Children's Home run by Children and Family Services Limited in Luton

Inspection report for children’s home: SC028599 1 SC028599 Registered provider: Children and Family Services Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is run by a private organisation and provides care for up to 7 children with physical and/or learning disabilities. At the time of this inspection, 7 children were living at the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in May 2022.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

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good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

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good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC028599 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

07/08/2024 Full Requires improvement to be good 08/08/2023 Full Good 10/05/2022 Full Good 08/06/2021 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: SC028599 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Two children have moved into the home and 2 children have moved out of the home since the last inspection. The home is divided over 2 properties, with 3 older children living in one property and 4 younger children living in the other.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are making progress in relation to their individual starting points. One child has made significant progress with their diet and is now able to eat new textures and enjoys a wide range of food. Another child has begun a programme with the input of a health professional to begin tasting soft foods.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have been supported to develop their communication skills. One child who is non-speaking has been supported to learn to use an electronic communication aid. This has greatly increased this child’s ability to communicate their views and feelings. Staff are highly skilled at understanding children’s different forms of communication. As a result, children’s views are understood and they are cared for by staff that know them well. Children and staff enjoy the company of each other.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children experience a wide range of activities. Staff are tenacious at ensuring that children are not adversely impacted due to their disabilities. Children enjoy train journeys, holidays and trips to big cities.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

All children attend specialist education provisions full time. Routines within the home support daily learning and readiness to attend education.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Feedback from parents and professionals has been consistently positive. One social worker said that their child was ‘like a different child’. Staff speak warmly of the children and have a good understanding of children’s personalities, likes and dislikes. Children say that they like living here.

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

Staff work closely with health professionals to support children’s additional needs. One child has a new mobility aid that has enabled them to enjoy playing football with friends at school. Restrictions on children have reduced in line with their progress. One child no longer requires the use of a medical bed.

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

The manager has a good understanding of adult social care and uses this knowledge to advocate for children as they reach adulthood. The manager ensures that plans for children to move on as they become adults are centred around their needs and wishes and help children to maintain relationships with their peers. Inspection report for children’s home: SC028599 4 When there have been incidents, children are regularly spoken to and consulted with to gain their views and feelings. Children are involved in the planning of the home, from choosing the meals and activities to choosing the staff who they want to support them to medical appointments or on holidays.

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

Children are supported to work towards targets that are individual to their needs. Children receive regular praise and rewards for their work towards their goals. Children are involved in setting these targets and choosing their rewards. As a result, children have been motivated to work towards things such as learning to do laundry and learning to share the communal space.

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

When there have been concerns about staff practice, managers have made timely referrals to the relevant safeguarding agencies and have taken steps to safeguard children while investigations have been ongoing.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home is managed by a dedicated and committed registered manager. The manager is ambitious for children and proud of their individual achievements.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is described by staff as being approachable. Staff say they feel supported in their roles. All staff spoke about a transparent culture and feel confident that they would be listened to by the manager if they raised any concerns. There is a low staff turnover, meaning children experience consistency in the adults that care for them.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager regularly seeks feedback from children, staff, professionals and parents and uses this feedback to improve the quality of care offered in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff are supported with regular supervision, team meetings and appraisals. The manager and staff are knowledgeable about children and showed a clear understanding of children’s needs, likes and dislikes. Staff receive training that supports them to provide a high level of care for children and is specific to the needs of the children that they care for.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Processes around the administration of medication have been strengthened and there is clear guidance for staff in relation to these new processes. Managers review the medication administration records daily to identify any concerns. While these reviews and processes have been effective at reducing the number of medication errors, they have not picked up on shortfalls in relation to the record keeping and administration of medication for one child.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Records of incidents are not always written in sufficient detail to allow the manager to fully review the support offered to children or the effectiveness of risk assessments and care plans. In some incidents, it is not clear how staff have supported children. This has not always been recognised by the manager. Inspection report for children’s home: SC028599 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, 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.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must make arrangements for the handling, recording and safe administration of medicines received into the children’s home. (Regulation 23 (1))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, medications should be administered in line with a medically approved protocol. 13 May 2026

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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

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.

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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. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(f)(h)) 13 May 2026

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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: SC028599 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Children and Family Services Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Number 3 Siskin Drive, Middlemarch Business Park, Coventry CV3 4FJ

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Inspector

Andrea Bounden, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC028599 7 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.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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