Children's home run by Gracewells Care Limited

Inspection report for children’s home: 2725367 1 Registered provider: Gracewells Care Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This privately operated home provides care for up to two children who may have social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

This is the home’s first inspection. The home and the manager were registered with Ofsted in May 2023.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, two children were living in the home. Both children spoke to the inspector about their experiences living in the home.

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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: not previously inspected

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: not applicable

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: not applicable Inspection report for children’s home: 2725367 2

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children enjoy living in the home. They have trusting relationships with staff who are interested in them. Staff spend quality time with the children and create a positive atmosphere that helps children to feel settled and relaxed.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s moves into the home have been well managed. The staff and manager spend time with children before they come to live at the home and ensure that they have all the information they need. This includes details about the home’s rules and boundaries to help children to understand the support they will receive.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported to attend school. They are making positive progress after being out of school for a long period of time. One child has engaged well in a vocational course and now has firm plans to skill up in a trade. Another child has been supported to return to mainstream school and is now on track to sit their GCSE exams.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are encouraged to have a say in the way their home is decorated. They have been able to personalise their rooms and communal spaces. Maintenance and repairs to the home are completed quickly to ensure that the home is maintained to a high standard.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff understand and monitor children’s physical and emotional health needs. They have regular meaningful conversations with children that are age appropriate. This helps children to make informed decisions to enhance their health and well-being.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are encouraged to learn skills in preparation for becoming more independent. They are learning about budgeting, cooking and shopping. They both have a weekly budget for their own snacks that is helping them to develop their budgeting skills.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s achievements are celebrated. They are helped to create memory books about their time in the home that they can look back on.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are helped to keep in touch with people who are important to them. The team works closely with parents and keeps them updated. Parents can see the progress their children have made. One parent said that their child is ‘thriving with the care the staff are providing’. Another parent commented that their child is being ‘guided well’.

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

Children’s risks and vulnerabilities are well understood. Risk management plans are detailed and provide staff with clear strategies to safely look after the children. Plans are personalised to each child and updated when required to ensure that they reflect Inspection report for children’s home: 2725367 3 children’s current and emerging risks. Well-planned direct-work sessions provide opportunities for children to develop their understanding of risks.

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

Staff know how to keep children safe. They are skilled at de-escalation techniques and know how to talk to children. This helps children to feel safe and to know that staff care about them. Safeguarding incidents are well managed. These are evaluated by the manager and any learning is implemented into practice in the home.

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

Staff promote positive, respectful relationships between children. Issues between the children are dealt with quickly, with staff going above and beyond to help children to understand tolerance and to learn how to effectively manage their own behaviours.

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

The times when children need to be held to keep themselves and others safe are infrequent. When this does occur, records are clear and with oversight from the manager. Children and staff are given the opportunity to reflect on the intervention afterwards, which is helpful to them.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager is child focused. She has embedded a strong safeguarding culture in the home and leads the team by example.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager works proactively with external agencies and has developed positive, effective relationships with professionals. The manager and staff advocate well for children. Professionals are complimentary about the care provided and the progress children have made.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Since the home opened, the staff team has remained consistent, with only one change of personnel. Staff receive regular, good-quality supervision that enables them to reflect on their practice. The manager also offers group supervision sessions to enable staff to learn about specific developments including changes in legislation and regulation. Team meetings are regular and well attended.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has effective systems for monitoring the quality of care provided to children. The home’s development plan reflects the home’s strengths and areas for development. This is reviewed on a regular basis to ensure that children receive good care. Written records are well maintained.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

No requirements or recommendations were made at this inspection. Inspection report for children’s home: 2725367 4

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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: 2725367 5

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Gracewells Care Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 21 Jubilee House, East Beach, Lytham, Lancashire FY8 5FT

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Inspector

Colin Jones, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2725367 6 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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