Children's Home run by Leighview Children's Care Limited in Southend on Sea

Inspection report for children's home: 2823258 1 Registered provider: Leighview children's care 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 privately run home offers care for up to 3 children with social, emotional and behavioural needs and children with learning disabilities.

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Information about this children's home

The current manager was appointed in March 2026 and has submitted an application to Ofsted.

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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: 2823258 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

17/03/2026 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children's home: 2823258 3

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Summary of findings

Children have made progress since living at the home. Staff support children to share their views and use communication aids. Staff are attentive to children's needs and follow detailed behaviour management plans. On 2 occasions, children's records have not been updated. This could prevent other staff members from being aware of important information. The manager has implemented a range of monitoring tools to ensure more effective oversight of the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Since the last inspection, one child has moved out of the home, and no children have moved in. At this inspection, there were no children living at the home. Therefore, feedback was gathered from professionals and family members to capture the experiences of children who have lived at the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is bright and decorated in a child-friendly way. Staff encourage children to contribute to interior decoration. There is a large sensory room, which is an inviting space for children. This space helps the children to regulate their emotions.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support children to share their views. Staff incorporate communication aids and embed these in their work with children. This has supported children to develop communication skills and build relationships. Staff support the children's cultural needs. For one child, prayer times are incorporated in their visual timetable and staff support the child to pray. This provides children with sense of identity and belonging.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support children with their education. When children do not attend school, alternative provisions provide access to education. For one child, school could not meet their needs so alternative arrangements were provided at the home. One professional said that the child 'was able to focus on learning with their tutor and engaged due to staff support'.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children's moves out of the home are well planned and child focused. One child was supported by staff who prepared a visual storyboard of their new home. This allowed the child to become familiar with new surroundings and the new staff. One professional said that the child 'seemed to be doing really well' and that staff provided 'a lot of individualised care'.

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

Staff are attentive to children. Staff identified that one child was making vocal sounds and appeared to be distressed. Staff reassured the child and provided a massage in line with their care plan, which calmed them. This reduced the possibility of an incident occurring and supported the child to regulate their emotions. Inspection report for children's home: 2823258 4 Staff are aware of early indicators that may suggest a child is unsettled. For one child, incidents have reduced significantly, which suggests they feel secure. Staff follow individualised behaviour management plans. Risk assessments are detailed and recorded in a non-stigmatising way, with consideration given to the complex needs of children. For children who are non-verbal, plans consider the risk of children being unable to verbally communicate pain and illness. Staff are aware of changes in behaviour that may suggest any concerns.

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

Staff support children to develop independence. Staff supported one child to learn to use a spoon independently, which they could not do before moving to the home. Staff celebrated this achievement by taking the child out for their favourite meal. This allows children to build confidence and encourages them to learn new skills.

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

Fire safety is maintained at the home. Staff and children take part in regular fire drills to ensure that they know what to do in the event of a fire. Staff are attentive to children who may become distressed by the disruption of a fire alarm. This ensures that children are supported and kept safe.

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

Safer recruitment checks are undertaken when staff are employed. Leaders and managers ensure that relevant documentation is provided and verified during the on-boarding process. This ensures that staff are safe to work with children.

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

On 2 occasions, children's records have not reflected the most-recent information obtained by staff. This could prevent other staff members from being aware of important updates and reduce the quality of care given to children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager was appointed in March 2026 and has submitted an application to register with Ofsted. They are working towards their level 5 diploma in residential childcare. The manager is supported by the responsible individual to provide effective oversight of the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff feel supported in their roles, despite several changes in management. One member of staff said, 'Managers have always been supportive; you can speak to them if you need anything, any professional development they will support you with.' Staff receive regular supervision sessions. Staff attend team meetings and are offered various opportunities to reflect on their practice. This helps to ensure staff wellbeing and improve the quality of care for children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has implemented a range of monitoring tools to ensure effective oversight of the home. The manager undertakes regular audits to identify areas that require development and monitor any patterns in practice. This ensures best practice and continuous management oversight. Inspection report for children's home: 2823258 5 Staff have access to a range of training. Staff speak confidentially about the ways in which they support children who are non-verbal and the learning they have developed through training. This helps to support better outcomes and ensure the continuous development of the staff team. Staff are proud of the relationships they have built with children. One member of staff said, 'You understand each other, and that the children trust you.'

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff work collaboratively with other professionals. One professional said that staff worked with them to implement behaviour management strategies. This resulted in a reduction of incidents and the child becoming more settled. Inspection report for children's home: 2823258 6

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that all children's case records (regulation 36) are kept up to date and stored securely while they remain in the home. ('Guide to the Children's Homes Regulations, including the quality standards', page 62, paragraph 14.3)

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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: 2823258 7

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Children's home details

Registered provider: Leighview children's care ltd

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Children's home details

Registered provider address: 23a Orsett Road, Grays RM17 5DS

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Children's home details

Responsible individual: Sibangani Mswelanto

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Inspector

Sophie Levy, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: 2823258 8 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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