Children's Home, Residential special school run by Kisimul Group Limited in Lincolnshire

Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC044562 1 SC044562

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Information about this children's home

This service is privately owned and is registered as a children’s home and a residential special school. At the time of this inspection, the home was providing care for 23 disabled children.

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Information about this children's home

There is no registered manager, they left their post in November 2025. A new manager has been appointed to lead the home but is not yet registered with Ofsted.

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Information about this children's home

Inspectors were aware during this inspection that a serious incident had occurred at the setting since the last inspection. This is under investigation by the appropriate authorities. While Ofsted does not have the power to investigate incidents of this kind, actions taken by the setting in response to the incidents were considered alongside other evidence available at the time of the inspection to inform inspectors’ judgements.

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This monitoring visit

A monitoring visit was undertaken on 8 February 2026 to assess the effectiveness of the safety plan implemented, following concerns raised to Ofsted. This visit specifically focused on the nighttime activities within the home and discussions with staff on duty. Following this inspection, two compliance notices were issued under regulation 12, the protection of children standard and regulation 13, the leadership and management standard. In addition, a restriction of accommodation notice was also issued by Ofsted.

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This monitoring visit

This monitoring visit on 24 February 2026 was carried out to assess if leaders have undertaken the required improvements since the last inspection. Although some progress has been made, the compliance notices set under regulation 12 and regulation 13 have not been met in their entirety and therefore have been reissued. The additional statutory requirements set at the last inspection were not assessed as part of this visit. Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC044562 2 Leaders and managers understand the areas that require ongoing improvement, and they are committed to making these changes. They have implemented a plan to get this home on a firm improvement trajectory.

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This monitoring visit

Leaders and managers have established a more robust and safe system for deploying staff. Shifts are now scheduled in advance, with team members assigned to work with specific children before the shift begins. This planning is carried out by leaders and managers and is informed by each staff member’s skills, knowledge, and experience, as well as any existing chaperone arrangements.

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This monitoring visit

Leaders and managers have implemented a new system for the recording and monitoring of marks and injuries sustained by children. However, inconsistencies have been identified in the way these records are completed. Staff do not yet have a clear understanding of the required recording process, leading to confusion about the marks and injuries noted.

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This monitoring visit

Leaders and managers have ensured that all staff, including agency workers, now have full access to the organisation’s electronic reporting system. Staff have received training on how to use the system, and this has been reinforced through the distribution of a clear user guide. As a result, all staff are now able to record incidents, injuries, and safeguarding concerns independently, without relying on others to complete these records on their behalf.

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This monitoring visit

Leaders and managers have delivered targeted briefings and team discussions to strengthen safeguarding practice across the service. These sessions covered whistleblowing procedures and included an assessment of staff’s safeguarding knowledge and skills. Clear expectations have been set in line with individual roles and responsibilities, and all staff have been provided with an up-to-date job description. Staff have completed safeguarding training and are able to speak with confidence about the procedures in place, and the actions they would take should they have any safeguarding concerns.

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This monitoring visit

Leaders and managers have failed to implement systems to provide effective management oversight of the quality of care provided to children. This has included ensuring all staff have received specific training in the completion of children’s personal care. Furthermore, managers need to ensure that their systems in recording unexplained marks and injuries is sufficiently robust and they maintain consistent oversight of these records, escalating any concerns to relevant professionals where required.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC044562 3 09/06/2025 Full Good 13/08/2024 Full Requires improvement to be good 06/06/2023 Full Good 23/11/2022 Full Good Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC044562 4

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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, 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 with 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

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

ensure that the home's workforce provides continuity of care to 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.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b)(2)(a)(c)(e)(h))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, this is in relation to leaders and managers reviewing management systems to ensure the quality of care to children is effective in meeting the children's needs. It further relates to leaders and managers ensuring that all staff understand how to provide appropriate personal care to children. 24 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— 24 April 2026 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC044562 5 that staff—

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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

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; and

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Requirement Due date

are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home's child protection policies.

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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 effectiveness of the home's child protection policies is monitored regularly.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 12(1)(2)(a)(i)(iii)(v)(vi)(vii)(b)(e))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, this relates to managers implementing a rigorous process for the reporting, recording and monitoring of marks and injuries sustained by children. It further relates to managers ensuring that all staff have a clear understanding of this process, including when injuries need to be escalated to leaders and managers.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees—

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Requirement Due date

undertake appropriate continuing professional development;

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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)(a)(b)) 24 April 2026 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC044562 6 The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children's safety.

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Requirement Due date

full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2 (Regulation 32 (1) (3)(d))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, this relates to the manager ensuring that robust safer recruitment procedures are implemented and adhered to when appointing staff to work at the home. 24 April 2026

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Requirement Due date

The children's views, wishes and feelings standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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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

help each child to express views, wishes and feelings;

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Requirement Due date

is given appropriate advocacy support. (Regulation 7 (2)(a)(ii))

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Requirement Due date

In particular this relates to staff having regular meaningful discussions with children to educate and seek their views and wishes. This requirement is restated from the last inspection. 24 April 2026

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Requirement Due date

The enjoyment and achievement standard is that children take part in and benefit from a variety of activities that meet their needs and develop and reflect their creative, cultural, intellectual, physical and social interests and skills.

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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

develop the child's interests and hobbies;

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Requirement Due date

participate in activities that the child enjoys and which meet and expand the child's interests and preferences; and

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Requirement Due date

make a positive contribution to the home and the wider community; and 24 April 2026 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC044562 7 that each child has access to a range of activities that enable the child to pursue the child's interests and hobbies. (Regulation 9 (1)(2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement is restated from the last inspection.

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Requirement Due date

*These requirements are subject of a compliance notice.

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Recommendation

 The registered person must ensure staff establish relationships with children which are characterised by unconditional positive regard for the child on the part of the carer; and where the carer acknowledges the importance of understanding and responding to the child's lived experience of care. ('Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards', page 21, paragraph 4.3)

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Information about this inspection

The purpose of this visit was to monitor the action taken and the progress made by the children's home since its last Ofsted inspection.

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Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000. Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC044562 8

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Children’s home details

Provision sub-type: Residential special school

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Kisimul Group Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: The Old Vicarage, High Street, Swinderby, Lincoln LN6 9LU

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Michaela Pothecary

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Inspectors

Zoey Lee, social care inspector Linda Mason, social care inspector Lizette Watts, social care inspector Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC044562 9 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.

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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