Children's Home run by United Children's Services Limited in Leicestershire

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC489970 1 SC489970 Registered provider: United Children’s 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 children’s home is operated by a private organisation. It provides care for up to four children with emotional and social difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in November 2024.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, four children were living at the home. The inspector observed three children and spoke to one child.

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Information about this children’s home

The inspector was aware during this inspection that serious child protection allegations were being investigated by the appropriate authorities. While Ofsted does not have the power to investigate allegations of this kind, actions taken by the setting in response to the allegations were considered (where appropriate) alongside other evidence available at the time of the inspection to inform inspectors’ judgements.

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This monitoring visit

This visit was carried out to review progress against compliance notices set at the previous assurance inspection. The compliance notices were issued under regulation 11, the positive relationships standard, regulation 13, the leadership and management standard, and regulation 14, the care planning standard.

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This monitoring visit

The manager has provided cultural awareness training to staff and supported team discussions about children’s individual cultural needs. Staff now demonstrate a clearer understanding of children’s cultural needs. For example, one child is now able to access culturally appropriate hair care. Staff are actively supporting children to explore and appreciate cultures different from their own. This provides opportunity for children to broaden their worldview and helps them develop understanding of diversity. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC489970 2 Managers have supported staff to strengthen their understanding of the importance of using positive language when interacting with and writing about children. They have provided training to staff and recruited a therapist to work directly with children and staff to enhance the therapeutic care offered. The therapist is newly appointed

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This monitoring visit

and has not yet begun this work but already contributes to individual care planning. This ensures that therapeutic principles of care are embedded in the care provided to children by staff.

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This monitoring visit

The home environment has been redecorated and updated to create a more therapeutic living space for children. Managers have also updated job descriptions and the home’s code of conduct to align staff practice with the therapeutic care model.

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This monitoring visit

Staff supervision and care audits now incorporate review of children’s cultural needs and the therapeutic care being delivered.

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This monitoring visit

The manager has adopted a lessons-learned approach to reviewing care records and incidents. The manager uses reflections to inform practice improvements. However, safeguarding measures have not always been prioritised during improvement implementation. When children made disclosures, staff did not follow the safeguarding policy. While efforts are underway to improve staff practice, there was a lack of consideration for interim safeguarding measures to protect children.

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This monitoring visit

Senior leaders have introduced a peer support network to promote shared learning among managers and have increased their presence in the home. This offers direct support to the manager and opportunities for senior managers to build relationships with children.

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This monitoring visit

The manager has ensured that children’s care plans are more detailed and reflective of their current needs. However, there remains a lack of alignment between the plans of care and the guidance provided to staff. In some instances, care plans do not reflect the arrangements agreed with the child, leading to inconsistencies in care provided by staff.

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This monitoring visit

Managers have reviewed admission processes to ensure children’s needs are clearly understood before they move into the home. The manager and staff have reflected on a child’s experience of leaving the home. They have recognised that more could have been done to support a positive ending for the child. This learning will inform future moves for children. Senior managers now have increased oversight of admissions and discharges of children to strengthen planning and support.

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This monitoring visit

A child made a complaint about the care they received. Managers investigated and responded to the child with two letters addressing the concerns raised. As a result, the child now receives support from managers using their preferred method of communication, is provided with individualised evening care and receives clear information about staff work patterns. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC489970 3 The compliance notice in relation to regulation 11, the positive relationships standard, has been met.

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This monitoring visit

Compliance notices in relation to regulation 13, the leadership and management standard, and regulation 14, the care planning standard, have not been met.

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This monitoring visit

Despite two compliance notices not being met, significant progress has been made. Therefore, no further compliance notices have been set. A requirement about care planning has been made. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC489970 4

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

08/04/2025 Full Good 25/06/2024 Full Good 21/11/2023 Full Good 29/06/2022 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC489970 5

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered person 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 must comply with the given timescales.

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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.

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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 each child’s relevant plans are followed.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that care provided to the child and plans of care are aligned. (Regulation 14 (1)(a) (2)(c)) 23 December 2025

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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; 23 December 2025 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC489970 6 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. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii))

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Requirement Due date

The health and well-being standard is that—

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Requirement Due date

the health and well-being needs of children are met;

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Requirement Due date

children receive advice, services and support in relation to their health and well-being; and

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Requirement Due date

children are helped to lead healthy lifestyles.

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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 each child has access to such dental, medical, nursing, psychiatric and psychological advice, treatment and other services as the child may require. (Regulation 10 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(c)) 23 December 2025

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Information about this inspection

The purpose of this visit was to monitor the action taken and the progress made by the children’s home since its last Ofsted inspection.

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Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC489970 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: United Children’s Services Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Unit J The Quays, Burton Waters, Lincoln LN1 2XG

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Inspector

Laura Copus, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC489970 8 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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