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 23 disabled children and young adults.

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Information about this children’s home

There has not been a registered manager since 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 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 undertaken to assess the effectiveness of the safety plan that was implemented by leaders and managers following concerns raised to Ofsted. This visit specifically focused on the nighttime routines, staff deployment and care practice in the home. The last monitoring visit took place on the 4 February 2026 following concerns being raised with Ofsted. At that monitoring visit statutory requirements were made. As a result of this visit, two of those requirements, regulation 12 the help and protection standard and regulation 13 leadership and management standard were escalated to compliance notices. Additionally, Ofsted have issued a restriction of accommodation notice which means no further child can be admitted to the home, at this time.

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This monitoring visit

Senior leaders have implemented a safety plan within the home, following the serious concerns being raised. It specifies how the children must be cared for and supported. However, staff are not following this safety plan. One child was Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC044562 2 not being supported by a staff member during the visit, and some staff were lone working when they should not be.

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This monitoring visit

There is a heavy reliance on staff from other homes and agency workers to provide adequate staff for the night shifts. On one occasion, there was only one core staff from the home on shift. This means that children are not being cared for by consistent and known staff.

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This monitoring visit

Senior leaders are not ensuring that staff on nights shifts have the correct skills and knowledge to meet the children’s needs. There has been an occasion when there was no staff on duty who are trained to administer medication to children during the night should this be required.

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This monitoring visit

There remains some staff working in the home who are not using a caring approach when supporting the children. One staff member was observed to lack patience and did not use caring words or gestures when supporting children.

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This monitoring visit

The recording of information relating to children remains a worry. Some staff working in the home cannot access the case management system. They must tell a core staff member what it is they need recording and it is done on their behalf. There is no assurance that the records written reflect what has happened.

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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 3

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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)) 20 February 2026 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC044562 4 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; 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 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 20 February 2026 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC044562 5 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)) 9 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. 9 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. 9 March 2026 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC044562 6 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;

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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. 9 March 2026

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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 7

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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 8 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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