Children's home run by Guidance Care Limited

Inspection report for children’s home: 2620266 1 Registered provider: Guidance Care Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This privately owned 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

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

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Information about this children’s home

The current manager has been registered with Ofsted since December 2023 and is dual registered.

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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: 21 February 2023

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outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2620266 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

21/02/2023 Full Good 07/03/2022 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2620266 3

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outstanding

Children have secure and trusting relationships with the staff. A stable staff team provides consistency for children. Staff have a nurturing and therapeutic approach. Children are treated with dignity and respect and are thriving living in home.

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outstanding

Staff know the children well. They speak about them with pride, love and affection and are ambitious about their plans for the future. Structured routines and boundaries are in place. This provides children with a sense of permanence and belonging.

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outstanding

Children now have good attendance at school and college and are excelling in their indivdual education settings. The manager and staff team worked to support children to return to education after significant periods of time out of school. Each child has a plan in place to help them progress in their chosen career. Staff support children to develop their life skills, such as interview techniques, and have done mock interviews to prepare children for future employment. Children are growing in confidence and self-esteem and building their independent living skills.

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outstanding

Staff place children at the centre of their practice. When children have struggled to develop relationships with staff, staff have remained consistent in their approach to support children to manage their feelings. One social worker said, ‘The staff’s ability to maintain relationships with [name of child] has far exceeded my expectations.’

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outstanding

Children’s cultural needs are well understood. Staff carry out research so that they have a better understanding of individual children’s heritages. Children are supported to access a range of community-based activities to support their identity.

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outstanding

Children are listened to and taken seriously when it has not been possible to act on their wishes and feelings. Staff have supported a child to understand their rights and how to challenge decisions made by their placing authority, in particular in relation to their wish to live in a more culturally diverse area to meet their needs. This provides children with the opportunity to improve and shape their life chances.

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outstanding

Children live in a warm, comfortable and well-maintained home. Children are involved in choosing the decor of the home and have personalised their own spaces. Children say that they have fun and love living at the home. Photos around the home capture events and celebrations, such as one child’s school prom. This creates a nurturing environment and supports children’s sense of feeling valued. Inspection report for children’s home: 2620266 4

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outstanding

Children say they feel safe, loved, protected and cared for and that they trust the staff team.

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outstanding

Children have individualised risk assessment plans. These outline what the vulnerabilities are for each child. Documents are detailed and set out what actions staff should take so that children are supported to be safe. Staff understand these strategies and put them into practice.

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outstanding

When there have been incidents in relation to child sexual exploitation, staff have notified relevant professionals. They have supported the child to understand the impact of child sexual exploitation. There is a strong and proactive response to managing risk and specialist support has been put in place through the complex safeguarding team. As a result, incidents of child sexual exploitation for one child have significantly reduced.

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outstanding

When allegations have been made by children against staff, managers have listened and taken their concerns seriously. Managers and staff have responded swiftly and put arrangements in place so that children are safe and protected. Children are supported to discuss how they feel and any concerns they have. Children are kept updated so they can understand what action has been taken.

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outstanding

Staff recognise that children need to feel safe and secure. A nurturing environment has led to children being able to manage their feelings safely. Positive behaviour is consistently promoted. Children are involved in finding ways to de-escalate situations and creative alternative strategies have been effective. Over time, incidents for one child have reduced significantly.

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outstanding

Staff understand what their roles and responsibilities are should children go missing from home. The strength of the relationships between children and the staff mean that incidents of going missing for both children stopped, and this has been sustained.

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outstanding

Safer recruitment processes are in place. Safeguarding checks have been completed on all members of staff to ensure that they are suitable to work with children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

There is a suitably qualified and experienced manager in post. They are also registered to manage another home. They are supported by an experienced and qualified deputy manager and team leader. The manager, deputy and staff team are ambitious for children and have been influential in changing the lives of children in their care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The staff team is highly skilled and experienced. Staff have clear responsibilities and have a sense of shared ownership of the home and the care they give to the Inspection report for children’s home: 2620266 5 children. Staff confidently share their knowledge and are encouraged to consider creative ideas and alternative ways of working with children so that practice continues to evolve and change for the better.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager has high expectations of the staff team and promotes a learning culture. This is reflected in the managers oversight and monitoring of children’s experiences. Team meetings, supervision and appraisals are used to identify continued learning to develop staff practice. This is underpinned by research, such as understanding how the brain develops.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager has clear weekly and monthly audit processes in place in addition to a measuring change and progress document. Additionally, external monitoring visits take place. As a result, the manager understands the strengths and weaknesses of the home and has used this to improve and sustain high-quality care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Social workers and independent reviewing officers involved with the children say that children are making exceptional progress and are thriving. One social worker said, ‘This is down to the consistent staff team, who are going above and beyond.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The requirements and recommendations made at the last inspection have been met.

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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: 2620266 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Unit 8, Sovereign Court, Wyrefields, Poulton-le- Fylde, Lancashire FY6 8JX

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Inspector

Nicola Forrester, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2620266 7 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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Inspector

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Inspector

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