Children's home run by G&S caring for children and young people ltd

Inspection report for children’s home: 2599037 1 Registered provider: G&S caring for children and young people limited

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Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is run by a private company. It provides care for up to three children who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The home is led by an experienced registered manager.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, two children were 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: 12 December 2023

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: outstanding

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2599037 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

12/12/2023 Full Outstanding 12/10/2022 Full Outstanding 17/06/2021 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2599037 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Since the last inspection, two children have moved into the home and two children have moved out. The two children who left the home are now adults. They visited the home during the inspection and were complimentary of the staff and support they continue to receive.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is warm and welcoming. The children are supported to personalise their bedrooms to their individual tastes, and they benefit from being able to keep pets at the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff and managers work closely with each child’s family and other adults involved in the child’s life. Communication between staff, family and professionals is good. Staff ensure that, wherever possible, children’s families remain involved in their child’s life. One relative was positive about the care provided to their child and stated that communication with staff was good.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are encouraged to take part in several activities in the local community. They go to the local gym, trampolining, theme parks and go for walks in the park. This helps children to develop their interests and supports their emotional well-being. Staff capture precious moments of children doing activities in a memory book designed for each child. This allows them to keep these special memories for the future.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

All the children attend education. Staff have supported one child to reintegrate back into the classroom. Staff are positive about education, and they work very closely with education professionals. During the inspection, it was identified that the manager had not liaised with the placing authority to ensure that appropriate processes were followed to support a child into higher education. As a result, the child remains uncertain about their next steps.

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

Staff have a calm and relaxed approach with the children. Over time, a family and homely environment has been established. This is very positive for the children. It has allowed them to feel safe and protected in their home. The children know that the staff care for them and that they are trusted adults.

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

Children’s views are considered and acted on. Complaints from children are rare, as they are confident in speaking to staff about any concerns they may have. They know how to make complaints if they are unhappy.

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

There is a well-coordinated approach from staff when children go missing from the home. Staff make every effort to locate children quickly and ensure that all relevant Inspection report for children’s home: 2599037 4 processes are followed. Safeguarding agencies are notified, and risk management plans are reviewed and shared with staff to try and prevent further incidents.

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

Staff rarely hold children to keep them safe. There have been two incidents since the last inspection. On these occasions, the least restrictive measures were used to ensure children’s safety. Before holding a child, several attempts are made to reduce challenging behaviour. These are often successful. However, when reviewing one incident, the manager’s oversight did not identify safeguarding concerns. As a result, this incident was not investigated or shared with the placing authority. This does not ensure that there continues to be a clear oversight of incidents.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is child-centred and committed to continually improve the quality of care provided. She has a good understanding of children’s needs. The manager is being supported in her role by an experienced responsible individual and team leader. They have high aspirations for the children and the staff, and they are exemplary role models. This ambition has been disseminated amongst the staff team.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The very stable and consistent staff team feels highly valued and supported. Staff enjoy working in the home. They spoke positively about the manager, and about the children that they care for. Staff said that they enjoy coming to work. Morale within the staff team is high.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager works proactively with other professionals, building positive working relationships. Professionals said that communication is good, and they are kept up to date on the progress that children are making. The manager advocates for children if responses from others are not satisfactory. This helps to ensure that children receive the right support to meet their needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers have clear plans to continue to develop the service further. They are aware of their strengths and areas they wish to improve. There is strong evidence of learning and an aspiration to provide good help and support for children. Inspection report for children’s home: 2599037 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

The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the child’s relevant plans, and, if necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand how to keep safe;

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Requirement Due date

have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm;

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Requirement Due date

manage relationships between children to prevent them from harming each other;

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Requirement Due date

understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person;

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Requirement Due date

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare; and

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Requirement Due date

are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, this relates to ensuring that documents clearly identify risks to children, that incidents are reviewed and safeguarding incidents are responded to appropriately. 14 March 2025

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Requirement Due date

In meeting the quality standards, the registered person must, and must ensure that staff— 14 March 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: 2599037 6 seek to involve each child’s placing authority effectively in the child’s care, in accordance with the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

seek to secure the input and services required to meet each child’s needs;

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Requirement Due date

if the registered person considers, or staff consider, a placing authority’s or a relevant person’s performance or response to be inadequate in relation to their role, challenge the placing authority or the relevant person to seek to ensure that each child’s needs are met in accordance with the child’s relevant plans; and

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Requirement Due date

seek to develop and maintain effective professional relationships with such persons, bodies or organisations as the registered person considers appropriate having regard to the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the children’s home is to provide care and accommodation. (Regulation 5 (a)(b)(c)(d))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, this relates to the escalating concerns within the placing authority to ensure that children’s needs are met and that they receive a good service.

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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: 2599037 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: G&S caring for children and young people limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 11 Foxglove Close, East Goscote, Leicester LE7 3QS

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Inspector

Corline Parker, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2599037 8 inspects 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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