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Social care · Children's home inspection (SCCIF)

Children's Home run by Good Foundations Limited in Wirral

Inspected 13 Mar 2024 · published 3 May 2024 · URN 2724902

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Summary

Outstanding

Sally Hallwood

What we read, and from where

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  • Group verified

    Good Foundations Limited

  • Inspection date verified

    13 Mar 2024

  • Inspectors verified

    Sally Hallwood

  • Helped and protected verified

    Outstanding

  • Leadership and management verified

    Outstanding

  • Overall effectivenesssingle source

    Outstanding

  • Name on report verified

    2724902

  • URN verified

    2724902

Page 1 of 6
Page 1 of the report

Deep dive

What this report says

In plain English

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Grade profile

Each judgement on its scale, weakest to strongest.

  • OverallOutstanding
  • Helped and protectedOutstanding
  • Leadership and managementOutstanding

12% of comparable inspections in the last three years were graded Outstanding (12,716 inspections).

Tone of the report

How positive or critical the inspectors' language is, from the words they chose. No AI involved.

+75Very positivemore positive than 23% of reports of this type graded Outstanding
OutstandingGoodRIInadequate

In line with other reports of this type graded Outstanding.

Markers show where typical reports of each grade sit.

Praiseexcellentoutstandingimprovedthrivehighly effectivepositivestrongvery high
Criticismseriousweaknesseslimitedstrugglegaps

How the report reads, start to finish

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FindingsAbout the inspection positive critical

Strengths

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Concerns

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Next steps

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No next steps set out.

What the report dwells on

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Anatomy of the report

How the report is built, against others of the same type and grade.

Pages
6
Words of findings
962
shorter than usual (typical 1354)
Reading level
Hard
Flesch 49, typical 49
Average sentence
12 words
Next steps
0
typical 1
Hedged sentences
1%
“some”, “not always”, “most”…

Where the words go

Findings 73%About the inspection 27%

Full report text

Inspection report for children’s home: 2724902 1 Registered provider: Good Foundations Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

This is a privately run children’s home. The home provides care for up to four children who may have emotional and/or social difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The home and manager registered with Ofsted in June 2023. This is the home’s first inspection since registration.

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Information about this children’s home

Three children were living in the home at the time of the inspection.

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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: Not previously inspected

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outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: not applicable

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outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: not applicable Inspection report for children’s home: 2724902 2

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outstanding

Children develop and thrive in this home. Their individuality is celebrated and promoted. Meticulous care planning supports staff to deliver bespoke care. As a result, children make excellent progress from their starting points. Progress is sustained.

p.2

outstanding

Research-based practice has focused on promoting diversity and difference. This has supported children with gender identity and personal choices. This practice has been shared with other children’s homes and supports wider staff teams to understand and promote children’s unique care needs.

p.2

outstanding

Staff understand the barriers to learning. When children struggle with education, staff develop creative solutions to ensure gaps in education are addressed. This leads to improved outcomes in education, training and employment. As a result, children’s life chances are maximised.

p.2

outstanding

The registered manager said, ‘Children’s interests are seeds to be nurtured and grown.’ Staff cultivate children’s interests. Children take part in a wide range of meaningful and stimulating activities. This means children achieve their goals and fulfil childhood dreams. Children are proud of their achievements and celebrate their successes.

p.2

outstanding

Children trust staff. They share their fears and anxieties with them. This enables staff to support children to overcome social barriers. This means that children’s confidence grows and that they are able to engage in social activities and community groups.

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outstanding

Effective partnership working contributes towards children’s positive experiences. Parents enjoy training sessions alongside staff. Staff care about children’s families and embrace a joint care approach.

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outstanding

Children’s experiences of moving out of the home are positive. Their plans are individualised and inclusive of the child and their family. Staff maintain relationships with children and families after children have left the home. Children who leave the home continue to sustain progress. Staff continue to celebrate special occasions with children, such as birthdays and career achievements.

p.2

outstanding

Staff are strong advocates for children. They challenge external services to ensure that children receive the best possible care to promote their best interests. Inspection report for children’s home: 2724902 3

p.2

outstanding

Children are safe and secure in this home. The highly experienced management team members understand how to work with children to reduce risks. There have been no safeguarding incidents since the home was registered.

p.3

outstanding

The manager uses information from serious case reviews and research to support learning. She works in partnership with the police, the youth offending service and the local authority. The manager is involved in an initiative to reduce knife crime. She disseminates this information to other children’s homes.

p.3

outstanding

Behaviour management is excellent. Children who previously experienced high levels of physical intervention no longer require this level of support. There is a strong ethos of engaging with children’s interests to support their self-esteem and progression.

p.3

outstanding

When children have gone missing from the home, staff are effective in ensuring their safe and prompt return. Staff ensure children speak with an independent person on their return to the home. This enables staff to understand each child’s reason for leaving the home.

p.3

outstanding

When children want to stay overnight at their friends’ homes, the manager ensures these homes are vetted. This means that children have normal childhood experiences and are not exposed to potential harm.

p.3

outstanding

Children trust the staff. They have talked with staff about past trauma and abuse. Staff respond appropriately to disclosures. They liaise with families and specialists to reduce risk.

p.3

outstanding

Staff support children with healthy risk-taking. Children are able to make age- appropriate decisions with the support of trusted adults. This supports their resilience and future independence.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered manager is an experienced and qualified professional who leads by example. She has very high aspirations for children, particularly to secure their improved life chances. Her ethos is that children’s potential and achievements cannot be lost or wasted.

p.3

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The management team has an established history in promoting improved life chances for children. Staff retention is very high, and some staff have been at the home for many years, creating a stable presence for children. This ensures continuity of care for children, but also means that staff know the children very well. Inspection report for children’s home: 2724902 4 Staff have an excellent knowledge and understanding of children’s needs and behaviours. A programme of training underpins staff’s knowledge. This is built on with research, specialist advice and consultation. This provides a broad knowledge base to support staff in their care delivery.

p.3

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff feel supported and receive regular support from managers. They attend team meetings, and regular supervision sessions support reflective childcare practice. Supervisions include critical analysis to support improvement. Staff said that the manager strives for their improvement and invests in them.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Professionals and families describe the significant progress children are making. One professional said, ‘Children thrive in this home.’ A parent said, ‘Staff understand my child.’ Another parent said, ‘They are helping the whole family, helping us get the help and support we need.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered manager has a clear vision and a defined sense of purpose. Meticulous internal and external quality assurance processes provide detailed analysis of care provision. This means leaders and managers have a clear understanding of the home’s strengths and weaknesses.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

There are no recommendations or requirements made as a result of this inspection.

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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: 2724902 5

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Good Foundations Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 6 Tower Quays, Tower Road, Birkenhead, Merseyside CH41 1BP

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Inspector

Sally Hallwood, Social Care Regulatory Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2724902 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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

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Inspector

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Inspector

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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