Children's Home run by Leeds City Council in Leeds

Inspection report for children’s home: SC066120 1 SC066120 Registered provider: Leeds City Council

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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 local authority. It provides care for up to 6 children who may experience social and emotional difficulties and/or learning disabilities.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in November 2022.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, 3 children were living in the home. Inspectors spent time with all 3 children.

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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 outstanding

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good

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

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good

Date of last inspection: 4 February 2025

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: outstanding

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC066120 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

04/02/2025 Full Outstanding 05/12/2023 Full Good 06/09/2022 Full Good 28/06/2021 Full Outstanding Inspection report for children’s home: SC066120 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Nurturing and patient staff invest their time in getting to know and understand children’s needs and how they communicate. Staff use various resources such as sign language and pictures to help children communicate more effectively. The staff work closely with professionals to understand children’s needs and deliver consistent and good-quality care. As a result, children are happy and have good relationships with staff who they trust. Children are making good progress.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children share a wide range of experiences and make special memories. Staff support children to enjoy activities that promote physical, social, and emotional wellbeing. Children play together and go on bike rides, celebrate cultural events through decorative themed nights and enjoy going on holiday together. The experiences that children have promotes participation in their local communities. Children have a sense of belonging and live together in harmony.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff encourage children to understand their own health needs. One child that was experiencing difficulties relating to their development was supported in creative ways to understand what was happening to their body. Another child has improved physical strength due to having access to regular physiotherapy and as a result is living more independently.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Managers ensure that there are comprehensive plans in place for children when they move out of the home. Staff support children to manage their own money and their own personal bank accounts. Children learn important independence skills such as cleaning. In addition, staff from the child’s new setting, come to work in this home. This means that children can develop relationships with new staff which makes moving into their new homes less daunting.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff place a strong emphasis on education and support children to attend and engage with their learning. Staff work with education professionals to understand children’s needs and any difficulties they experience in school. This allows the opportunity to increase the time children spend in education. Consequently, children make academic progress.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s bedrooms are decorated and reflects their interests, culture, and personalities. However, some rooms in the home require repair and redecoration. This does not provide all children with a nurturing and homely environment to live.

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

Staff demonstrate a clear knowledge of safeguarding procedures and risk management. Staff effectively identify and respond when a child is at risk of harm. Staff talk to children about risk and safety; actively promoting their welfare and Inspection report for children’s home: SC066120 4 creating an environment where children feel safe. The practice reduces the likelihood of children experiencing harm.

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

Staff respond promptly to children when they are upset or distressed, drawing on their strong understanding of each child’s needs and behaviours. As a result, children calm quickly which means the need for physical intervention is rare and only used as a last resort.

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

Staff explore children’s emotional wellbeing in depth when they display self-injurious behaviours. Staff help children to understand and develop alternative coping strategies. Staff carefully monitor patterns and trends which leads to a reduction in incidents.

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

Information in children’s care plans is not always reflective of their needs. Staff do not routinely progress or evaluate outcomes, and they do not tailor outcomes to each child’s individual circumstances. This means that plans are not clear and do not provide an effective basis for providing consistent care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Managers are inspirational and ambitious for children, setting high expectations and leading by example. Their practice ensures that staff deliver care that is tailored to the children’s individual needs. Managers provide clear oversight and guidance to staff ensuring support remains consistent for children. One staff member said about the managers, ‘I am grateful for their leadership and believe their management has a direct and positive impact on the quality of care we provide at the home.’ Managers ensure that the care provided is individualised and right for each child.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Managers have effective oversight of the home and staff practice. The evaluation of incidents and events in the home is clear. This demonstrates a broad and thorough understanding of the children’s needs and the ability of staff to meet those needs. Managers employ a therapeutic approach to practice and encourage staff to use professional curiosity, thinking about what drives children’s behaviours. This approach leads to better outcomes for children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Managers create a supportive environment by providing different forums for staff to be able to share their feelings and discuss any pressing matters. Staff get regular informal and formal supervision sessions which are reflective. Support for staff also extends to personal circumstances. One staff member said, ‘Managers recognise when we need extra support and they accommodate this, which I will be forever grateful for.’ As a result, staff feel valued, strengthening the ability to provide high- quality care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Children are invited into staff team meetings to share their views on their care. A review of actions takes place that includes the child’s voice which gives children a say in how they are cared for. This child-focused approach enhances children’s progress and means children feel listened to. Inspection report for children’s home: SC066120 5 Managers evaluate the home’s performance, identifying the strengths and areas for development. They are ambitious for the future, offering ongoing support to children who leave their care. Managers use this insight to plan improvements and maintain consistent support to children. As a result, the standard of care does not lose momentum. Inspection report for children’s home: SC066120 6

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that a child’s local authority plan form the basis of their care, and providers should use their judgement as to what is relevant in each case. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 10, paragraph 2.1)  The registered person should ensure that the home is a nurturing environment that meet the needs of the children, and that staff and children are supported to maintain a homely environment. Children’s homes must also comply with relevant health and safety legislations. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9)

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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: SC066120 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Merrion House, Merion Centre, Leeds, West Yorkshire LS2 8LX

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Inspectors

Laura Roberts, Social Care Inspector (lead) Amy Sims, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC066120 8 and 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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