Children's Home run by Within Reach Services Limited in Gloucestershire

Inspection report for children's home: 2784407 1 Registered provider: Within Reach Services 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 managed by a private provider. The home provides care for one child who may experience social and emotional difficulties. At the time of the inspection, one child was living at the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in April 2024 when this home was registered. The manager is also registered with Ofsted for another children’s home nearby.

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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: 2784407 2

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

This was the first inspection of a new home. Two children have lived there since it registered. One child moved out in an unplanned way following recognition by senior leaders that the team could not meet their needs or keep them safe. Considerable learning took place from that child’s time at the home, which meant an improved moving-in process for the child currently living there.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

This child is building strong relationships with the staff and the team are getting to know the child well. The child was involved with the inspection and was able to communicate that they liked their home, the staff and the food. The child has also spoken to professionals outside the home about liking the staff and their home. The child was observed to be relaxed in the home and was laughing and playing games with the staff. One game involved the child putting different hats on each member of staff and then laughing at them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff understand how to communicate with the child. The child has been given a post box to help them to share their thoughts, which can then be considered with the input of their therapist. This helps the child to know that their thoughts and views are listened to. The use of a therapist is helping the child to explore their feelings and is also helping the staff to better understand the child’s needs. Suggestions that are given to the team by the child’s therapist are followed up and any equipment needed is provided quickly.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Support to further children’s education is lacking. Both children that have lived here have had online tutoring and the current child has one hour a day of learning. Opportunities for informal learning are also limited. Staff have supported the child to engage with their online learning and the tutor described how the child is more engaged with their learning since living here.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child is always supported by two members of staff. There is no clear plan as to how and when staffing levels could be reduced. Staff carry identical bags with them, which could draw attention to the child in public without any assessment of risk. This was addressed by managers during the inspection, with more discreet ways being put in place for staff to ensure they have anything the child needs close by.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is well presented and clean, and the child’s certificates are on display. The child has been supported to keep their room tidy and take pride in their home. Window restrictors are in place in line with the child’s court order. However, there is a lack of scrutiny to assess which restrictions are needed and at what point restrictions could be relaxed. The team has been focused on building relationships with this child since they moved in.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Support for the child’s sexual health is well informed and the staff work closely with other professionals to ensure they have a consistent approach to managing this. Inspection report for children's home: 2784407 3 This child has busy and fun-filled days. They go to museums, on fishing trips, visit towns and take trips on trains. The child is keen to be outdoors and this is guided by what the child would like to do. However, there is little structure to the child’s days and a lack of ambition from the team as to what the child could achieve.

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

There was a difficult period for the first child who lived at the home, with some very serious incidents where the child, staff and emergency workers were harmed. The police were called to support on numerous occasions. Leaders and managers recognised that the home was not able to keep the child safe and lessons were learned.

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

High levels of restraint were used with one child and the incidents were recorded in detail. Many of these restraints were ineffective. On occasion, unplanned interventions were used. The manager has reviewed these. In many of these situations, staff were faced with difficult decisions to either intervene or face life-threatening repercussions. The learning from this highlighted the importance of knowing the child’s needs well before they arrive at the home and ensuring other agencies provide all the information available.

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

Incidents of restraint for the current child are mainly low-level guides or blocks. These incidents have reduced, with none taking place in the last month. Some written records lack clarity as to whether staff have stepped away when the child has taken themselves to the floor.

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

Concerns raised about staff are taken seriously. Immediate action is taken to remove the staff member from being with children while the investigation takes place. Thorough investigations are completed quickly, with advice being sought from appropriate professionals when needed.

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

When one child was missing from the home on a few occasions, staff followed procedures and the police were called. Staff searched for the child and found them quickly. The child now living at the home has not gone missing.

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

The physical environment is safe for children. When damage has been caused to the home, repairs have been carried out quickly.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

This home is managed by an experienced manager. The manager is also registered for another children’s home nearby and she shares her time between the two, according to the needs of the children and staff. The manager’s focus has been for the child to settle and feel safe at the home, and they have not yet set goals for the child to develop and achieve. Inspection report for children's home: 2784407 4 Leaders and managers take on board learning and were quick to make changes to the physical environment and child’s plans when highlighted. For example, the television in the front room was in a Perspex box without any assessed need for this. This was removed on the second day of the inspection to make the environment more homely. Managers are reflective and quick to acknowledge when something can be improved.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The staff speak of being highly supported and say managers are readily available. However, there has been a significant change in the staff team since the first child left. Training for staff is up to date. The manager considered the staff’s training needs with other professionals in attempts to meet one child’s needs. The child left before this could be fully explored, but the manager was open to considering different approaches to enhance the team’s skills.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Action is taken quickly in response to complaints. When a complaint was received, the manager responded quickly and offered discussions and resolutions. When a child made a complaint, this was thoroughly investigated, and the outcome was explained to the child.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Feedback from professionals recognises the efforts that the team went to but highlights the lack of progress made for one child. Professionals speak of good communication with the managers and a willingness to work together to meet children’s needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Safer recruitment processes are in place, meaning that leaders can make suitable decisions about who to employ. Inspection report for children's home: 2784407 5

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered person(s) must take to meet the Care Standards Act 2000, The Children’s Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the ‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’. The registered person(s) must comply within the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

No measure of control or discipline which is excessive, unreasonable or contrary to paragraph (2) may be used in relation to any child.

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Requirement Due date

The following measures may not be used to discipline any child—

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Requirement Due date

any restriction, other than one imposed by a court or in accordance with regulation 22 (contact and access to communications), on—

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Requirement Due date

a child’s contact with parents, relatives or friends;

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Requirement Due date

visits to the child by the child’s parents, relatives or friends;

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Requirement Due date

a child’s communications with any persons listed in regulation 22(1) (contact and access to communications); or

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Requirement Due date

a child’s access to any internet-based or telephone helpline providing counselling for children;

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Requirement Due date

. (Regulation 19 (1) (2)(a)(c)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, managers must review any restraint used to ensure that it is always appropriate and proportionate. 31 January 2025

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Requirement Due date

The education standard is that children make measurable progress towards achieving their educational potential and are helped to do so.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— 31 January 2024 Inspection report for children's home: 2784407 6 that staff—

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Requirement Due date

help each child to achieve the child’s education and training targets, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

support each child’s learning and development, including helping the child to develop independent study skills and, where appropriate, helping the child to complete independent study;

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Requirement Due date

understand the barriers to learning that each child may face and take appropriate action to help the child to overcome any such barriers;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand the importance and value of education, learning, training and employment;

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Requirement Due date

promote opportunities for each child to learn informally;

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Requirement Due date

raise any need for further assessment or specialist provision in relation to a child with the child’s education or training provider and the child’s placing authority;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to attend education or training in accordance with the expectations in the child’s relevant plans; and

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Requirement Due date

that each child has access to appropriate equipment, facilities and resources to support the child’s learning. (Regulation 8(1)(2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vii)(x)

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Requirement Due date

In particular, leaders and managers should review the child’s education plan and show ambition for the child to learn and develop. Opportunities for informal learning should be in place on a regular basis.

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Requirement Due date

The leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that—

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Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

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Requirement Due date

understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each child 31 January 2025 Inspection report for children's home: 2784407 7 and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(f))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, leaders and managers must review the care provided to the child and ensure that staffing ratios and any restrictions are necessary and proportionate. Staff should be ambitious for the child and have clear steps in place for when restrictions can be removed or reduced in line with the child’s needs.

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that children are offered a wide range of activities both inside and outside of the home (where appropriate) and are encouraged to participate in those activities. In particular, staff should have aspirations for the child to achieve and have activities that will support the child to achieve these goals. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 31, paragraph 6.5)

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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: 2784407 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Within Reach Services Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Hazlewoods, Windsor House, Bayshill Road, Cheltenham GL50 3AT

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Trevor Ridgewell

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Inspector

Nickie Doney, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: 2784407 9 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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