Children's home run by Courtyard Care Limited

Inspection report for children’s home: 2836467 1 Registered provider: Courtyard Care Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home registered with Ofsted in June 2025 and is managed by a private company. It provides care for up to five children with learning and/or physical disabilities.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of this inspection, one child was living at the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in June 2025.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

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good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

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good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

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good

Date of last inspection: not previously inspected

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: not applicable

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: not applicable Inspection report for children’s home: 2836467 2

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The inspector spent time with the child as part of the inspection.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

One child moved into the home in an emergency for an agreed short length of time. The decision was made to give the local authority time to locate a suitable specialist provision. The child could not remain at the home long term due to safety reasons beyond the manager’s control. The care the child received during their brief stay at the home impressed a social worker and a mental health professional.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff have established positive relationships with the child, who has complex communication needs. Staff use creative communication methods. Staff are observed to be enthusiastic, patient and nurturing towards the child. One staff member said, ‘I wait for magic moments when I spend time with children. When the child was able to trust me and receive affection, that was a magic moment for me.’ The child is relaxed and happy, and they have fun with staff. The child feels loved, valued and understood.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child has made significant progress with his health. Staff understand the child’s anxieties with health appointments and arranged a home visit from an optician. The child was able to engage with the appointment because he felt safe in familiar surroundings. The child was overweight before moving in. He has lost a significant amount of weight while living at the home. Staff understand the importance of a balanced diet and enjoyable exercise.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Wherever possible, the manager ensures that children have a gradual move to the home. Care planning includes input from the social worker, parents and the manager. Children and parents meet the staff and visit the home before the child moves in. The manager is ensuring that the child living at the home is settled before considering any other children moving in.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child has not been in formal education for over a year. The manager has worked with the social worker to ensure that the child’s education, health and care plan has been reviewed. The social worker has made several referrals for specialist school provisions. In the interim period, staff have found creative ways to help the child with education, and tutoring is due to start imminently.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are helped to increase their independence. Small achievable goals are worked towards. The child currently living at the home has complex personal care needs. The child is making progress towards his personal care goals with help from staff. They are also being helped to become confident using cutlery. These skills enable the child to have important life skills to become more independent and prepare for adulthood. Inspection report for children’s home: 2836467 3 Children spend valuable time with family members who are important to them. Staff take time to build trust with children’s families. A parent said that their child is happy and safe.

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

Staff employ individualised creative behaviour support techniques tailored specifically for the child. The child uses a range of techniques, including flapping plastic and bouncing on the trampoline. The staff understand and implement the child’s strategies. There has been a notable decrease in unwanted behaviour.

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

There have been no missing-from-home incidents. The manager ensures safety with high staffing ratios to meet the child’s needs. Staff understand how to respond to an incident if a child were to go out of sight. Knowing how to respond quickly helps keep the child safe.

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

Since registration, there has been one incident involving the use of physical intervention. Staff understand that physical intervention should only be used as a last resort. They use their positive relationships with the child to prevent the unnecessary use of physical intervention.

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

There has been one safeguarding incident since registration where a child walked into the road. The manager adapted the way the child is helped to the car, and there have been no further incidents. The child suffered no harm. Learning was disseminated throughout the team.

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

The manager has taken appropriate and prompt action to keep a child safe, following poor practice from staff that fell below the manager’s expectations. The investigation is ongoing at the time of the inspection.

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

Staff receive appropriate safeguarding training for children with learning disabilities. Staff complete body maps regularly. However, staff lacked professional curiosity when they discovered an unexplained bruise. Staff did not share the information with the manager or social worker in a timely manner.

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

Staff did not comply with fire safety processes during the inspection. Fire safety rules for housekeeping were not explained to the inspector on arrival.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager is knowledgeable and holds a relevant level 5 leadership diploma. He has support from a competent deputy manager and responsible individual. Staff described managers as ‘brilliant’, ‘approachable’ and ‘supportive’. Morale is high because staff are motivated to deliver good-quality care to children. Inspection report for children’s home: 2836467 4 A social worker spoke highly of the staff team and manager. She is impressed with the care they provide. She said that communication is good and that the manager and staff understand the child’s needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff training is of good quality, and staff have regular supervision discussions. Staff either have or are working towards the required level 3 residential childcare diploma within the necessary timescales. The manager is helping staff to continuously develop and is researching further training available.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The independent person’s reports are of good quality and include feedback from children, parents and professionals. The independent person makes appropriate recommendations that help the manager improve the quality of care that children receive.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Managers have not ensured that all records are consistently good quality, and some written records are difficult to read. The child’s risk assessment, care plan and daily records lack important information and adequate detail. The child’s records do not consistently demonstrate the use of child-friendly language. On one occasion, the manager has not recorded a consultation with the home’s psychologist. Inspection report for children’s home: 2836467 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)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the manager must ensure that staff remain curious if a bruise is discovered on a child and that relevant people are informed without delay. 13 January 2026

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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

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(h))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the manager must ensure that staff and children’s records are of good quality, accurate, include relevant details, use child-friendly language, and are accessible. 13 January 2026 Inspection report for children’s home: 2836467 6

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that staff comply with relevant health and safety legislation, including fire safety processes for visitors to the home. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9)

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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: 2836467 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Courtyard Care Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 3 Siskin Drive, Middlemarch Business Park, Coventry CV3 4FJ

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Inspector

Amy Miles, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2836467 8 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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