Children's Home run by Libertas GBR Limited in Essex

Inspection report for children’s home: 2840213 1 Registered provider: Libertas GBR Limited

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This privately owned home is registered to provide care for 2 children with social and emotional difficulties and/or learning disabilities. At the time of this inspection, 2 children were living at the home.

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Information about this children’s home

A manager has been in post since June 2026. They have not yet applied to register with Ofsted.

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Information about this children’s home

The inspection started on 30 June 2026. The inspector returned on 21 July 2026 to gather additional evidence in line with ‘Ofsted inspections and visits: deferring, pausing and gathering additional evidence’ policy.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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inadequate

How well children and young people are helped and protected inadequate

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inadequate

The effectiveness of leaders and managers inadequate

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inadequate

There are serious and widespread failures that mean children and young people are not protected or their welfare is not promoted or safeguarded, and the care and experiences of children and young people are poor and they are not making progress.

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inadequate

Date of last inspection: not previously inspected

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inadequate

Overall judgement at last inspection: not applicable

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inadequate

Enforcement action since last inspection: not applicable Inspection report for children’s home: 2840213 2

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Summary of findings

This was the first inspection since the home was registered in February 2026. Serious and widespread concerns have led to an ‘inadequate’ judgement in all areas. Leaders and managers have failed to implement effective systems to provide thorough oversight of children’s care and safety. Staff do not have the skills and experience to meet children’s needs and, as a result, children have not been kept safe. Staff are not having meaningful conversations with children about areas of concern. Consequently, staff are not helping children to make good progress or recognise the risks that they face.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Since the home was registered, 2 children have moved in, with the second child arriving in June 2026. The registered manager resigned in May 2026.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Staff do not support children to understand the risks that they face. While staff have made some attempts to speak to children about their behaviours, they do not have the skills or knowledge to do this effectively. Attempts to discuss risks and educate children about keeping safe have failed.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Children experience restrictive care without reason. For example, children must use plastic disposable cutlery at mealtimes due to perceived risks, without any clear rationale. Staff have not sought consent from parents or social workers when introducing these restrictions. There has been no consideration in decision-making of the views of others in the children’s professional network.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Leaders and managers have not implemented a system to assess and review how children can live together safely. Potential areas of risk have not been explored or recorded adequately. Consequently, children remain open to increased risks. Leaders and managers lack an understanding of individual children’s needs, and how these impact the other child. Leaders are unaware of one child’s specific diagnosis, despite the child having prescribed medication for this.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

The home is not well maintained. Outdoor areas are overgrown and garden furniture is dirty and shabby. Hazardous cleaning products are not stored safely. The home environment is bare in places. Furnishings and the decor do not reflect the children’s ages or preferences, which does not encourage them to develop a sense of belonging.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Staff are not helping children to progress in their learning. Neither child has access to education, at a crucial point in their childhood developments. Staff have explored education options for one child with external providers. However, this has not yet resulted in any formal learning activities. Inspection report for children’s home: 2840213 3 Care planning is ineffective. Leaders and managers, who also oversee another children’s home, have allowed another child cared for by them to spend time at this home. This created additional risks for all children as none of their individual needs and vulnerabilities were suitability assessed. One external professional shared concern that suitability assessments for children were inadequate, and they did not feel the staff could keep children safe.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Staff do not always use positive language about children in records. Their descriptions are unhelpful and could leave children feeling misunderstood.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Children talk about positive experiences of living at the home. Some professionals have spoken positively about communication with staff, however, parents said that they are not kept up to date, despite having legal responsibility for their children.

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

Record-keeping in relation to serious incidents is poor. Care records lack necessary detail. Staff do not seek medical attention when children present as under the influence of substances. Staff described one child as ‘incoherent’ after finding them in possession of unprescribed medication. They failed to seek medical assistance, instead making their own assessment of the child’s presentation. This was despite the social worker asking for an ambulance to be called. This poor practice placed the child at risk of significant harm.

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

When children are missing from home, staff make attempts to contact them by phone. There is no evidence that staff go out and search for children. Records show gaps in staff action, demonstrating they do not do all they can to locate children promptly. Staff do not consistently record which professionals have been informed when children are missing. There is no record of whether return home interviews have taken place, and whether professionals and family members are informed. Overall, there is a significant lack of understanding of when staff involve the wider network, and this reduces these intended safeguards significantly.

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

Serious incident notifications to Ofsted are not made in line with regulation. This limits the regulator’s ability to evaluate the care and safety of children. While managers’ oversight of some incidents has identified actions for staff, on 2 occasions leaders and managers have not recorded any oversight of serious incidents. As a result, opportunities to identify shortfalls in staff practice have been missed.

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

Staff identified that one child had a knife in their possession. This was taken home by the manager rather than allowing police to collect it as evidence. There was a delay notifying this matter to Ofsted because the manager did not deem this incident to be serious.

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

Leaders do not act when concerning information is presented. They have failed to consistently inform external agencies of such information in a timely manner. Staff have not worked effectively in partnership with other safeguarding agencies. On one occasion, Inspection report for children’s home: 2840213 4 a child took a potentially fatal overdose, which staff did not seek immediate medical attention for. This placed the child at significant risk of harm.

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

Staff are not guided by detailed behaviour management plans. Risk assessments lack detail about the risks to children. One child had no risk assessment for staff to refer to. Staff lack understanding of the procedures to supervise and monitor children. Staff are unsure how to reduce online risks and how best to educate children about such dangers. Therefore, children could be at greater risk due to a lack of guidance and staff supervision.

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

There are no care records relating to rewards, consequences or bedroom searches for children. It is not clear if children are told when their personal belongings are searched, and for what purpose. There are significant opportunities for information to be lost due to poor record-keeping.

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

One staff member brings their dog to work. There has been no assessment of risk in relation to this. Staff have not considered the views of the children about animals being at their home.

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

There are fire safety risks in the home. Staff do not support children to understand how to evacuate safely in the event of a fire. One child said they had not taken part in a fire drill since moving in, but that they would get their valuables and run if a fire was identified. A number of internal doors are not operating as fire doors and would not prevent the spread of fire as intended.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The home was registered in February 2026. The registered manager left in May 2026. The responsible individual has failed to provide effective oversight and leadership. Some members of staff are unsure why the manager left but report feeling supported by the responsible individual, who is also the director. A new manager has recently started work at the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Leaders and managers have no effective way of recording staff supervision sessions. There are no records available of supervisions before May 2026. Staff give widely different responses to how often they receive supervision and its quality.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Staff do not receive specific training in line with children’s needs in line with children’s needs. They are not professionally curious or knowledgeable about the children they care for. Staff are not aware of whistleblowing procedures. They do not know who to contact if concerns arise about leaders and managers. As a result, safeguarding matters may not be investigated effectively.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Safe recruitment is not embedded in practice. One member of staff does not have an up- to-date Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check, a full employment history or sufficient references on file. A second reference was not obtained for another member of staff, and 2 references were accepted from the same company. There were no safe Inspection report for children’s home: 2840213 5 recruitment checks available for a newly recruited member of staff. Consequently, leaders and managers cannot be assured that the staff are suitable to work with children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Conflicts of interest are not safely assessed or managed in the case of staff members who are related to one another.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Leaders and managers do not have a clear picture of workforce development. They do not track staff’s progress on the required residential childcare qualification. Therefore, it is unclear which members of staff have exceeded the time frame for achieving this.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Leaders and managers do not provide sufficient staffing to manage children’s care. Staffing rotas demonstrated shortfalls in capacity against agreed levels of supervision for each child. An edited document did not align with the signing-in record, so it is unclear who was responsible for children during each shift.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Leaders failed to bring in an independent visitor between February and June 2026. Therefore, there has been no external oversight of whether children are safeguarded and of the quality of care provided, as required by regulation. Inspection report for children’s home: 2840213 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 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—

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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

help each child to understand how to keep safe;

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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)(ii)(v)(vii)(b)(d))

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Requirement Due date

In particular: 31 July 2026 Inspection report for children’s home: 2840213 7 ensure that staff seek medical attention when children present as under the influence of unprescribed medication or there are concerns about their wellbeing;

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Requirement Due date

ensure hazardous items such as cleaning products are stored securely;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff are aware of the risks children face and support them to learn about dangers and online risks;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that risk assessments are completed before allowing animals into the home;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff explore support from external agencies in line with children’s needs.

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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

ensure that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for 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

demonstrate that practice in the home is informed and improved by taking into account and acting on—

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Requirement Due date

research and developments in relation to the ways in which the needs of children are best met; and 31 July 2026 Inspection report for children’s home: 2840213 8 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)(d)(f)(g)(i)(h))

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Requirement Due date

ensure there are adequate numbers of staff on shift at all times to meet the needs of children;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff receive training in line with children’s needs to help them understand the risks they face;

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Requirement Due date

ensure staff receive regular supervision and systems are in place to provide clear oversight of this;

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Requirement Due date

ensure systems are in place to provide clear oversight of staff qualifications and progress;

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Requirement Due date

ensure staff are guided by behaviour management plans to understand risks children face and how best they can support them;

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Requirement Due date

ensure staff carry out meaningful work with children to support their understanding of risk;

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Requirement Due date

ensure systems are in place to oversee day-to-day activities at the home, including missing-from-home incidents, room searches, rewards, consequences and daily logs;

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Requirement Due date

ensure staff understand the process of whistleblowing and who they can report concerns to.

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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

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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

manage and review the placement of each child in the home; and

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Requirement Due date

that each child’s relevant plans are followed. 31 July 2026 Inspection report for children’s home: 2840213 9 (Regulation 14 (1)(a) (2)(b)(ii)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure systems are in place to review how children can live together safely, and identify areas of risk.

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Requirement Due date

If the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 M1 applies to the home—

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Requirement Due date

the registered person must ensure that the requirements of that Order and any regulations made under it, except for article 23 (duties of employees), are complied with in respect of the home. (Regulation 25 (2)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that all fire doors are in working order to prevent the spread of fire and that children practise safe fire evacuation. 31 July 2026

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Requirement Due date

any limitation placed on a child’s privacy or access to any area of the home’s premises—

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Requirement Due date

is intended to safeguard each child accommodated in the home;

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Requirement Due date

is kept under review and, if necessary, revised; and

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Requirement Due date

allows children as much freedom as is possible when balanced against the need to protect them and keep them safe. (Regulation 21 (c)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that restrictions in relation to household items are discussed with children’s social workers and consent is recorded. 14 August 2026

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if—

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Requirement Due date

an incident requiring police involvement occurs in relation to a child which the registered person considers to be serious;

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Requirement Due date

a child protection enquiry involving a child —

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Requirement Due date

is instigated; or 21 August 2026 Inspection report for children’s home: 2840213 10 concludes (in which case, the notification must include the outcome of the child protection enquiry); or

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Requirement Due date

there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious.

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Requirement Due date

A notification made under this regulation—

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Requirement Due date

the other persons, bodies or organisations (if any) who or which have been notified; and

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Requirement Due date

any actions taken by the registered person as a result of the matter;

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Requirement Due date

must be made or confirmed in writing. (Regulation 40 (4)(b)(d)(i)(ii)(e) (5)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(b))

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Requirement Due date

If the registered provider appoints a person to manage the home, the registered provider must, without delay, give HMCI notice of—

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Requirement Due date

the name of the person so appointed; and

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Requirement Due date

the date on which the appointment takes effect. (Regulation 27 (2)(a)(b)) 21 August 2026

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety.

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Requirement Due date

the individual has the appropriate experience, qualification and skills for the work that the individual is to perform;

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Requirement Due date

full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2.

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Requirement Due date

For the purposes of paragraph (3)(b), an individual who works in the home in a care role has the appropriate qualification if, by the relevant date, the individual has attained—

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Requirement Due date

the Level 3 Diploma for Residential Childcare (England) ("the Level 3 Diploma"); or 4 September 2026 Inspection report for children’s home: 2840213 11 a qualification which the registered person considers to be equivalent to the Level 3 Diploma.

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Requirement Due date

in the case of an individual who starts working in a care role in a home after 1st April 2014, the date which falls 2 years after the date on which the individual started working in a care role in a home; or

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Requirement Due date

in the case of an individual who was working in a care role in a home on 1st April 2014, 1st April 2016. (Regulation 32 (1)(a)(b) (3)(b)(d) (4)(a)(b) (5)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

ensure systems are in place to provide effective oversight of staff qualifications and progress;

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Requirement Due date

ensure effective safer recruitment checks are completed, including obtaining 2 references, one from the most recent employer, and ensuring that staff have an up-to-date DBS certificate.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that an independent person visits the children’s home at least once each month.

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Requirement Due date

When the independent person is carrying out a visit, the registered person must help the independent person—

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Requirement Due date

to inspect the premises of the home and such of the home’s records (except for a child’s case records, unless the child and the child’s placing authority consent) as the independent person requires.

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Requirement Due date

The independent person must produce a report about a visit ("the independent person’s report") which sets out, in particular, the independent person’s opinion as to whether—

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Requirement Due date

children are effectively safeguarded; and

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Requirement Due date

the conduct of the home promotes children’s well-being.

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Requirement Due date

The independent person must provide a copy of the independent person’s report to— HMCI. 4 September 2026 Inspection report for children’s home: 2840213 12 (Regulation 44 (1) (2)(b) (3) (4)(a)(b) (7)(a))

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Requirement Due date

* These requirements are subject to a compliance notice.

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that the home is a nurturing and supportive environment that meets the needs of children. The home should be homely and seek as far as possible to maintain a domestic rather than institutional impression. This includes maintaining outside spaces and personalising rooms in the home to make them look less bare. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9)

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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: 2840213 13

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 16 Greystoke Gardens, Enfield EN2 7NX

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: David Obodoechina-Joseph

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Inspector

Sophie Levy, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2840213 14 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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