnardo House, Tanners Lane, Barkingside, Ilford, Essex IG6 1QG

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Children’s home details

Registered manager: Maria Papastratigaki

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Inspector

Chris Haines, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2826938 9 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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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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