Children's home run by Home Comforts Services Limited

Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2792482 1 Registered provider: Home Comforts Services Limited

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is owned by a private company. It provides care for four children who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, two children were living at the home. Both children spoke to the inspector about their experiences of 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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Inspection date: 22 December 2025

Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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Inspection date: 22 December 2025

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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Information about this inspection

At this inspection, the inspector evaluated:

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Information about this inspection

 the care of children  the safety of children  the effectiveness of leaders and managers. The inspector has looked closely at the experiences and progress of children, using the social care common inspection framework. This assurance 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’. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2792482 2

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Findings from the inspection

We did not identify any serious or widespread concerns in relation to the care or protection of children at this assurance inspection.

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Findings from the inspection

Since the last inspection, one child remains living at the home, and one child has moved in. Careful planning was carried out to ensure that the child’s care needs were fully understood before moving in.

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Findings from the inspection

The children living at the home said that they can identify adults in the home who they like. Children are making progress from their starting points.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff respond appropriately when safeguarding incidents occur. Action is taken to safeguard children. Records of incidents include details of the actions that have been taken and the support provided to children. When there have been shortfalls in practice, the manager has ensured that there has been learning and reflection with the staff team and has taken action to improve the care that children receive. All incidents have been notified to Ofsted as required by regulation.

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Findings from the inspection

The manager took prompt action to address shortfalls in staff practice when they did not follow internal fire risk assessments following a child setting a small fire. Meaningful work was carried out with the child following the incident to support them to understand the risks and potential impact of their behaviour. The manager requested support from the fire service to educate the child about this. Staff have received further training, and the home’s policy has been updated and shared.

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Findings from the inspection

Risk management and behaviour support plans are reviewed on a regular basis. However, staff spoken to were not able to recall all known risks for children. This has had no impact on the children as appropriate action has been taken when concerns do arise.

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Findings from the inspection

Partnership working with professionals is a strength of the home. Consequently, there has been a reduction in the number of incidents of one child going missing from home. When the child has gone missing from home, staff have taken appropriate action, including looking for the child and working with professionals and family members to ensure the child’s safe return.

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Findings from the inspection

Children are registered with relevant health services. When children require additional professional support, this is prioritised. There is an external therapist who visits the home on a regular basis and supports the staff to ensure that the staff’s responses are child focused and trauma informed.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff have meaningful conversations with children about risks and their emotional wellbeing. Conversations include risks associated with the use of electronic cigarettes, substance misuse and online safety. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2792482 3 Staff work closely with the children’s families. When concerns arise, staff communicate with family members to discuss these concerns and to ensure that all risks are understood.

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Findings from the inspection

The manager and staff work with the children’s placing authority to ensure that professionals around the children are kept informed about what is going on for the children. Both children’s social workers are positive about the care and communication from the team, and the support provided when there have been incidents.

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Findings from the inspection

Consequences are restorative in nature and provide the children with helpful learning opportunities.

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Findings from the inspection

The home is clean and tidy and there is sufficient space for the children who live there. However, not all staff were clear on the home’s fire procedure.

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Findings from the inspection

There have been changes in the leadership of the home since the last inspection, and there is a new responsible individual and deputy manager. The manager is child centred and enthusiastic.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff receive formal reflective supervision of their practice. This enables them to reflect on the children and their role.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff have completed training on the home’s therapeutic model, fire safety and knife crime. This increases staff’s knowledge and understanding of how to meet children’s needs. The manager has acknowledged the need for additional training on recording and reporting, and plans are in place for this to take place.

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Findings from the inspection

Leaders and managers have taken steps to improve their monitoring and oversight of practice in the home. However, these are not yet fully embedded into practice. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2792482 4

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

08/04/2025 Full Requires improvement to be good 10/12/2024 Full Good Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2792482 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

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

understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person;

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Requirement Due date

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare;

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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)(i)(ii)(iii)(v)(vi)(b))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, leaders and managers must ensure that all staff know all known risks.

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Requirement Due date

Leaders and managers must ensure that the fire procedures are clear to all staff. 27 February 2026 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2792482 6 This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated.

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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;

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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

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child;

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Requirement Due date

understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home;

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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)(c)(e)(f)(h))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that internal and external systems are embedded to monitor and improve practice, and systems are used to improve the progress and experience of children.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that training on recording and reporting is undertaken.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated. 27 February 2026 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2792482 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Home Comforts Services Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Unit F Whiteacres, Cambridge Road, Leicestershire LE8 6ZG

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Inspector

Michelle Snape, Social Care Inspector Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2792482 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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