Children's Home run by Elstree Home Care Ltd in Leicestershire

Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: 2849520 1 Registered provider: Elstree Home Care Limited

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is privately owned. It is registered to provide care for 2 children who may have social, emotional and behavioural needs.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in July 2025.

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Information about this children’s home

There was one child being cared for in the home and they shared their views as part of the inspection. One child has moved out since the full inspection.

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This monitoring visit

The children’s home was judged inadequate at the full inspection on 30 June and 1 July 2026. In response to the concerns, Ofsted suspended the service on 2 July 2026. A monitoring visit took place on 14 July 2026 in response to a child continuing to be cared for by the provider.

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This monitoring visit

Staff do not consistently understand the child’s needs. Staff do not take responsibility to update themselves following incidents and changes in the child’s behaviours. Staff use physical intervention in response to the child’s challenging behaviours. However, management oversight of such incidents is poor.

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This monitoring visit

In response to an allegation made by the child, leaders and managers have taken appropriate action in line with their allegation protocol. This is an improvement in safeguarding practice since the full inspection.

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This monitoring visit

Some staff have completed updated physical intervention training in response to the initial concerns raised, with a plan for the rest of the staff team to complete this. Leaders and managers have created an action plan to address the shortfalls in Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: 2849520 2 practice.

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This monitoring visit

There is a plan in place for the child to move out of the home, which the child was aware of and discussed with inspectors.

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This monitoring visit

Ofsted continues to monitor the suspension notice. The requirements set at the full inspection remain in place. Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: 2849520 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

30/06/2026 Full Inadequate 10/12/2025 Full Requires improvement to be good 22/09/2025 Full Inadequate Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: 2849520 4

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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 with 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 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 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(c)(f)(h))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered manager should implement effective systems to monitor the quality of care being provided to children, and this should include any rationale for decision-making.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was set at the first and second inspection and is now restated. 2 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. 2 August 2026 Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: 2849520 5 In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

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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; and

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Requirement Due date

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(iii)(v)(vi))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, staff should ensure that children’s risk assessments are regularly updated and that factual accuracy is checked by the manager. It also relates to staff ensuring that they provide the appropriate professional curiosity to mitigate risks when concerns have been raised for a child’s welfare.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was set at the first and second inspection and is now restated.

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Requirement Due date

The health and well-being standard is that– children are helped to lead healthy lifestyles.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure–

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Requirement Due date

that staff help each child to achieve the health and well- being outcomes that are recorded in the child’s relevant plans.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, staff should support children with sleep hygiene routines and help them quit vaping. 2 August 2026 Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: 2849520 6 This requirement was set at the first and second inspection and is now restated.

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Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children—

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Requirement Due date

receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home; and have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

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Requirement Due date

that children are admitted to the home only if their needs are within the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the home is to provide care and accommodation, as set out in the home’s statement of purpose. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, this relates to the manager needing to critically assess the skills, knowledge and experience of the staff team in caring for children with complex needs.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was set at the first and second inspection and is now restated. 2 August 2026

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Requirement Due date

within 24 hours of the use of a measure of control, discipline or restraint in relation to a child in the home, a record is made which includes—

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Requirement Due date

details of any methods used or steps taken to avoid the need to use the measure.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, this relates to the written records of physical restraints, including the details of any methods used or steps taken by staff to try and avoid the measure.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was set at the first and second inspection and is now restated. 2 August 2026

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Requirement Due date

An individual may only carry on a children’s home if the individual satisfies their requirements in paragraph (5). 2 August 2026 Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: 2849520 7 The requirements are that—

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Requirement Due date

have the capacity, experience and skills to supervise the management of the home, or the homes, in respect of which the responsible individual is nominated. (Regulation 26 (1) (5) (7)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, this requirement refers to the responsible individual ensuring that they critically oversee the care and safety of children.

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Requirement Due date

The education standard is that children make measurable progress towards achieving their educational potential and are helped to do so.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

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Requirement Due date

support each child’s learning and development, including helping the child to develop independent study skills and, where appropriate, helping the child to complete independent study;

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Requirement Due date

understand the barriers to learning that each child may face and take appropriate action to help the child to overcome any such barriers;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand the importance and value of education, learning, training and employment;

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Requirement Due date

promote opportunities for each child to learn informally.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 8 (1) (2)(a)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, staff should support children to develop good educational routines. 2 August 2026

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Requirement Due date

After consultation with the fire and rescue authority, the registered person must— 2 August 2026 Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: 2849520 8 take adequate precautions against the risk of fire, including the provision of suitable fire equipment in the children’s home.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, actions set out in the fire risk assessment should be implemented.

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Requirement Due date

The quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children;

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Requirement Due date

use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential.

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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

understand and apply the home’s statement of purpose; ensure that staff—

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Requirement Due date

understand and apply the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

protect and promote each child’s welfare;

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Requirement Due date

treat each child with dignity and respect;

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Requirement Due date

provide personalised care that meets each child’s needs, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans, taking account of the child’s background;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand and manage the impact of any experience of abuse or neglect;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to develop resilience and skills that prepare the child to return home, to live in a new placement or to live independently as an adult.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, staff should have the necessary skills, knowledge and experience to meet children’s needs as outlined in the statement of purpose. 2 August 2026 Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: 2849520 9

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Information about this inspection

The purpose of this visit was to monitor the action taken and the progress made by the children’s home since its last Ofsted inspection.

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Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000. Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: 2849520 10

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Elstree Home Care Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Elstree Home Care Ltd, Suite 1 And 2, Unit 1a First Floor Sandown Road Industrial Estate, Sandown Road, Watford, Hertfordshire WD24 7UB

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Inspectors

Chloe Harvey, Social Care Inspector Rebecca Barker, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: 2849520 11 regulates 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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