Children's home run by Leicester City Council

Inspection report for children’s home: SC039001 1 SC039001

p.1

Registered provider: Leicester City Council

p.1

Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

This home is operated by a local authority. The home provides care for up to seven children who may have social and emotional difficulties.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, five children were living in the home, and their views were sought.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in September 2024.

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

p.1

good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

p.1

good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

p.1

good

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

p.1

good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

p.1

good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC039001 2

p.1

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

21/05/2024 Full Good 03/05/2023 Full Requires improvement to be good 13/02/2023 Full Inadequate 21/11/2022 Full Inadequate Inspection report for children’s home: SC039001 3

p.2

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Since the last inspection, seven children have moved into the home, and four children have left. Planning for children to move into and out of the home is managed effectively and is comprehensive and detailed. Staff ensure that moves are well coordinated. This means that children have a positive experience of moving into or leaving their home. One professional said, ‘[The staff member’s] approach enabled [the child] to feel more relaxed for their move the following day, and I believe this resulted in them being able to travel to the home in a relaxed way, enabling positive goodbyes.’

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children benefit from living in a warm, welcoming and well-maintained home. The environment is spacious and thoughtfully furnished to a good standard. Children are encouraged to personalise their bedrooms, allowing them to express their individuality and feel a sense of belonging.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children spend regular time with staff and undertake a good range of activities both at home and out in the community. Activities include visits to the coast and cultural interests. Children get to try new things and have experiences that they will remember, which are captured in books that children keep when they leave.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children make good progress in education. Staff work closely with partner agencies to source support and to help children participate in education. One child has been supported to try different educational settings, to encourage their attendance. The child is now attending a provision of their choice and is now enjoying their education and making good progress.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Relationships with families are prioritised. Staff build trust with parents, which enables children to spend meaningful time with those people who matter to them. Arrangements are regularly reviewed, and children’s wishes are central to decision-making. This means that children have been able to increase the time that they spend with their family members, in line with their wishes.

p.3

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

Staff know the risks that children can be exposed to. Assessments of risk and support plans are made in collaboration with other professionals, including health, education and the local authority. However, these documents are not regularly updated and do not always reflect the most current information, including the recording of clear actions for staff to take. Despite the shortfalls, staff understand the risks and individual needs of each child and provide care in line with their current agreed plans. Nonetheless, this means there is a risk that staff do not follow the most up-to-date plan. The manager is aware of this and is taking immediate steps to improve this. Inspection report for children’s home: SC039001 4 Specialist help is sourced to support children’s individual emotional health needs. Staff liaise with partners regularly to share information and formulate collaborative support plans. However, a recent medication error highlighted a weakness in storage

p.3

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

arrangements, resulting in a serious incident for a child. The manager has investigated the incident and taken appropriate action. However, the risk of further incidents remains, due to the storage location.

p.4

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

Staff understand that some children have complex needs and have experienced considerable trauma in their lives. Staff undertake training in safeguarding alongside specific training in relation to children’s individual needs. Staff benefit from bespoke support from commissioned professionals to understand complexities in behaviours and their safe management. Staff have regular supervision sessions and monthly team meetings, which encourages consistent reflection and learning and embeds the preferred model of care.

p.4

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

A real strength is the work with external partner agencies. There are good, multi-agency arrangements in place. One child is parenting their own child and there is a comprehensive, multi-agency network in place to support this. This means that children have the right support to meet their individual needs. One professional said, ‘As [the child] is here, as a social worker, I am not anxious about things; I would have these anxieties if they were at home. The staff here check in, and I would know really quickly if there was a problem.’

p.4

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

Children know how to make a complaint. Staff listen to children and take their concerns seriously. The manager undertakes thorough investigations and liaises with the local authority designated officer when this is required. Complaints and allegations are resolved effectively within appropriate time frames and children are kept updated and receive a final response. However, not all allegations made against staff have been notified to Ofsted in line with regulatory requirements.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Manager’s oversight of care provided to children is good. She reviews incidents and all staff recordings, ensuring that standards of care continue to improve. However, external scrutiny from the independent visitor does not always support the manager in the monthly review of the home. This is an area for development.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers are always visible and work with the children directly. This allows managers to build positive relationships with children, as they are involved in their care planning from the outset. This also means that leaders and managers can model their styles and strategies to support staff in their learning and development.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff are happy and motivated in their work. They say they feel able to express their views and opinions. They receive good support, which is achieved through a thorough induction and probation process alongside regular development days and consistent management support. Inspection report for children’s home: SC039001 5 Thorough recruitment procedures are in place that ensure staff working with children are suitable to do so. The manager has effective systems in place to monitor and review their continued suitability. Inspection report for children’s home: SC039001 6

p.4

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.

p.6

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—

p.6

Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

p.6

Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

p.6

Requirement Due date

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home.

p.6

Requirement Due date

This specifically refers to leaders and managers ensuring that all documents relating to the care and safeguarding of children are up to date, regularly reviewed and support staff to provide consistent care to children. 4 March 2026

p.6

Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if—

p.6

Requirement Due date

there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there;

p.6

Requirement Due date

A notification made under this regulation—

p.6

Requirement Due date

the other persons, bodies or organisations (if any) who or which have been notified; and 4 March 2026 Inspection report for children’s home: SC039001 7 any actions taken by the registered person as a result of the matter;

p.6

Requirement Due date

(Regulation 40 (4)(c) (5)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(b))

p.7

Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that an independent person visits the children’s home at least once each month.

p.7

Requirement Due date

When the independent person is carrying out a visit, the registered person must help the independent person—

p.7

Requirement Due date

if they consent, to interview in private such of the children, their parents, relatives and persons working at the home as the independent person requires.

p.7

Requirement Due date

The independent person must produce a report about a visit ("the independent person’s report") which sets out, in particular, the independent person’s opinion as to whether—

p.7

Requirement Due date

children are effectively safeguarded; and

p.7

Requirement Due date

the conduct of the home promotes children’s well-being.

p.7

Requirement Due date

(Regulation 44 (1) (2)(a) (4)(a)(b)) 4 March 2026

p.7

Recommendations

 The registered person must ensure that care is taken to ensure prescribed medicines are only administered to the individual for whom they are prescribed. Medicines must be administered in line with a medically approved protocol. Regulation 23 requires the registered person to ensure that they make suitable arrangements to manage, administer and dispose of any medication. These are fundamentally the same sorts of arrangements as a good parent would make but are subject to additional safeguards. (Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 35, paragraph 7.15) Inspection report for children’s home: SC039001 8

p.7

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: SC039001 9

p.8

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Leicester City Council

p.9

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Leicester City Council, City Hall, 115 Charles Street, Leicester LE1 1FZ

p.9

Inspectors

Caroline Coop, Social Care Inspector Chloe Harvey, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC039001 10 regulates and inspects 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.

p.9

Inspectors

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.10

Inspectors

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.10

Inspectors

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.10