Children's Home run by Leeds City Council in Leeds

Inspection report for children’s home: 2611210 1 Registered provider: Leeds City Council Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is operated by a local authority. It provides care for up to 4 children who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, 3 children were living in the home. Two children were spoken with.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in August 2024.

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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 requires improvement to be 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: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2611210 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

23/04/2025 Full Good 12/06/2024 Full Good 26/07/2023 Full Requires improvement to be good 14/11/2022 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2611210 3

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Summary of findings

Children benefit from positive experiences and are making good progress. They are supported by strong relationships with staff who promote their safety, wellbeing and development. Safeguarding arrangements are effective, and staff demonstrate a secure understanding of risks while working well with other professionals to keep children safe.

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Summary of findings

Children feel safe, listened to and supported, with their achievements encouraged in a nurturing environment. However, leadership and management require improvement to ensure that there are more consistent staff practice, regular supervision sessions, and stronger oversight of training and incidents. Although the manager shows commitment and ambition for the home, further work is needed to ensure that improvements are consistently embedded in practice.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are making good progress from their individual starting points. Care is tailored to their specific needs and stages of development, helping them to grow in confidence and develop their independence skills. Each child has formed positive relationships with staff, and all children can identify at least one member of staff they trust and turn to for support. Children say that they feel happy and safe living in the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Education is valued and promoted in the home. Each child follows an individual education pathway, with plans adapted to reflect their needs and circumstances. Staff consistently emphasise the importance of learning and how education influences future life opportunities. Staff actively challenge education professionals children are not receiving the learning support they need. Additional help, including extra tuition, is arranged for children who are motivated to achieve and succeed in their studies.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported to have a voice and contribute to decisions about their care. They understand how to raise concerns or make complaints and feel comfortable approaching staff if they need to share worries or issues. Children’s views are regularly sought, and staff respond positively to reasonable requests made by children. This approach helps children to feel listened to and respected.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Recent changes in the home have led to noticeable improvements for children. Relationships between the children living in the home are developing positively, with increased engagement and interaction. Children are now spending more time outside of their rooms and participating in activities with staff, reflecting growing confidence and comfort. Staff create meaningful experiences through activities both inside and outside the home, capturing these moments in photo albums that children can keep.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s records are written in a warm and thoughtful manner by staff. Conversations and incident reports are often addressed directly to the child, using language that is Inspection report for children’s home: 2611210 4 respectful and non-judgemental. The tone reflects care and understanding, highlighting the progress children are making. These records will provide children with a positive account of their experiences and demonstrate the support they received during their time in the home.

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

Staff have a clear understanding of the risks associated with each child and respond appropriately when required. Incidents are managed in a calm and coordinated way, with involvement from relevant professionals to ensure that risks are addressed effectively. Although there have been periods of heightened risk and behaviour in the home, these have been clearly identified, with risk assessments and safety plans in place that outline appropriate responses. These plans are regularly reviewed and updated to reflect changes in children’s circumstances and when there are emerging risks.

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

Staff engage children in meaningful and purposeful conversations about their safety and wellbeing. These discussions are tailored to each child’s level of understanding and focus on helping them recognise and manage risks. The tone of these interactions reflects genuine care and concern, supporting children to feel valued and listened to. Where additional support is needed, a strong network of professionals works together to help children remain safe and address any ongoing concerns.

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

Physical intervention is rarely used in the home and is only applied when necessary to prevent harm. When it is used, it is proportionate and for the shortest possible duration. Following any incidents, staff provide children with opportunities to talk about what has happened, including those who may have witnessed events. This helps children to process their experiences and ensures that they feel supported during what can be unsettling situations.

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

There has been notable progress for one child, with a significant reduction in behavioural incidents since moving into the home. This improvement reflects the commitment and consistency of staff in helping the child feel secure and settled. The child now says they feel safe and identifies several staff members they trust and can approach for support. This demonstrates the positive effect of strong, trusting relationships on children’s sense of safety.

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

Staff promote positive behaviour through encouragement and recognition. Incentives are used effectively to celebrate achievements, and children are involved in choosing rewards, which increases their motivation and sense of ownership. The approach focuses on positive reinforcement rather than the use of consequences, creating a supportive and encouraging environment for behaviour management.

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

Incidents of children going missing from home have previously been high but have reduced over time. Staff respond promptly and follow procedures to support children’s safe return, working with external agencies when necessary. Return interviews are consistently offered, and staff support children to engage with professionals to explore the reasons behind these incidents. However, there is not always a consistent review of Inspection report for children’s home: 2611210 5 incidents by managers to identify patterns or areas for improvement, which limits opportunities to improve future practice.

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

There have been ongoing challenges in the home relating to some inconsistencies in staff practice. There have been occasions where staff supervision of the children has not met children’s needs. This has contributed to incidents that may have been prevented through more consistent oversight and practice. Leaders and managers have recognised these issues and started to take action. However, improvements are not yet consistently reflected in the children’s day-to-day care.

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

The manager has identified priorities for development and has started to carry out plans to address shortfalls. While there is a clear intention to improve staff practice and supervision of staff, these changes are not yet embedded across the team. As a result, children do not always experience consistent care during times of increased need.

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

Arrangements for practice-related supervision sessions require further development to ensure that staff are fully supported in their roles. Although supervision sessions are reflective in nature, they do not take place regularly enough to support staff during more challenging periods. Staff have not been consistently provided with timely opportunities to discuss their experiences, reflect on practice, and receive guidance in a structured and supportive setting.

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

Staff training meets basic regulatory expectations. However, due to the complex and high-risk needs of some of the children, staff are not always equipped with the skills, knowledge and experience required to deliver effective care. There are gaps in staff knowledge such as awareness around child exploitation. This limits staff confidence in knowing how to respond to complex behaviours and presenting risks.

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

Despite these areas for improvement, the manager demonstrates a clear vision for the home and a commitment to improving outcomes for children. There is a thoughtful understanding of the home’s strengths and areas requiring further development. The manager knows the children well and shows genuine care and ambition for their progress, with a clear focus on supporting them to develop and flourish.

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

The manager provides effective advocacy for children and challenges other professionals when necessary. When responses from external agencies have not met expectations, appropriate action has been taken to address concerns and seek improved support. This includes raising issues with services and pursuing access to suitable education and other provisions, ensuring that children’s needs remain central to decision-making. Inspection report for children’s home: 2611210 6

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered person 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 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

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

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

ensure that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to 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. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(c)(d)(e)(f)) 7 August 2026

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that when children have gone missing from the home that an evaluation of the missing incident is carried out. In particular, the Inspection report for children’s home: 2611210 7 registered person should ensure that any gaps in training, skills or knowledge of staff are identified and to retain or record evidence of what worked well to support the child to return home. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 46, paragraph 9.31)

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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: 2611210 8

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Children’s home details

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

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Inspector

Deirdre Silkstone, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2611210 9 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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