Children's Home run by D&G Living Limited in Leicestershire

Inspection report for children’s home: 2819982 1 Registered provider: D & G Living 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 July 2025 and is privately owned. It provides care for up to two children who experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of this inspection, no children were living at the home.

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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: 2819982 2

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Since the home opened, one child has moved in and then moved out. The child received personalised care during their time at the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child’s moves into the home and then when leaving were carefully considered and very child focused. For example, during introductions, staff took the child to a bicycle shop and learned more about the child’s enjoyment of cycling. This helped the child build positive relationships with staff and quickly settle into living at the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child was encouraged to pursue their hobbies and interests. An activities coordinator was given the task of providing the child with mentoring and activities to engage them positively. The coordinator had received specific training in understanding trauma to help them provide the appropriate and focused activities for the child. For example, the mentor supported the child through shared activities, such as boxing, going to the gym and cycling. This helped build the child’s confidence and self-esteem and improve their physical fitness.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The staff met the child’s health needs very well. For example, they supported the child in attending a dental appointment, which is something they felt unable to do before living at the home. As a result, the child’s confidence improved.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff supported the child’s educational development, considering their initial circumstances when moving into the home. Staff encouraged them to engage in home learning and to have ambitions for the future. For example, the child planned to pursue a career in construction.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Information about the child has sometimes been recorded in a stigmatising manner. This is an area for development going forwards.

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

Staff kept the child safe at the home. They understood the child’s risks and vulnerabilities. Safety and risk management plans were developed in collaboration with other professionals, such as social workers. Appropriate safeguards were established and subject to regular reviews. For example, increased staffing ratios were in place for an initial period and gradually reduced as the risks to the child reduced. This supported and safeguarded the child during a period of increased risk and uncertainty.

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

Staff are well trained. They follow a preferred therapeutic approach. This helps them understand how a child’s experiences might affect their behaviour and the choices they make. Staff are effective in helping the child understand and regulate their emotions. This resulted in the child having no incidents while living at the home, which is considerable progress. Inspection report for children’s home: 2819982 3 New staff are recruited in accordance with safer recruitment protocols. The manager ensures that they undergo appropriate checks and vetting procedures to ensure their safety when working with children. New staff receive a thorough induction and training programme to provide them with the necessary knowledge and skills to work with children. All staff receive core training, such as safeguarding, medication administration and first aid.

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

The manager carries out comprehensive assessments to determine whether staff have the necessary skills, knowledge and experience to meet a child’s needs before they move into the home. He also considers what training would further strengthen staff’s skills in caring for a child in the longer term.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is a strong leader who has high aspirations for the home. Staff feel well supported and admire his leadership. The team of staff is very stable, and they report enjoying their work. Staff have positive relationships with each other and work well as a team.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff have received a good level of training, which means they feel competent in their roles. They receive training in relation to children’s needs, such as trauma-informed parenting and autism spectrum disorder. Regular team meetings provide the opportunity for the team to bond and further develop their care practice, which will benefit children who move into the home in the future.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has effective oversight of all aspects of the day-to-day operation of the home. He knows what is happening in the home because he is always present and uses effective quality assurance systems. These include internal and external audits, with any shortfalls being quickly identified and addressed. The manager is receptive to feedback and uses it along with learning to enhance the care provided to children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has positive relationships with external professionals, such as social workers. He communicates with parents regularly and includes them when possible. He collaborates with external agencies and communicates effectively. This ensures that children’s plans are well considered and informed.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive supervision from the manager. Sessions include important topics, such as safeguarding, the care of children, and staff well-being. However, supervision sessions are not always regular, and staff are not given the opportunity to reflect on their practice. Inspection report for children’s home: 2819982 4

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Recommendations

 The registered person should have systems in place so that all staff, including the manager, receive supervision from an appropriately qualified and experienced professional, allowing them to reflect on their practice and the needs of the children in their care. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.2)  The registered person should ensure that staff are familiar with the home’s policies on record-keeping and understand the importance of careful, objective and clear recording. Staff should record information about individual children in a non- stigmatising way that distinguishes between fact, opinion and third-party information. Information about the child must always be recorded in a way that will be helpful to the child. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4)

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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: 2819982 5

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: D & G Living Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 14 Pickering Close, Stoney Stanton, Leicester LE9 4GN

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Inspector

Emma Dacres, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2819982 6 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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