Children's Home run by Bayleaf Care Limited in Derby

Inspection report for children’s home: 2814713 1 Registered provider: Bayleaf Care Limited

p.1

Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The home is privately run and can provide care for up to four children who may experience social and emotional difficulties. At the time of the inspection, three children were living in the home. All children were spoken to as part of the inspection.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The home is overseen by a manager registered with Ofsted.

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

Date of last inspection: not previously inspected

p.1

good

Overall judgement at last inspection: not applicable

p.1

good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2814713 2

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children like the staff team and actively seek them out to spend time with them. These relationships have been supported by staff, ensuring children have a gradual and positive move to the home. Staff also encourage children to spend time together. This includes finding joint hobbies, such as go karting.

p.2

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

When children express new interests, staff are keen to find ways to support this. Staff have high aspirations for the children in their care. They are creative in thinking how children’s hobbies could lead to future training or employment.

p.2

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff are committed in their advocacy of the children in their care. Children feel supported by staff when it comes to attending meetings in relation to their education. As a result, children receive bespoke education timetables to meet their needs. Where children are not in education, staff are proactive in seeking this. Staff challenge decisions that they do not feel are in the children’s best interests.

p.2

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff create an atmosphere where children feel comfortable to express their beliefs and values. If needed, staff appropriately challenge children’s views. Staff educate children to broaden their understanding of the world. Staff ensure that children understand the impact that their views or comments may have on others.

p.2

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff understand children’s health needs well. Children are supported by staff to attend appointments and understand what they are for. Although staff have been professionally curious when a child stopped taking their recommended vitamin supplement, staff have not been proactive in implementing a solution. A plan was made to remedy this during the inspection.

p.2

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

Staff have a good understanding of the individual risks for children. This means that staff know how to manage risk well. Staff regularly assess children’s needs to determine when positive risk taking can be trialled. This supports children to build on their independence in a safe way.

p.2

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

Staff are confident in using effective de-escalation techniques to support children. As a result, physical holds of children are only used as a last resort. Children understand why the holds are needed, and they are given a safe space to reflect on what happened. Some children are trained in martial arts, staff educate them about the risks if they use this when frustrated. Staff are professionally curious about children’s differing behaviour and appropriately explore what the child may be trying to communicate. Inspection report for children’s home: 2814713 3 When allegations have been made, staff and the manager respond appropriately. The manager effectively liaises with outside agencies to ensure safety. Children are appropriately informed of any outcomes.

p.2

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

Children rarely leave the home without staff knowing their whereabouts. When they do, staff respond quickly. Staff effectively liaise with children’s families and professionals to locate children. Once children return, staff ensure their wellbeing. Staff advocate for children to receive return home interviews by their local authority.

p.3

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Children and staff speak highly of the manager and the support she offers. Children respect her decision-making and feel she has their best interests at heart. On the one occasion a child has raised a complaint in the home, they expressed their appreciation that the manager had personally responded to them. The child is pleased with the efforts the manager goes to, to ensure they feel listened to.

p.3

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager’s oversight of the home is strong. Her observations result in her having a clear understanding of the staff team’s strengths and weaknesses. She encourages staff to reflect on their practice. In turn, this leads to continual development and confidence within the team and improved care for children.

p.3

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Not all staff have completed training in a timely manner. This training relates to children’s individualised needs. Staff are aware of the training needs and have been given a time frame to complete this by.

p.3

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager’s oversight of written records is usually robust. On occasion, however, she did not recognise that staff had not provided enough description. This results in some descriptions of situations reading differently to how the event transpired. The manager was receptive to this feedback and found solutions moving forward.

p.3

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff feel supported by the management team. Although regular discussions take place with staff, formal supervision has not been consistent. When it has, it has been of a high quality. Prior to the inspection, the management team had created a schedule to ensure that all staff receive regular reflective supervision.

p.3

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

On one occasion, the manager did not seek a child’s view following concerns being raised relating to a staff member’s practice. The child was unaware of the concern being raised. However, the manager appreciates how valuable the child’s insight into the investigation could have been. The manager was reflective of the reasons this discussion may not have happened. Plans are being created to prevent this in the future. Inspection report for children’s home: 2814713 4

p.3

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.4

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.4

Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

p.4

Requirement Due date

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

p.4

Requirement Due date

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

p.4

Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person should ensure that staff gain the appropriate training in a timely manner in order to meet the needs of children in their care. 11 March 2026

p.4

Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that staff have the skills to encourage children to express their views about whether they feel safe within the home. This includes seeking children’s views if concerns have been raised regarding a staff member’s practice and their responses to the child. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 43, paragraph 9.10).  The registered person should ensure that staff have the relevant skills and knowledge to be able to respond to the health needs of children. This includes staff taking proactive steps in responding to children who have stopped taking vitamins. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 34, paragraph 7.12).  The registered person should have systems in place so that all staff receive regular supervision of their practice, which allows them to reflect on their practice and the

p.4

Recommendations

Inspection report for children’s home: 2814713 5 needs of the children assigned to their care. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.2).  The registered person should ensure staff are familiar with the home’s policies on record keeping and understand the importance of careful, objective, and clear recording. This includes staff ensuring that their written records include the appropriate level of description and that they are easily understandable. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4).

p.5

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: 2814713 6

p.5

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Bayleaf Care Limited

p.6

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 7 Bankside, The Watermark, Gateshead, Tyne and Wear NE11 9SY

p.6

Children’s home details

Registered manager: Georgina Kowalkowski

p.6

Inspector

Ellen Monk, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2814713 7 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.6

Inspector

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.7

Inspector

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

p.7

Inspector

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

p.7