Children's Home run by The Twilight Care Group Limited in Leicester

Inspection report for children’s home: 2726075 1 Registered provider: The Twilight Care Group Ltd Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is owned by a private company and provides care for up to 5 children who experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

Since the last inspection, one child moved into the home, and one child left. One child was living at the home at the time of this inspection, and they spoke with the inspector.

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Information about this children’s home

The inspector was aware during this inspection that a serious incident that occurred at the setting since the last inspection 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 incident were considered alongside other evidence available at the time of the inspection to inform the inspector’s judgements.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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requires improvement to be good

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

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requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

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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.

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2726075 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

30/06/2025 Full Good 04/03/2025 Full Requires improvement to be good 03/12/2024 Full Inadequate 05/03/2024 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2726075 3

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Summary of findings

Children’s experiences are variable, due to a largely inexperienced staff team, leading to a reliance on skilled temporary staff. While this reduces immediate risk, it disrupts continuity of care for children. The home is personalised for children, but maintenance and hygiene issues remain. Children’s education and health needs are generally well supported, with positive outcomes. However, there are shortfalls in staff’s responses to children’s behaviours, the appropriate supervision of children and the recording of information, leading to safety concerns. Leadership and oversight are improving, with the implementation of training, recruitment and quality assurance, although more time is needed for sustained impact.

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improvement to be good

Children’s experiences have been negatively affected by staff lacking the skills and experience to meet their needs. As a result, highly trained temporary staff have been used as a short-term measure while recruitment takes place. While this has been effective in managing and reducing risk in the home, it has also meant that children have been cared for by multiple unfamiliar carers, which affects continuity of care and the ability to build meaningful and lasting relationships.

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improvement to be good

The home environment is personalised for the child, helping them feel a sense of belonging. However, not all damage to the home has been repaired and decorated in a reasonable time frame. For example, the upstairs banister needs repairing, and older repairs still require addressing. The child’s bedroom also requires attention as it is not kept sanitary due to multiple small animal companions roaming freely in there for long periods.

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improvement to be good

Some children make educational progress from their starting points from when they move to the home. One child who was not in education on admission to the home has been successfully supported to return to full ‑ time school. Another child is being supported to engage in home education and tutoring and has also received support to create a CV and attend interviews.

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improvement to be good

Children’s health needs are well met by staff. For example, one child was initially reluctant to attend any health appointments. However, after lots of support and encouragement from staff, they are now up to date with routine health appointments and childhood vaccinations. This has had a positive impact on the child’s health and overall wellbeing. However, information about children is not always recorded in a non- stigmatising way. Inspection report for children’s home: 2726075 4

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improvement to be good

Staff know the risks and vulnerabilities children can face. However, risk management and safety plans are not consistently followed. At times, staff vigilance is insufficient, and children are not always appropriately supervised, resulting in increased risk to children. For example, a child subject to a court order that deprived their liberty was able to leave the home and was later reported as missing. On another occasion, the child was able to access the medication cabinet located in the office, resulting in them taking medication.

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improvement to be good

Staff do not always respond effectively to behaviours that are difficult to manage, such as physical aggression. This has led to incidents escalating, resulting in significant damage to the home and frequent involvement of the police.

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improvement to be good

Staff physically intervene with children only as a last resort and to ensure children’s safety. However, some holds are, at times, ineffective and lead to a high number of restraints and prolonged incidents. This is being addressed by leaders and managers using specially trained temporary staff and additional training and development for the permanent staff. A manager reviews each incident, and afterwards, they engage in conversations with the children and staff to facilitate emotional processing. Records are maintained for each physical intervention. However, they do not always provide sufficient detail regarding the holds used or the incident leading up to them. This has been identified as an area for development.

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improvement to be good

Staff respond effectively when children go missing from home. Staff search for children and remain in contact with them. The necessary agencies are consulted, such as the police and local authorities. Children receive support when they return home and are spoken to about where they may have been and who with. The manager has oversight of all incidents and ensures that safety plans are reviewed.

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improvement to be good

Effective systems are in place to ensure that staff are safely recruited to work in the home. All the required checks are carried out and references obtained, and the manager maintains clear and effective oversight of the recruitment process.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The manager has a good understanding of children’s needs and provides warm, nurturing leadership. However, she is frequently required to support staff in managing complex risks and behaviours, which reduces the time available for core management responsibilities and affects her overall capacity. Steps are being taken to develop staff, enabling the manager to focus more effectively on her leadership and management responsibilities. The responsible individual is regularly supporting the manager’s development.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The staff team is largely new and does not yet have the experience or skills required to consistently meet children’s complex needs. This has increased risks to children. Targeted training, including complex post-traumatic stress disorder and advanced Inspection report for children’s home: 2726075 5 physical intervention training, has been provided. However, time is needed for this learning to be embedded in care practices. Experienced senior staff have also been recruited and are currently undergoing pre-employment checks.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Monitoring and quality assurance systems are in place and used effectively. Leaders and managers have daily oversight. Internal and external audits are carried out regularly, with identified shortfalls being addressed. The manager has begun to review and analyse patterns and emerging trends, using this learning to inform service improvements. However, further time is required to evidence the sustained positive impact of these improvements.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The manager works well with other professionals, such as social workers and advocates. She communicates effectively, ensuring a collaborative approach to managing risk and providing care. External feedback is generally positive. Inspection report for children’s home: 2726075 6

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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 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

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

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 (2)(a)(b)(c)(f)(h))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the manager ensuring that staff have the appropriate training, experience and skills to meet the needs of children in their care.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was raised at the last inspection and is restated. 31 August 2026

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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— 31 August 2026 Inspection report for children’s home: 2726075 7 that staff—

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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 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. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(iii)(v)(vi)(viii)(b)(d))

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Requirement Due date

This particularly relates to all staff ensuring that they always follow children’s safety plans and risk assessments, including the appropriate supervision of children. It also relates to staff being skilled and confident when responding to inappropriate and risky behaviour. It also relates to the manager ensuring that children’s bedrooms are hygienically safe and sanitary and any damage to the home is fully repaired without delay.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was raised at the last inspection and is restated.

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that records of restraint are kept that enable them and staff to review the use of control, discipline and restraint to identify effective practice and respond promptly where any issues or trends of concern emerge. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 49, paragraph 9.59) Inspection report for children’s home: 2726075 8  The registered person should ensure that information about children is recorded in a way that will be helpful for them. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4)

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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: 2726075 9

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: The Twilight Care Group Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 5 High View Close, Leicester LE4 9LJ

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Inspector

Emma Dacres, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2726075 10 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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