Children's Home run by A and R Guardian Services Limited in Leicestershire

Inspection report for children's home: 2645675 1 Registered provider: A and R Guardian Services Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children's home

The home is privately owned. It provides care for up to 2 children who may have social or emotional difficulties. At the time of the inspection, one child was living at the home.

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Information about this children's home

The child was not present at the time of the inspection.

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Information about this children's home

The manager registered with Ofsted in July 2023.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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outstanding

How well children and young people are helped and protected outstanding

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outstanding

The effectiveness of leaders and managers outstanding

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outstanding

The children's home provides highly effective services that consistently exceed the standards of good. The actions of the children's home contribute to significantly improved outcomes and positive experiences for children and young people who need help, protection and care.

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outstanding

Date of last inspection: 23 September 2025

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outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: outstanding

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outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children's home: 2645675 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

23/09/2025 Full Outstanding 03/07/2024 Full Good 13/06/2023 Full Good 12/09/2022 Full Inadequate Inspection report for children's home: 2645675 3

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Summary of findings

The manager and staff provide exceptional and nurturing care in a warm, family-focused environment that develops the child's sense of belonging, confidence and wellbeing. Staff have built strong, trusting relationships with the child, supported family connections and facilitated positive life experiences while effectively managing complex risks that the child faces. Leaders and staff demonstrate high levels of skill, commitment and collaborative working arrangements with external agencies, contributing to the child's progress. Feedback received from partner agencies is overwhelmingly positive and consistently highlighted the positive impact the manager and staff have had on the child's life. One area for strengthening is ensuring that the independent visitor report includes regular feedback from professionals, family members and the child.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The child lives in a welcoming home that has a family feel and a nurturing atmosphere. The lounge area features artwork by the staff team and the child, with several of the child's creative works on display. The home environment reflects the child's interests and achievements. The child's bedroom is a personalised, comfortable space. It contains photos of family members and memories from day trips and activities they have enjoyed. This helps create a sense of belonging and identity for the child. An external professional said, 'I am yet to find another home that matches the consistency, predictability and reliability of the home. When you walk in, it feels like a home, there is laughter and warmth throughout.'

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The child has developed strong, positive and trusting relationships with the staff. These relationships have been built through the consistent, nurturing and exceptional care. Staff demonstrate a genuine understanding of the child's individual needs and remain committed to supporting them through both positive experiences and periods of challenge. The strength of these relationships has been instrumental in helping the child to engage with support, reflect on their experiences and navigate difficult periods in their life.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff have ensured the child maintains important and enduring relationships with their family members. The social worker for the child reported, 'Staff have travelled significant distances to support and facilitate family time, including enabling a family member to stay with the child at the home.' This demonstrates the commitment of the manager and staff to promoting meaningful relationships and maintaining family connections.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff have gone above and beyond to ensure that the child can enjoy experiences and opportunities that are appropriate for their age. The child has some emotional and mental health needs, and risks can increase in the community. Through excellent care planning, thorough risk assessment, and effective partnership working with Inspection report for children's home: 2645675 4 professionals, staff have successfully balanced risk with opportunity. As a result, the child was able to attend a large music event that was important to them. Staff demonstrate high aspirations for the child and are committed to promoting positive and meaningful experiences.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The child is approaching a significant transition into adulthood. Staff demonstrate an excellent understanding of the emotional impact of this on the child. Staff recognise that uncertainty and change can be particularly challenging and have responded with sensitive, compassionate conversations. The staff have been strong advocates for the child in meetings, while also enabling the child to develop confidence in expressing their own views and contributing to decisions about their future. A professional said, 'They are empathetic and nurturing to the child, while being excellent advocates for them.'

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

The manager and staff have managed complex risks effectively. Professionals working with the child acknowledged that incidents of risk have reduced in both frequency and severity. One professional said, 'The child has made exceptional amounts of progress, the staff have gone above and beyond to give the child childhood experiences that will last a lifetime.'

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

The care planning is exceptional. Care plans for the child identify known triggers, early warning signs and physical indicators that may suggest a deterioration in how the child presents. These plans provide staff with clear guidance on how to respond appropriately and consistently.

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

Individualised risk assessments include a comprehensive chronology of incidents and risks, offering valuable insight into recurring themes and patterns. Risk management strategies are regularly discussed and reviewed in team meetings, ensuring staff maintain a consistent and coordinated approach. This approach aligns with the child's individual needs, as they rely on routine and predictability.

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

Staff demonstrate a good understanding of the restrictions of the legal order currently in place for the child. A clear and comprehensive implementation plan is in place. This provides staff with detailed guidance on the safety measures required to protect the child. The plan clearly outlines individual responsibilities and ensures that restrictions are applied consistently, proportionately and in accordance with the child's assessed needs and legal framework.

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

The staff team is skilled, creative and highly motivated in its understanding of and response to risks. It actively develops its knowledge through reflective practice, shared learning and research-informed learning. This learning culture enables the team to continue strengthening its knowledge and to ensure that safeguarding is integral to its practice. Inspection report for children's home: 2645675 5

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager is experienced, ambitious and committed to achieving the best possible outcomes for children and staff. Through a supportive leadership approach, the manager has created a culture in which staff feel valued, respected and empowered. The professional development of staff is a priority for the manager. This culture reflects the high standard of care provided and contributes significantly to the warm, family-like atmosphere in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff consistently report feeling well supported by the manager. The manager has an excellent understanding of the individual strengths, skills and development needs of the staff and is committed to investing in their professional growth. Opportunities for learning, progression and increased responsibility are actively promoted, enabling staff to build confidence, competence and expertise. This commitment to staff development is demonstrated by the number of internal promotions within the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

External professionals consistently speak positively about the impact that the manager and staff have on the child's progress. They report that communication is effective, professional and focused on achieving positive and safe outcomes. During periods of crisis, the staff team and partner agencies work exceptionally well together, maintaining clear and timely communication. This demonstrates a highly effective multi-agency approach to safeguarding and supporting the child.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager and staff have bespoke training that reflects the specific needs of the child living there. Training includes understanding the cycle of emotional distress, managing complex behaviours and mental health needs. This targeted approach helps strengthen staff knowledge, enabling them to provide effective and therapeutic support to children with high levels of vulnerability.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Independent visitor reports are received monthly and are detailed. However, these reports would be further strengthened by consistently capturing the views of the child, professionals and family members. This feedback would provide a comprehensive evaluation of the quality of care being provided to the child.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

No statutory requirements have been made but one recommendation is made. Inspection report for children's home: 2645675 6

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Recommendations

 The registered person should actively seek independent scrutiny of the home and make best use of information from independent and internal monitoring (including under regulations 44 and 45) to ensure continuous improvement. ('Guide to the Children's Homes Regulations, including the quality standards,' page 55, paragraph 10.24)

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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: 2645675 7

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Children's home details

Registered provider: A and R Guardian Services Limited

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Children's home details

Registered provider address: Pegasus House Office 14, 4thfloor, 17 Burleys Way, Leicester, Leicestershire LE1 3BE

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Children's home details

Responsible individual: Christopher Quinn

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Inspector

Sarah Tilbury, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: 2645675 8 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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Inspector

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