Children's Home run by Sunflower Children Care Services in Leicestershire

Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC449099 1 SC449099

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Registered provider: Aspris Care Leicestershire Limited

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is owned and operated by a private company. It provides care for up to four children who may experience social and emotional difficulties or special educational needs [SEN].

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, three children were living at the home. All children were spoken to during the visit.

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Information about this children’s home

A new manager has been appointed and is in the process of registering with Ofsted.

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Inspection date: 28 January 2026

Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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Inspection date: 28 January 2026

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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Information about this inspection

At this inspection, the inspectors evaluated:

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Information about this inspection

 the care of children  the safety of children  the effectiveness of leaders and managers. Inspectors have 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: SC449099 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, three children moved into the home and one child has left the home.

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Findings from the inspection

The home has been through an unsettled period. This has been due to instability with staff and changes in the leadership and management team. A new manager has recently been appointed, and this has provided staff with the required direction, support and guidance. Staff are being brought it from another home in the organisation, pending two remaining staff vacancies being recruited to. This will reduce the use of temporary staff.

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Findings from the inspection

Managers and staff are now working together effectively. This is leading to more positive outcomes for children. Managers and staff want to make a positive difference to children’s lives and help them make progress. They have a plan to get this home on a firm improvement trajectory.

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Findings from the inspection

One child has moved on from the home. This was due to identified risk factors and the impact on the other children living at the home. Staff made attempts to keep the child safe but were not always able to prevent incidents from occurring. However, leaders and managers worked closely with the local authority to ensure the child had a planned transition from the home to another placement in the organisation.

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Findings from the inspection

The remaining children have made progress. One child who was previously not attending education, now attends full time. Another child now attends school on a reduced timetable, although this could be strengthened through informal learning in the home during educational hours.

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Findings from the inspection

The home is well presented, and children are encouraged to personalise their bedrooms according to their individual preferences. However, due to children’s bedroom doors having locks fitted, the two younger children require the support of staff each time they want to use their rooms. This is because doors automatically lock when closed. It was highlighted that this practice is not age-appropriate for younger children. The manager had requested the locks to be removed. Furthermore, this was escalated by the responsible individual during the visit.

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Findings from the inspection

Leaders and managers have taken steps to improve the consistency of care that children receive. There has been increased management presence in the home, and a new deputy manager has been appointed. This has strengthened managers’ understanding of the needs of the home, increased staff confidence, enabled managers to set clear expectations, and motivate the team. As a result, the team is stabilising, and staff retention is improving. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC449099 3 Quality assurance oversight and monitoring are not yet effective. In the managers short time in post, she has focused on stabilising staff and improving the quality of care for children. As a result, monitoring and review systems have been implemented, but are not yet effective. Incidents that have taken place before the manager commenced in role have not been adequately recorded, including records relating to physical intervention and de-briefs for children and staff. This impairs the

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Findings from the inspection

staff and manager’s capacity to learn from incidents and prevent reoccurrence.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff have worked hard to provide the children with varied and healthy meals. Children are asked each week what they would like to have as a meal the following week and their requests are incorporated into the meal planner for the following week.

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Findings from the inspection

There has been a strong emphasis on staff training and development to ensure that all staff have a robust knowledge of their safeguarding roles and responsibilities. This is reinforced through team meetings, where staff knowledge is assessed to ensure a thorough understanding of safeguarding procedures to further develop their knowledge and awareness. However, it was identified that staff have not completed restraint training specific to the holding of small children. The responsible individual acted during the visit to address this training need.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff are aware of how to keep children safe and are more vigilant. However, children’s plans and assessments contain inconsistencies, which prevents clear guidance being provided to staff to meet children’s needs. However, due to improved communication among the staff team, staff can demonstrate a sound knowledge of the correct plans. This has ensured a consistent approach to the care provided, despite plans not being up to date.

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Findings from the inspection

The manager has ensured that children know how to complain about their care. Staff will act on children’s wishes and views when needed. For example, when a child informed staff that thy felt they were treated differently to the other children, managers ensured that this was explored with the child and provided reassurance. As a result, children feel listened to and valued.

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Findings from the inspection

Despite plans to improve the supervision arrangements for staff, these plans have proven to be ineffective. The manager has not ensured that staff receive supervision in line with the statement of purpose. This prevents staff from having regular discussions to address any concerns arising, and opportunities for staff to reflect on their care practice may be lost.

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Findings from the inspection

The manager has completed the quality-of-care review and the review of premises. However, the manager has not consulted relevant parties to inform each of these documents.

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Findings from the inspection

Leaders and managers understand the areas that require ongoing improvement, and they are committed to making improvements. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC449099 4 A number of requirements set at the last inspection have been reinstated and two further requirements have been issued. These relate to education of children and recording when physical intervention has taken place. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC449099 5

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

28/08/2025 Full Requires improvement to be good 07/05/2024 Full Requires improvement to be good 20/03/2024 Full Requires improvement to be good 28/06/2022 Full Good Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC449099 6

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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 registered provider must appoint a person to manage the children’s home if—

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Requirement Due date

there is no registered manager in respect of the home; (Regulation 27 (1)(a))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring a manager is appointed and registered with Ofsted.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement has been restated. 2 April 2026

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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

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.

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Requirement Due date

that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed, furnished and maintained so as to protect each child from avoidable hazards to the child’s health (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(b)(d))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the manager ensuring plans and assessments are updated to reflect known risks and provide clear guidance to staff. It also relates to the manager ensuring locks are removed from children’s doors where 2 March 2026 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC449099 7 appropriate, to enable children to have access to their rooms without the need for a key.

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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

lead and manage the home in a way that is consistent with the approach and ethos, and delivers the outcomes, set out in the home’s statement of purpose;

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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

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(c)(h))

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Requirement Due date

This is specifically in relation to manager having thorough oversight of all areas of care and understanding of practices in the home. It also relates to ensuring staff receive training identified as required within children’s individual plans and assessments.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement has been restated. 2 March 2026

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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

manage and review the placement of each child in the home. (Regulation 14 (1)(a) (2)(b)(ii)) 2 March 2026 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC449099 8 This specifically relates to managers ensuring that the child’s care plan is on file, accurate and up to date.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must review the appropriateness and suitability of the location of the premises used for the purposes of the children’s home at least once in each calendar year taking into account the requirement in regulation 12(2)(c) (the protection of children standard).

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Requirement Due date

When conducting the review, the registered person must consult, and take into account the views of, each relevant person. (Regulation 46 (1) (2))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement has been restated. 2 March 2026

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must complete a review of the quality of care provided for children (“a quality of care review”) at least once every 6 months.

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Requirement Due date

In order to complete a quality of care review the registered person must establish and maintain a system for monitoring, reviewing and evaluating—

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Requirement Due date

the quality of care provided for children;

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Requirement Due date

the feedback and opinions of children about the children’s home, its facilities and the quality of care they receive in it; and

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Requirement Due date

any actions that the registered person considers necessary in order to improve or maintain the quality of care provided for children. (Regulation 45 (1) (2)(a)(b)(c))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement has been restated. 2 March 2026

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees—

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Requirement Due date

receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience; and

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Requirement Due date

have their performance and fitness to perform their roles appraised at least once every year. (Regulation 33 (4)(b)(c))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement has been restated. 2 March 2026 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC449099 9 The education standard is that children make measurable progress towards achieving their educational potential and are helped to do so.

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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

help each child to achieve the child’s education and training targets, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

support each child’s learning and development, including helping the child to develop independent study skills and, where appropriate, helping the child to complete independent study;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand the importance and value of education, learning, training and employment;

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Requirement Due date

promote opportunities for each child to learn informally. (Regulation 8 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iv)(v))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to managers ensuring there are plans in place to support children that are not in full time education to continue informal learning within the home on a daily basis. 02 March 2026

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Requirement Due date

within 24 hours of the use of a measure of control, discipline or restraint in relation to a child in the home, a record is made which includes—

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Requirement Due date

details of the child’s behaviour leading to the use of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

the date, time and location of the use of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

a description of the measure and its duration;

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Requirement Due date

details of any methods used or steps taken to avoid the need to use the measure; 2 March 2026 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC449099 10 the name of the person who used the measure (“the user”), and of any other person present when the measure was used;

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Requirement Due date

the effectiveness and any consequences of the use of the measure; and

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Requirement Due date

a description of any injury to the child or any other person, and any medical treatment administered, as a result of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

within 48 hours of the use of the measure, the registered person, or a person who is authorised by the registered person to do so (“the authorised person”)—

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Requirement Due date

has spoken to the user about the measure; and

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Requirement Due date

has signed the record to confirm it is accurate; and

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Requirement Due date

within 5 days of the use of the measure, the registered person or the authorised person adds to the record confirmation that they have spoken to the child about the measure. (Regulation 35 (3)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(viii)(b)(i)(ii)(c)(iv))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the manager ensuring records of physical intervention are made following any incident of restraint and include all required information. It also relates to the manager ensuring the child and staff are spoken to following each incident of restraint. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC449099 11

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Aspris Care Leicestershire Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 2 Barton Close, Grove Park, Enderby, Leicester LE19 1SJ

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Inspectors

Zoey Lee, Social Care Inspector Lizette Watts, Social Care Inspector Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC449099 12 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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