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. At the time of this inspection, the home was providing care for twenty-nine disabled children.

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Information about this children’s home

There has been no registered manager since November 2025. A new manager has been appointed to lead the home, however, they 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 that 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

This visit was in response to concerns raised to Ofsted. These concerns were in relation to the safeguarding of children and staff care practice, particularly during the night.

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This monitoring visit

The children live in a large home that is suitable to meet their complex needs. Improvements have taken place over the last few months. These include some additional personalisation within the home to make it comfortable for children. For example, corridors benefit from sensory boards, and these provide colourful additions along with being something that the children can play with. Children’s bedrooms reflect their interests and needs. However, in a small number of rooms there was an unpleasant odour present, but we were assured that deep cleaning is occurring twice daily.

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This monitoring visit

Managers have not ensured they have had sufficient oversight in some crucial areas. This is in relation to the safer recruitment of staff, staff supervision records and the Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC044562 2 induction of new staff into the home. Staff access to plans and assessments relating to the care of children is not yet sufficiently strong. Not all staff have access to the electronic system to record and report incidents, body maps and safeguarding concerns, handovers and the allocation and deployment of staff.

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This monitoring visit

Senior managers have not provided sufficient scrutiny of the home and the manager’s practice. Senior managers have not identified the shortfalls in the managers’ oversight. The monitoring and review systems are not being used to oversee the home effectively. This has contributed to an overall lack of suitable monitoring regarding staff and their care practice.

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This monitoring visit

Managers have not assured themselves that staff recruitment processes are sufficiently robust to ensure children’s safety. For example, staff files had incomplete references, gaps in employment that had not been explored and missing identification documents.

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This monitoring visit

Shortfalls were identified in how incidents, safeguarding concerns, and body maps are recorded. Permanent staff can access the electronic recording system, but some agency staff cannot. As a result, agency staff must pass information to permanent staff to record on their behalf. This creates a significant gap in record keeping, and individuals cannot be assured that records are accurate, complete, or fully reflect the concerns raised. Not all agency staff are able to access children’s plans and assessments. Consequently, agency staff lack essential knowledge relating to the overall care of children.

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This monitoring visit

Staff do not have a clear understanding of the procedures for reporting and recording unexplained marks or injuries to children. Consequently, there is an inconsistent approach to the timescale in which staff record such crucial information. Senior managers where able to assure the inspectors of this process but acknowledged this could be simplified.

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This monitoring visit

There continues to be a daily reliance on the use of temporary agency staff. Staff raised concerns about working alongside agency staff and the limitations to tasks they can undertake. For example, they are not permitted to support with personal care routines, and not all agency staff are trained in physical interventions. One staff member said, `We don’t get the training we need with being an agency staff member to do our job properly. It's like doing your job with your hands tied behind your back. It makes me feel like I don’t belong at all and puts additional pressure on the permanent staff members.’

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This monitoring visit

Leaders and managers could not demonstrate that night staff undertake an induction to the role when starting. In addition, leaders and managers have not been able to demonstrate that staff have had their performance assessed throughout their probationary period. This fails to equip staff with the skills and knowledge to meet the individual needs of the children and work in line with the organisations ethos and values. Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC044562 3 Night staff have not received regular, individual, reflective supervision. This results in missed opportunities for support, guidance and professional development. Furthermore, staff have not received appraisals in line with the organisations policy.

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This monitoring visit

The recording of daily handover records are poor. Key information relating to the care of children is not consistently shared with the whole staff team. Meaning, staff are not adequately equipped to promote continuity of care and the effective safeguarding of children. Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC044562 4

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 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 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, 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 work as a team where appropriate;

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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 has sufficient staff to provide care for 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 experience 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.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b)(2)(a)(b)(c)(d)(e)(f)(h)) 09 March 2026 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC044562 6 In particular, this is in relation to the manager not yet having thorough oversight of all areas of care and having clear and effective monitoring and review systems in place. It relates to ensuring that staff and their deployment meets the needs of children. Furthermore, it relates to ensuring staff have the necessary skills and knowledge and receive an induction into the role to meet the needs of children.

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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

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

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 staff understanding their safeguarding responsibilities. This also relates to having protocols in place for the reporting of incidents, injuries and concerns. It also relates to all staff caring for children to 09 March 2026 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC044562 7 have access to the relevant plans and assessments for children. It further relates to staff having clear and consistent handover records that contain all necessary information to inform the day to day running of the home.

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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;

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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)) 09 March 2026

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Requirement Due date

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. 09 March 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. 09 March 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 09 March 2026 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC044562 8 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;

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Requirement Due date

make a positive contribution to the home and the wider community;

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Requirement Due date

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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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 9

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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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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 10 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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