Children's Home run by Leicester City Council in Leicester

Inspection report for children’s home: SC039038 1 SC039038 Registered provider: Leicester City Council Full inspection 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 local authority. It provides care for up to 7 children with learning disabilities.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, 6 children were living at the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The home is led by a registered manager.

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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: 2 February 2026

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC039038 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

02/02/2026 Full Good 11/03/2025 Full Outstanding 19/03/2024 Full Outstanding 30/01/2023 Full Outstanding Inspection report for children’s home: SC039038 3

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Summary of findings

Since the last full inspection, all 6 children have remained living at this home. They are all making progress in line with their age and stage of development. The older children are beginning to work towards independence. Other children continue to make improvements in their overall health and wellbeing. Educational progress is particularly strong.

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Summary of findings

The leadership and management of this home have been strengthened by the appointment of a deputy manager. Managers are good advocates for children. Since the last inspection, the staff team has remained consistent, with minimal changes, and this is important for the children. Staff are encouraged to develop their skills and knowledge, and they receive a high level of support and training.

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Summary of findings

There has been a low number of incidents, and managers work in partnership with safeguarding agencies when needed. Managers have provided the staff team with additional guidance and training on safeguarding processes.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The team of staff have high aspirations for the children. They work cohesively with education colleagues to support children to reach their individual targets. This promotes children’s engagement in learning and contributes to improved academic outcomes, taking into account their starting points.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff teach children a wide range of skills, which encourages more independence. Detailed social stories are one method used to help a child understand the actions required to complete a task. Over time, this step-by-step approach has enabled children to develop key skills that will continue to support them in the future.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children access a wide variety of activities, supported by staff who challenge any barriers to inclusion. This helps children to stay connected to the community. They enjoy holidays of their choice and regular trips to places of interest. These varied opportunities help children to build their confidence and develop their social skills.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff promote healthy lifestyles for children. Children learn about healthy eating, and some now enjoy a broader range of foods. Staff support children to take part in a wide range of physical and sporting activities. For example, children have taken part in a park run. This promotes improved physical health, greater self-confidence, and the development of new skills.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff work hard to build positive relationships with children, who value their support. Children feel able to approach staff and ask for their help. Staff are nurturing and patient in their approach and ensure that children understand what is being asked of them. Inspection report for children’s home: SC039038 4 The manager recognises the importance of children maintaining relationships with significant people in their lives. Children are supported to keep in touch with and spend time with those who are important to them. This reinforces their sense of identity and belonging.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Great effort is being made to ensure that children live in a house that is welcoming and feels like a family home. Children and their families have made decisions about how the home is decorated. There is an ongoing programme of development and improvement that, over time, will enhance all living areas of the home.

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

Children living in the home require significant safety planning to reduce risks both in the home and in the community. Staff plan effectively, helping to ensure that children are kept safe. Risk assessments are continually reviewed to accurately reflect levels of risk. This enables children, where appropriate, to experience new challenges and develop new skills while remaining safe.

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

The manager ensures that all relevant safeguarding agencies are notified when appropriate. Notifications to other agencies reflect robust safeguarding practice. Detailed chronologies of actions staff have taken in response to incidents are maintained, and the manager ensures that actions are evidenced. Children are kept at the centre of safeguarding practices in the home.

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

Children’s needs are such that they require close supervision. Therefore, they do not go missing or become involved in any form of exploitation. Children are safe when they are online, as staff regularly monitor the content that they view.

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

The children have been involved in incidents in the home, although these occur infrequently. Staff respond effectively and ensure that children are safe. Children respond positively to consistent care and nurture when they struggle to manage their emotions. The strong relationships staff build with children are fundamental to this progress. Staff understand and implement actions from children’s behaviour support plans, helping children to communicate their feelings more safely.

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

There is a clear medication process in place. Staff receive detailed training and are observed administering medication before they can take the lead in this process. There have been some medication errors since the last inspection. When these have been identified, managers have taken action to improve staff competence.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

A committed, experienced and qualified registered manager leads the home. They are supported by 2 dedicated deputy managers. The managers know the strengths and areas for development of their team. They are clear about their vision for the home, and this is clearly and continually conveyed to staff. Inspection report for children’s home: SC039038 5 Staff report feeling well managed and supported. Morale at the home is high, and there is a positive and energetic approach from staff. Team meetings are held on a regular basis, and staff find these highly beneficial. Staff can share their views openly and feel listened to and respected.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The staff receive regular professional supervision. This is enhanced through group training opportunities that equip staff to meet the needs of the children. Staff are qualified or working towards the required qualification. In addition, staff receive mandatory online and face-to-face training. Additional training identified and implemented in line with children’s needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager works in close collaboration with external professional agencies. They keep professionals updated regarding the children and their needs. The manager has advocated for the children to ensure that their wishes are heard and acted on when required.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There is good management monitoring through a variety of quality assurance systems. This helps the manager to ensure that timescales are met for a range of activities that relate to the running of the home. Independent scrutiny is built into the quality assurance systems. However, these systems have not always identified areas of the home that require minor repair and improvement. Inspection report for children’s home: SC039038 6

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that the home is a nurturing, homely, domestic and supportive environment that meets children’s needs. The home must comply with relevant legislation, such as alarms and food hygiene; however, in doing so, it should seek, as far as possible, to maintain a domestic rather than institutional impression. (‘Guide to Children’s Homes Regulations including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9)  The registered person should ensure that they actively seek scrutiny of the home and make best use of information from internal monitoring to ensure continuous improvement. (‘Guide to 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: SC039038 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Leicester City Council

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Halford House, 91 Charles Street, Leicester LE1 1HA

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Inspector

Simon Hunter, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC039038 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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