Children's Home run by Barnardo’s in Leicestershire

Inspection report for children’s home: 2826938 1 Registered provider: Barnardo’s

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is managed by a charity working in partnership with a local authority. It is registered to provide care for up to 3 children who may have social and emotional needs.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager is suitably experienced and registered with Ofsted.

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Information about this children’s home

One child was living at the home at the time of inspection, who was spoken to. Staff in the home are referred to as adults which is reflected within the text of the report.

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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: 30 September 2025

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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: 2826938 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

30/09/2025 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children’s home: 2826938 3

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Summary of findings

This was a full inspection of the children’s home following an assurance inspection in January 2026, when no serious or widespread concerns were identified. The child living in the home contributed positively about the home and the care they receive. Overall, the child is making progress against a backdrop of significant risks and vulnerability. They are being supported to repair and build positive relationships with adults. The staff team is stabilising from recently having reduced numbers and experience. Previous requirements set have been well considered and met by leaders.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Adults ensure that the home is well maintained and a positive environment for the child to live in. There have been incidents of damage being caused to the home or items in it. This is swiftly responded to with repair and redecoration. There is careful consideration of how the home is furnished, as the child tends to target objects when upset. This has not resulted in a sterile environment, as adults focus on ensuring there are activities the child enjoys and that capture their interest, in particular arts and crafts.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Adults support and promote a fun atmosphere in the home. There is an emphasis on celebrating the things that the child enjoys. Adults ensure the child feels comfortable, by engaging with them in activities they like. They regularly sing with the child and are actively looking for activities in the community to develop this interest. Tickets have been bought for the child to see their favourite singer. This approach is strengthening the relationships the child has with the team.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Adults have high aspirations for the child. They are focused on seizing the opportunity to have a positive impact on the child’s life before they reach independence. Adults continue to be sensitive to the child’s cultural background and know how important it is to them. When there is a difference of opinion about cultural norms, this is managed with respect for what matters to the child. There are concerns about the impact some family members can have on the child. Despite this, adults continue to support the child to build positive relationships with the people who are important to them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Adults have established how the child prefers to communicate and process information. They have tailored their approach in how discussions are managed. There has been effective clinical support with this process. This has seen the child become more engaged in meaningful discussions. The child’s interactive and creative nature is being nurtured when approaching more challenging subjects. The child’s voice and opinions are central to the care they receive. The child feels heard and has additional support from advocacy services.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child struggles to engage in education and learning. Adults continue to explore and develop the child’s abilities and interests. Specialist provisions are in place. The child Inspection report for children’s home: 2826938 4 struggled with one provision, however, is thriving and enjoying another, with positive attendance. This is also developing the child’s experience of group learning. Adults haveeffective relationships with learning providers. Communication between them and adults in the home is regular. There is a shared commitment to helping the child progress and continuing to provide opportunities for them to realise their potential.

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

Adults provide a consistent and effective approach to behaviour support. The child has support plans that are tailored to their needs and experiences. The plans help adults to understand how the child’s experiences shape their behaviours and how they process their thoughts and feelings. The child is responding positively and risky behaviours are reducing. Adults promote and encourage a good routine for the child. They have adopted a consistent approach of keeping the child occupied to avoid o boredom. Because of this, the child is more engaged and less susceptible to negative thinking or escalating behaviours.

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

Adults work effectively with external professional services to safeguard the child and respond to changing risks. Under the guidance of leaders and managers, the team has had to adapt to significant changes in the child’s plans in response to serious incidents. In turn, adults are guiding the child through decisions made by professionals, at the child’s pace and in line with their understanding. Safety plans are clear and helpful. Plans are updated regularly and adults know the steps to take in response to risk.

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

When there was a significant incident of the child going missing and being at risk of harm, there was a rapid and persistent response from the adults, who show genuine care for the child’s welfare. The multi-agency response was effective because it was driven by leaders and managers. This resulted in the child returning safely to the home. There was a review of the incident by managers. However, there was a lack of reflection of where safeguarding practice could be improved in similar situations, to provide learning in the team.

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

Adults carefully consider how the child perceives risk and how they identify what is safe for them. They use a variety of resources and their relationships with the child to encourage discussions about safety. The team uses professional services to support the child with their to of safety, as well as exploring past trauma.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The leadership team in the home is stable and consistent. The manager and deputy are committed and dedicated to the child making progress and role model that ethos to the team. The manager has been supporting another service in the organisation, but this has not impacted on the practice or stability at the home. The deputy manager is growing in confidence and has used the manager’s involvement elsewhere as an opportunity to step up and develop. Inspection report for children’s home: 2826938 5 The team in the home is recovering from having many vacancies and managers having to cover shortfalls. Recruitment is ongoing but there is now a bigger and more stable team. There is greater experience in senior roles, ensuring that new staff receive positive inductions as they learn their roles.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Managers have high expectations of the team and of practice. They lead with a nurturing style, and adults respond to this positively. There have been occasions when a more direct approach to delivering expectations was required. Managers know the strengths of the home and have a consistent approach to improvement and identifying shortfalls. This is being achieved with a strong analytical approach to reflection and review.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Adults receive effective training and development opportunities. Additionally, leaders and managers identify additional training in line with the child’s risks or cultural background. This is creating a better platform for adults to connect positively with the child and be considerate of their views and beliefs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Adults foster effective relationships with external professionals and overall, feedback from them was positive. Leaders and managers continue to challenge the wider professional network when they feel that the child’s needs are not being met or when responses have fallen short of expected levels.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders are managers are tireless in finding specialist services to support the child. There is continuous exploration of models of care that can be tapped into to meet the child’s needs. Inspection report for children’s home: 2826938 6

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Recommendation

 Adults need the knowledge and skills to recognise and be alert for any signs that might indicate a child is in any way at risk of harm. The registered person should ensure that skills in safeguarding are gained, refreshed and recorded in the home’s workforce plan. Managers need to ensure that reflection after incidents is thorough and used to reinforce expectations of staff practice. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations, including the quality standards’, page 43, paragraph 9.12)

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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: 2826938 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Barnardo’s, Tanners Lane, Barkingside, Ilford IG6 1QG

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Responsible individual:

Registered manager: Maria Papastratigaki

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Inspector

Chris Haines, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2826938 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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