Children's Home run by Purple Ash Limited in Leicester

Inspection report for children’s home: 2691652 1 Registered provider: Purple Ash Limited

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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 owned and managed by a private provider. The home provides care for up to 3 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. Their views contributed to the inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

Two children have moved out of the home since the last inspection and 2 children have moved into the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The home is led by the manager, who is registered with Ofsted.

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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

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good. Inspection report for children’s home: 2691652 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

07/05/2025 Full Good 07/05/2024 Full Good 07/11/2023 Full Requires improvement to be good 15/08/2023 Full Inadequate Inspection report for children’s home: 2691652 3

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Summary of findings

Children have made good progress. They enjoy spending time with staff, and staff are nurturing and committed to the children. Children’s plans and assessments are detailed and provide clear guidance to staff. However, children do not currently contribute to these. Children’s views have not consistently been sought when decisions are made about children moving into the home. Staff help children to manage their emotions by encouraging them to explore their feelings. Staff take appropriate action to keep children safe and have a good understanding of each child’s needs and vulnerabilities. The manager has a good oversight of the home and is a strong advocate for children.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

At the time of the inspection, there were 3 children living at the home. The home is tastefully decorated and has a warm, inviting and calming feel. The home is well maintained, although the manager has not ensured that actions from the fire risk assessment have been completed within timescales. The manager has now taken action to ensure this is prioritised for completion with the maintenance team.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children make good progress from their individual starting points, with clear improvements evident by the time they move on from the home. Children benefit from positive, trusting relationships with staff, who know the children well and understand their needs. Children develop a strong sense of belonging and maintain their connection with the home even after they leave, reflecting the lasting impact of the care and support they receive.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff place a strong emphasis on supporting children’s education. They work proactively with professionals to promote education and ensure that children have the best possible opportunities to learn and achieve. For example, when a child experienced difficulties in education, the staff advocated for the child to have a bespoke education package. As a result, the child was able to re-sit for their exams.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s health needs are well supported. Two children are currently receiving support for their emotional wellbeing, which has helped them to better understand and manage difficult feelings. Staff also provide children with age-appropriate education about alcohol and substance misuse. This enables children to develop an understanding of their identified risks and make safer, more informed choices.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff ensure that children see their families in line with their plans. The manager and staff have helped children strengthen their family relationships, which has been invaluable to them. Families are welcome to visit the home and staff also travel long distances to ensure that children see people who are important to them. Inspection report for children’s home: 2691652 4 The staff support children to develop independence skills and prepare for adulthood. Children are encouraged to take an active role in planning for important transitions and are supported to build confidence in managing practical tasks. When children move on from the home, staff recognise the significance of these milestones in children’s lives. They organise leaving celebrations to ensure the child feels valued, cared for and supported during these transitions. These celebrations provide an opportunity to reflect on the child’s achievements and personal growth and the aspirations that staff have for

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

The staff have an excellent understanding of children’s needs. Assessments and plans are detailed and contain all relevant information to safeguard children effectively. These are regularly reviewed to ensure that they remain accurate and reflect children’s emerging needs and risks. Staff demonstrate a strong awareness of children’s individual vulnerabilities and a clear understanding of the measures in place to keep children safe. As a result, children receive consistent support that promotes their safety and development.

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

Staff respond promptly and appropriately when safeguarding concerns arise. Children’s disclosures are taken seriously and are recorded accurately and without delay. Information is shared effectively with managers and relevant professionals. When required, the manager consults external safeguarding agencies, including the local authority designated officer, and takes immediate action to protect children from harm.

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

Staff provide children with sensitive support following safeguarding incidents. They take time to talk with children about what has happened and help them to understand the actions being taken to keep them safe. Staff respond with a caring and non-judgemental manner. This helps children to feel listened to and reassured during difficult times. Management oversight of incidents is thorough and clearly identifies any actions required. This helps to ensure that children receive consistent support when they are distressed or vulnerable.

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

When children go missing from the home, staff follow agreed missing-from-home procedures to promote their safe return. Staff actively search for children and work with partner agencies to reduce risk and safeguard children’s welfare. The manager has good oversight of missing from home incidents, thoroughly reviewing incidents and strengthening safeguarding practice.

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

Children’s complaints are taken seriously and investigated thoroughly. The manager ensures that children receive a clear explanation of the outcome, both verbally and in writing. This helps children to understand how their views have been considered. When difficulties arise between children, the staff use restorative conversations and mediation effectively to repair relationships and resolve conflict. As a result, children feel listened to, valued and positive relationships in the home are promoted and sustained. Inspection report for children’s home: 2691652 5

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager registered with Ofsted in March 2026. He is knowledgeable and an excellent role model. He has the support of a competent deputy manager. Together, they are strong advocates for children, escalating concerns with other professionals when delays may affect children’s safety or care planning.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is caring, kind and wants children to achieve the best possible outcomes. He recognises that care is a continuum that carries on into adulthood. Children remain in communication with staff after they have left, and they like sharing what progress they are making in their lives. The manager is proud of children’s successes and recognises individual achievements.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has good oversight of the home. There are effective monitoring and quality assurance systems in place. This includes the use of regular audits, observations of practice and regular, reflective supervision. Staff say they find these sessions helpful. Staff describe feeling valued and supported in their role and speak positively about working in the home. As a result, there is a stable staff team in place, providing children with stability and consistency

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The staff and manager benefit from input from a therapist to help them understand the children’s past trauma. The therapist helps staff to implement helpful strategies to support children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager promotes a strong culture of learning and development. He is quick to reflect on and learn from incidents, and staff embrace this opportunity to improve their practice. Regular team meetings are used to hold reflective practice discussions, and these are further strengthened through focused workshops. This supports staff to understand how to apply training to their day-to-day practice, supporting the team to learn and grow together.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive training that supports them to meet their individual needs of children. The manager demonstrates a strong commitment to developing the staff team and has implemented individual development plans. He continues to monitor progress where staff have not yet achieved the relevant level 3 qualification and has taken action to provide support and guidance. Inspection report for children’s home: 2691652 6

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that staff in a care role attain the qualification in regulation 32(4) within the relevant time frame listed in regulation 32(5). (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 53, paragraph 10.12)  The registered person should ensure that the actions identified in the fire risk assessment are completed in a timely manner and that effective oversight is maintained until all identified works are completed. (‘Guide to the Children’s Home Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 42, paragraph 9.5)

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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: 2691652 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: West Midlands House, Gipsy Lane WV13 2HA

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Inspector

Jibin Vakanil, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2691652 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 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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