Children's home run by R.E.A.C.H CHC LTD

Inspection report children's home: 2791088 1 Registered provider: R.E.A.C.H CHC Ltd

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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 privately owned and is registered to provide care for up to two children.

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Information about this children’s home

The home and manager registered with Ofsted in August 2024. This was the first inspection since it was registered. Two children were living at the home at the time of the inspection and both children spoke to the inspector.

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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 children's home: 2791088 2

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is warm and welcoming and feels like a family home. The kitchen is particularly pleasant, and provides space for socialising, eating and cooking. Children’s bedrooms are personalised and comfortably furnished, with pictures of family members on display. This enables children to gain a sense of permanence and belonging.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children receive sensitive care from the manager and staff. Staff understand that family relationships are important to children and that these help them to feel loved and valued. One child has been on holiday with staff and their parent, and one child’s sibling has slept over at the home. One child said that staff prioritising these important relationships increases their respect for staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support children’s education. Since moving into the home, one child has made excellent progress at school with their attendance and academic outcomes. Another child remains out of mainstream education. Ongoing challenge from the manager has resulted in a mainstream provision being identified, and there are now plans in place for the child to visit this. In the meantime, a tutor is supporting the child in the home. Staff use creativity and rewards to encourage engagement with education. As a result, progress is clear for both children in this area.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s moves to the home are positive. The manager ensures that planning is robust and child focused and involves the child already living at the home. This enables children to feel in control and offers them reassurance and comfort during times of uncertain

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s cultural identities are respected and supported by the diverse staff team. Children’s family histories are also understood and accepted, and this informs staff responses. One child is being supported to revisit their religion, which was once an important part of their family life. This supports children to feel valued and understood and increases their self-esteem.

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

Staff work hard to keep children safe. One parent said, ‘Staff at the home are amazing, they make sure my child gets to me safely and gets back to the home safely’. Staff work tirelessly to ensure they know where children are and ensure they are taken safely to and from free time. One child said, ‘If I need them [staff], they are always there.’

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

Staff manage missing-from-home incidents well. These are reported appropriately and staff are proactive in trying to locate children. Staff are persistent in escalating concerns with police when they think risks to children are high. The child’s professional and family networks are updated, and a warm and supportive welcome is offered when the child returns. This reassures children that they are valued and cared for, rather than punished or blamed. Inspection report children's home: 2791088 3 Safety plans for children need to be more robust as children’s individual risks are not always clearly assessed. There has been a change in the way staff record information. This has further impacted on clarity and consistency of risk management in the children’s care and risk management plans. Plans are in place to improve these to ensure risks to children are consistently assessed and actions outlined to mitigate these. This is crucial

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

in creating safe environments for children, whether at home, school or on free time.

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

Staff work restoratively with children to promote positive behaviour. Behaviour plans are robust and informed by the child’s voice. Children are clear in what they need from their caregivers and this helps prevent and manage escalations in behaviours. Children are supported by staff implementing consistent guidance and boundaries. Regular and open conversations take place between staff and children. This helps children to feel listened to and supports them to reflect on their behaviours and identify areas for further support. As a result, children’s behaviours have improved significantly during their time at the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

A suitably qualified registered manager leads the home. She is aspirational, child focused and supportive and strives to ensure the best possible outcomes for children. She leads by example and children and staff describe feeling cared for and valued by her.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home has a stable staff team. This helps children to build secure relationships with staff due to the continuity of care. Staff have frequent supervision and progress reviews that support practice and future progression. Staff also benefit from regular training. This includes specialist courses based on the children’s individual needs. Regular team meetings consider strengths and areas for development in the staff team. These meetings are also used to discuss shared learning and encourage inclusion and engagement. This supports team cohesion and practice development.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has positive and effective relationships with the children’s professional network. Feedback from professionals is positive. A child’s social worker said that communication from the manager and staff is excellent. She said the manager has a good understanding of the child’s behaviour and shows patience, care and acceptance, and that this has resulted in the child becoming more reflective regarding their behaviours and the choices they make.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has a range of systems to oversee the quality of care in the home. Oversight of practice leads to discussion, challenge, support and shared learning. The manager and staff have high aspirations for the children in the home. The manager understands the home’s strengths and areas for improvement. There is a shared commitment to practice development to ensure the best possible outcomes for children. Inspection report children's home: 2791088 4

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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. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that the levels of risk that children face are clearly assessed, and that children’s plans contain up-to-date and accurate guidance to help staff to provide safe care consistently. 19 March 2025

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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 children's home: 2791088 5

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Inspector

Mandy Wake, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children's home: 2791088 6 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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