Children's home run by Lemur Care

Inspection report for children’s home: 2832248 1 Registered provider: Lemur Care

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Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This privately run children’s home provides care for one child with learning disabilities and/or social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The home was registered with Ofsted in June 2025.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager was registered with Ofsted in November 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 requires improvement to be 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: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2832248 2

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home has recently registered and currently provides care for one child. Admission processes are carefully planned to ensure that there is a smooth and positive move for children. For example, children are welcomed with thoughtful gestures, such as a welcome cake, to create a sense of belonging. Before admission, the child currently at the home was supported to get to know the staff and the registered manager. Managers also demonstrate flexibility and consideration for children’s personal preferences and attachments, including the accommodation of pets. Consequently, the child’s two guinea pigs have accompanied the child to the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff speak fondly and with respect about the child. Staff want the child to feel safe and happy. They are supporting the child to build trusted relationships, and the focus is on ensuring that the child understands this and feels cared for. They ensure that they take part in activities with the child to help to support the relationship and build connections.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

When the child moved into the placement, they had not been in education. However, staff have advocated for the child and promoted their education. Consequently, a clear and structured plan is in place, and the child takes part in daily, face-to-face educational activities with a tutor. The tutor praised the home for being flexible, supportive and recognising the child’s needs. The tutor also commented on the homeliness of the home and the positive communication with staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff actively support children’s health needs, which they ensure are met. Recently, a required medication had been stopped for no apparent reason. The manager and staff were proactive in addressing the issue promptly. Staff are all trained in the handling of medication, and protocols are in place to ensure that there is safe administration.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff centre activities around the child’s interests, such as loom band making, slime making and other creative hobbies. They support the child to develop these interests and explore how they could evolve into a small business. This includes helping the child to produce items for a young entrepreneur event. Staff also use these opportunities to assist with key working and to build independence skills, including budgeting and shopping.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Despite a range of activities being available, staff deliver them in an ad-hoc manner without a clear structure or routine. This lack of planning limits opportunities for the managers to evidence what is being offered, demonstrate the child’s progress and identify any gaps in provision. This has resulted in one parent expressing a desire for more varied and structured activities.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff thoughtfully capture photographic memories of the child’s experiences in the home, creating a record of their time there. Leaders and managers also plan for the child to spend meaningful time with loved ones, helping them to maintain strong relationships Inspection report for children’s home: 2832248 3 with siblings and other family members. Parents told the inspector that the home has supported positive contact, both in the home and the community, ensuring that the safety and well-being of everyone involved has remained central to all planning.

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

Leaders and managers understand the child’s risks. Staff who spoke to the inspector understand the child’s vulnerabilities and the risks to their safety. Staff explained that consistent boundaries and strategies are helping the child. This has meant that there is a decrease in the amount of time that the child is in crisis.

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

Risk assessments are detailed, capturing triggers and strategies. However, due to the child’s complex needs and unpredictability, they do not always keep pace with emerging risks. Additionally, there is currently limited internal monitoring and oversight from leaders and managers to fully identify patterns and themes in behaviour and risks. Despite this, staff demonstrate a growing confidence and adaptability to be able to manage risks and ensure that the child remains safe.

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

Leaders, managers and staff know how to respond to safeguarding incidents, and they involve the relevant professionals. All staff have a good understanding of their responsibility to report any concerns to the manager, the responsible individual or external professionals, which helps to keep the child safe.

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

Physical interventions are carried out appropriately to protect the child and staff from getting hurt. All staff have been trained in, and are confident to use, this approach to support the child when other strategies have not worked. Recordings of these incidents are detailed. Debriefs with the child and staff are managed effectively, and follow up key-working sessions also support the child to reflect and be supported with strategies to develop coping skills.

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

The home provides a generally safe and welcoming environment for children. However, some areas are not consistently maintained and there is no clear, up-to-date maintenance log to track repairs. This makes it difficult to fully understand the oversight or timeliness of responses to maintenance issues. Leaders and managers recognise this shortfall and have plans to address this.

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

The home was registered in June 2025. Since registration, there have been changes to both the responsible individual and the registered manager. These changes have disrupted continuity and stability in leadership, which have affected the embedding of a clear vision and consistent oversight of the home. This lack of stability has also highlighted the need for robust systems and structures to support the team’s learning and development. Internal quality assurance systems are not effective. Consequently, areas requiring improvement are not addressed, and opportunities to make improvements and address practice issues are missed. Inspection report for children’s home: 2832248 4 Managers are adopting a therapeutic model. A consultant therapist is working with the team to strengthen the home’s therapeutic approaches. Although staff have completed training in the therapeutic model that the provider wants to adopt, several staff do not

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

understand the model or the approaches. This hinders staff from delivering the care to children in line with the home’s statement of purpose.

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

Working in partnership with the wider network to support the child’s needs is a strength of the manager’s practice. They have fostered working relationships with the local police, neighbours and external agencies. This collaborative approach and multi-agency working have been integral in improving the child’s experiences and understanding their needs.

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

Staff have demonstrated resilience during challenging periods. The manager recognises the importance of supporting staff and is described by them as responsive and approachable. Staff reported feeling well supported and confirmed that the manager is consistently available to provide guidance. All staff have received regular supervision, which they said provides valuable opportunities to discuss their well-being and professional development.

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

All new staff complete a comprehensive induction programme. During induction, staff shadow experienced team members, enabling them to observe day-to-day routines, to understand the child’s needs and to develop confidence in their role. One staff member noted that it is the most comprehensive and intense induction that they have had, and they now feel equipped to support the child effectively. Inspection report for children’s home: 2832248 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 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.

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Requirement Due date

lead and manage the home in a way that ensures that staff understand the approach, ethos and therapeutic model set out in the home’s statement of purpose. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(h)) 30 December 2025

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that children live in an environment where the required maintenance is addressed without delay. (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: 2832248 6

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Inspector

Jo Tarbie, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2832248 7 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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