Children's Home run by Libre Living Limited in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole

Inspection report for children’s home: 2676499 1 Registered provider: Libre Living Limited

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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 operated by a private provider. It provides care for up to 2 children.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager resigned on 9 March 2026, and a new manager has been appointed. The new manager and responsible individual have maintained oversight throughout this period and were present during the inspection.

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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

Date of last inspection: 29 January 2025

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2676499 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

29/01/2025 Full Good 17/10/2023 Full Good 07/03/2023 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2676499 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

At the time of the inspection, 2 children were living in the home, and the inspector spent time talking with them, playing games and seeing how they connect with staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have positive relationships with staff and know that staff can be trusted and relied on. Children talk with staff about sensitive subjects, and staff respond with empathy and care. Staff adopt a non-judgemental approach, while reiterating the importance of healthy boundaries, friendships and relationships.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s views, wishes and feelings are obtained organically in the home via day-to- day interactions. Children have a voice, and staff work hard to ensure that their wishes are acted on. For example, one child has requested social media access on their phone, and the staff are speaking to the relevant professionals to advocate for the child and their wishes.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The staff encourage children to participate in a range of activities in line with their hobbies and interests. One child is keen to attend the gym, and the other child enjoys swimming and after-school clubs. One child’s interests in theatre and music are nurtured and supported by staff as a positive way to encourage self-expression and positive experiences.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support children to make progress by encouraging them to attend education and medical appointments. They also promote engagement with specialist services, such as drug and alcohol support. Staff recently attended a parents’ evening and advocated for a child around a recent incident at school where the child felt they were being treated differently.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff are committed to ensuring that children remain in contact with people who are important to them. They understand that supporting and strengthening family ties is important for children’s identity and wellbeing.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Three children have left the home since the last inspection. These moves were all well planned. The children who have moved out remain in contact with staff, phoning and texting the home to talk with them. These moves have been celebrated, with children having a party and being given memory books to take with them to remind them of their positive experiences while at the home.

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

Staff have a good understanding of children’s lived experiences and how they influence their emotional wellbeing, perception and behaviour. They are familiar with the children’s needs and vulnerabilities and how these make them susceptible to risks. Staff talk with children about these risks and highlight how they can stay safe Inspection report for children’s home: 2676499 4 in the community. The care and support offered to children take account of their individual needs and preferred approaches.

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

Occasions when children go missing from home have occurred but have reduced more recently. Staff respond appropriately and follow children when they leave the house. If they lose sight of them, they phone and text children on their mobiles and contact the relevant agencies. Staff try to anticipate where children might go and make efforts to locate them. Staff contact the police to report children missing and also contact children’s family members to keep them updated.

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

When children are overwhelmed and emotionally unsettled, staff encourage them to talk about their feelings, which helps them to calm. The staff are particularly skilled at this, and when physical interventions have been used, they are the least restrictive and are appropriate in keeping children safe. Staff try to speak with children following incidents; however, this is not always successful, and it is not always clear how staff have tried to facilitate discussions. At times, conversations with children have been overly institutional and focused on process, rather than understanding the child’s experience. When reviewing incidents, leaders and managers focus primarily on what was happening for the child and do not consistently explore staff practice for wider learning.

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

Staff work with the home’s psychologist to establish plans that help children to develop awareness of their behaviours. This unified approach means that children receive consistent care, advice and boundaries from staff. They help children to understand unsafe and inappropriate behaviours, as well as supporting them to reflect on incidents of concern.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Managers are strongly committed to children’s wellbeing and placement stability. Their child ‑ focused ethos is clearly reflected in staff practice. A visiting professional and a parent of a child who used to live in the home provided positive feedback, with one parent stating, ‘It was brilliant; my child left a completely different, better person from when they started.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Children feel part of the home, and leaders create an environment where children’s views are valued and acted on. Through listening to children, parents and professionals, managers continually develop the home. Managers are clear on what is working well and where they need to do better. Strong advocacy occurs, and managers are positive role models for their team, which advocates for the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive meaningful support to develop their practice. For example, reflective sessions are held after team meetings with the home’s psychologist to explore specific aspects of the children’s needs and progress. In addition, workshop sessions are scheduled every 3 months, providing staff with ongoing opportunities for professional development. Inspection report for children’s home: 2676499 5 Senior leaders are responsive when concerns are raised about staff practice. Following recent concerns there are clear plans in place to develop the team culture. Staff commented on seeing a significant improvement in the home. They spoke about feeling happy and safe. Leaders and managers have engaged with staff in reflective discussions around culture.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The managers have a good understanding of the quality of care delivered to children, and their oversight is visible on their records. They support staff to deliver good care to children by monitoring their development through training, supervision and observing their practice. Any concerns about staff practice are managed effectively and in collaboration with other professionals.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff speak highly of the support from managers and how this aids their development. Regular feedback on the quality of care helps staff develop their practice and grow in confidence. Leaders and managers take appropriate action in the context of safeguarding concerns, escalating concerns, working collaboratively with other professionals and sharing information.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Children’s progress is consistently monitored, enabling staff and leaders to respond promptly to changing needs. Staff promote a positive, ‘can ‑ do’ culture and hold high aspirations for every child. Inspection report for children’s home: 2676499 6

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that they consider how they seek feedback from children following incidents. They should provide children with the opportunity to talk about what happened. When children find this more difficult, staff should consider different approaches to ensure children can share their views. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 22, paragraph 4.10)  The registered person should ensure that their oversight following incidents includes reflecting on staff practice and potential areas for improvement, rather than only looking at what is happening for children. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 55, paragraph 10.24)

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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: 2676499 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Libre Living Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Advoco, 14a Albany Road, Granby Industrial Estate, Weymouth DT4 9TH

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Michelle Brennan

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Inspector

Darren Wickens, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2676499 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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Inspector

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Inspector

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