Children's Home run by LUCID CO-OP HEALTHCARE LTD in Buckinghamshire

Inspection report for children’s home: 2805163 1 OFSTED USE ONLY

p.1

Registered provider: LUCID CO-OP HEALTHCARE LTD Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

This privately owned home provides care for up to 3 children who experience emotional and behavioural difficulties. There was 1 child living at the home at the time of the inspection.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

This is the home’s first inspection after registration on 5 August 2026.

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

p.1

requires improvement to be good

How well children and young people are helped and protected requires improvement to be good

p.1

requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers inadequate

p.1

requires improvement to be good

The children’s home is not yet delivering good help and care for children and young people. However, there are no serious or widespread failures that result in their welfare not being safeguarded or promoted.

p.1

requires improvement to be good

Date of last inspection: not previously inspected

p.1

requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: not previously inspected

p.1

requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: not applicable Inspection report for children’s home: 2805163 2 OFSTED USE ONLY

p.1

improvement to be good

Since the child moved into the home, they have not had a positive or enriching experience. Their day-to-day life is significantly restricted due to the staff team’s approach to risk management. The child spends most of their time indoors under continuous supervision, and this is having a negative impact on the child’s quality of life.

p.2

improvement to be good

Staff have not demonstrated the ability to balance safety with the child’s need for autonomy. Interactions between staff and the child are limited and largely task-focused. Staff primarily monitor the child rather than engage in meaningful, nurturing or therapeutic work. Conversations and activities are usually initiated only when the child prompts them, which does not support emotional or social development.

p.2

improvement to be good

Although a key-work agenda is in place, staff are not using it proactively. As a result, opportunities to support the child’s emotional needs through structured, planned work are being missed.

p.2

improvement to be good

The child has expressed a desire to take part in activities. The child’s parents have also raised concerns about the child being bored and spending most of their time in their bedroom. Despite this, the home has not developed structured plans to support the child to engage in safe and meaningful activities.

p.2

improvement to be good

Managers have not been sufficiently proactive to ensure that the child can access education. Although the local authority is in the process of transferring the child’s education, health and care plan, the home has not put in place alternative arrangements to prepare the child for education, as outlined in their statement of purpose. This has resulted in further disruption to the child’s daily routine and learning.

p.2

improvement to be good

The child’s health needs are currently being reviewed, but this process remains unfinished. Managers need to ensure this is completed promptly, with clear actions and appropriate follow-up to meet the child’s health requirements.

p.2

improvement to be good

Risk management arrangements are weak. Staff were relying on documentation from the child’s previous placement and do not have an up-to-date risk assessment to guide their practice. Only after discussion with the inspector was a new risk assessment produced. This represents a significant oversight by the management team and has left staff without clear, consistent direction on how to support and safeguard the child effectively. The new plan needs to be reviewed regularly and fully embedded into daily practice. Inspection report for children’s home: 2805163 3 OFSTED USE ONLY

p.2

improvement to be good

Despite the restrictive measures in place, a serious safeguarding incident occurred when the child was in the community with 2 members of staff. This incident highlights failings in risk assessment, planning and supervision, as well as limited staff awareness of known self-harm risks. The incident reflects insufficient training and a lack of clear managerial guidance to ensure that the child is kept safe.

p.3

improvement to be good

The child is using a mobile phone from their previous placement without any assessment or safety plan in place. As a result, they have unrestricted access to social media and are communicating with unknown individuals online. Staff have not identified, assessed or mitigated the risks associated with online activity, leaving the child at risk of exploitation, grooming, unsafe communication and exposure to harmful content.

p.3

improvement to be good

Environmental safety is poor. There are cracked and broken tiles in some communal areas, and these represent a risk for the child given their specific needs. This issue had not been identified or addressed prior to the inspection. Although repairs have since been arranged, the oversight demonstrates insufficient health and safety monitoring. The wider home environment requires improvement. Carpets are unclean and the garden contains discarded furniture, affecting both safety and the overall presentation of the home.

p.3

improvement to be good

The child’s bedroom was found to be cluttered and chaotic. There is no evidence of staff support to help the child maintain a safe and nurturing space. This is particularly concerning given the child’s vulnerabilities and does not promote stability, comfort or wellbeing.

p.3

improvement to be good

Incident reporting is inconsistent and lacks crucial detail. Descriptions of events are unclear, and injuries sustained during incidents are not consistently recorded. This undermines accountability and limits the home’s ability to analyse patterns or improve practice.

p.3

improvement to be good

Recruitment practice is not sufficiently robust to ensure that all staff are safe to work with children, although there is no evidence to suggest that any unsuitable staff have been recruited.

p.3

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The registered manager has not established effective systems to ensure that risk is understood, monitored or managed appropriately.

p.3

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Management oversight of records is ineffective. Incident reports are unclear, incomplete and missing essential information, including injuries sustained by the child. The registered manager has not implemented processes to check the accuracy, quality or consistency of recording. This results in unsafe, unreliable records and undermines the management team’s ability to review incidents, identify patterns, or make informed decisions about children’s safety. Inspection report for children’s home: 2805163 4 OFSTED USE ONLY

p.3

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The registered manager has not taken sufficient steps to ensure that the child receives good quality care and experiences a structured, meaningful and safe daily routine.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Staff supervision arrangements are unsuitable. New staff have not received supervision since starting, despite the heightened need for regular supervision where staff are inexperienced and not yet trained.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

There is no effective system to monitor the quality, consistency or impact of training. As a result, staff are not consistently trained in essential areas and remain unprepared to support a child with complex needs. This has directly contributed to unsafe and inconsistent practice. Inspection report for children’s home: 2805163 5 OFSTED USE ONLY

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.5

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.5

Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

p.5

Requirement Due date

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

p.5

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;

p.5

Requirement Due date

ensure that staff work as a team where appropriate;

p.5

Requirement Due date

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

p.5

Requirement Due date

ensure that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child;

p.5

Requirement Due date

ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child;

p.5

Requirement Due date

understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home;

p.5

Requirement Due date

demonstrate that practice in the home is informed and improved by taking into account and acting on— 20 April 2026 Inspection report for children’s home: 2805163 6 OFSTED USE ONLY

p.5

Requirement Due date

research and developments in relation to the ways in which the needs of children are best met; and

p.6

Requirement Due date

feedback on the experiences of children, including complaints received; and

p.6

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)(b)(c)(d)(e)(f)(g)(i)(ii)(h))

p.6

Requirement Due date

The positive relationships standard is that children are helped to develop, and to benefit from, relationships based on—

p.6

Requirement Due date

an understanding about acceptable behaviour; and

p.6

Requirement Due date

positive responses to other children and adults.

p.6

Requirement Due date

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

p.6

Requirement Due date

meet each child’s behavioural and emotional needs, as set out in the child’s relevant plans;

p.6

Requirement Due date

help each child to develop socially aware behaviour;

p.6

Requirement Due date

encourage each child to take responsibility for the child’s behaviour, in accordance with the child’s age and understanding;

p.6

Requirement Due date

communicate to each child expectations about the child’s behaviour and ensure that the child understands those expectations in accordance with the child’s age and understanding;

p.6

Requirement Due date

help each child to understand, in a way that is appropriate according to the child’s age and understanding, personal, sexual and social relationships, and how those relationships can be supportive or harmful;

p.6

Requirement Due date

help each child to develop the understanding and skills to recognise or withdraw from a damaging, exploitative or harmful relationship; 20 April 2026 Inspection report for children’s home: 2805163 7 OFSTED USE ONLY

p.6

Requirement Due date

strive to gain each child’s respect and trust;

p.7

Requirement Due date

understand how children’s previous experiences and present emotions can be communicated through behaviour and have the competence and skills to interpret these and develop positive relationships with children;

p.7

Requirement Due date

are provided with supervision and support to enable them to understand and manage their own feelings and responses to the behaviour and emotions of children, and to help children to do the same;

p.7

Requirement Due date

that each child is encouraged to build and maintain positive relationships with others. (Regulation 11 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(v)(vi)(vii)(viii)(ix)(x)(b))

p.7

Requirement Due date

The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

p.7

Requirement Due date

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

p.7

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;

p.7

Requirement Due date

help each child to understand how to keep safe;

p.7

Requirement Due date

have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm;

p.7

Requirement Due date

understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person;

p.7

Requirement Due date

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare; and

p.7

Requirement Due date

are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies;

p.7

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; 20 April 2026 Inspection report for children’s home: 2805163 8 OFSTED USE ONLY

p.7

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; and

p.8

Requirement Due date

that the effectiveness of the home’s child protection policies is monitored regularly. Regulation 12 (1)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(v)(vi)(vii)(b)(d)(e))

p.8

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.

p.8

Requirement Due date

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

p.8

Requirement Due date

develop the child’s interests and hobbies;

p.8

Requirement Due date

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

p.8

Requirement Due date

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

p.8

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)) 20 March 2026

p.8

Requirement Due date

The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety.

p.8

Requirement Due date

employ an individual to work at the children’s home; or

p.8

Requirement Due date

if an individual is employed by a person other than the registered person to work at the home in a position in which the individual may have regular contact with children, allow that individual to work at the home,

p.8

Requirement Due date

if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3).

p.8

Requirement Due date

The requirements are that— 20 April 2026 Inspection report for children’s home: 2805163 9 OFSTED USE ONLY

p.8

Requirement Due date

the individual is of integrity and good character;

p.9

Requirement Due date

the individual has the appropriate experience, qualification and skills for the work that the individual is to perform;

p.9

Requirement Due date

the individual is mentally and physically fit for the purposes of the work that the individual is to perform; and

p.9

Requirement Due date

full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2.

p.9

Requirement Due date

For the purposes of paragraph (3)(b), an individual who works in the home in a care role has the appropriate qualification if, by the relevant date, the individual has attained—

p.9

Requirement Due date

The registered person may permit an individual to start work at the home despite the fact that the requirement in paragraph (3)(d) has not been met if—

p.9

Requirement Due date

the registered person has taken all reasonable steps to obtain full information about each of the matters in Schedule 2 in respect of the individual, but the enquiries in relation to any of the matters in paragraphs 3 to 6 of Schedule 2 are incomplete;

p.9

Requirement Due date

full and satisfactory information in respect of the individual has been obtained in relation to the matters in paragraphs 1 and 2 of Schedule 2;

p.9

Requirement Due date

the registered person considers that the circumstances are exceptional; and

p.9

Requirement Due date

the registered person ensures that the individual is appropriately supervised while carrying out the individual’s duties, pending receipt of any outstanding information on the matters in paragraphs 3 to 6 of Schedule 2, which is then considered satisfactory by the registered person.

p.9

Requirement Due date

The registered person must take reasonable steps to ensure that any individual who is working at the home and who does not fall within paragraph (2)(a) and (b) is appropriately supervised while carrying out the individual’s duties. (Regulation 32 (1) (2)(a)(b) (3)(a)(b)(c)(d) (4) (7)(a)(b)(c)(d) (8)) Inspection report for children’s home: 2805163 10 OFSTED USE ONLY

p.9

Requirement Due date

The education standard is that children make measurable progress towards achieving their educational potential and are helped to do so.

p.10

Requirement Due date

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

p.10

Requirement Due date

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

p.10

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;

p.10

Requirement Due date

understand the barriers to learning that each child may face and take appropriate action to help the child to overcome any such barriers;

p.10

Requirement Due date

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

p.10

Requirement Due date

promote opportunities for each child to learn informally;

p.10

Requirement Due date

maintain regular contact with each child’s education and training provider, including engaging with the provider and the placing authority to support the child’s education and training and to maximise the child’s achievement;

p.10

Requirement Due date

raise any need for further assessment or specialist provision in relation to a child with the child’s education or training provider and the child’s placing authority;

p.10

Requirement Due date

help a child who is excluded from school, or who is of compulsory school age but not attending school, to access educational and training support throughout the period of exclusion or non-attendance and to return to school as soon as possible. (Regulation 8 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(viii)) 20 April 2026

p.10

Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that the home is a nurturing, homely and supportive environment for children. Particularly, managers must ensure that Inspection report for children’s home: 2805163 11 OFSTED USE ONLY

p.10

Recommendations

children’s bedrooms are suitably maintained. This includes attending promptly to redecoration or repair and ensuring that external areas of the home are suitably maintained. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9)  The registered person should ensure that all children receive proactive direct work targeted to their specific needs, to help them understand how to keep themselves safe. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’ page 42, paragraph 9.7)  The registered person should ensure that children’s risk assessments are clear, detail the steps the home will take to manage any assessed risks and are communicated clearly to all relevant parties. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 42, paragraph 9.5)  The registered person should ensure that staff skills for safeguarding should include

p.11

Recommendations

being able to identify signs that children may be at risk, and support children in strategies to manage and reduce risks. Staff should encourage children to express their views about whether they feel safe both within and outside the home. Staff should support children to understand how to ask for help to stay safe and that the home is an environment that supports this. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 43, paragraph 9.10)

p.11

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: 2805163 12 OFSTED USE ONLY

p.11

Children’s home details

Registered provider: LUCID CO-OP HEALTHCARE LTD

p.12

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 2 Frederick Street, Kings Cross, London, United Kingdom WC1X 0ND

p.12

Inspector

Shaheda Dhandia, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2805163 13 OFSTED USE ONLY

p.12

Inspector

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.13

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.13

Inspector

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

p.13

Inspector

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

p.13