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

Inspection report for children's home: 2722533 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 up to two children with social and emotional difficulties. At the time of this inspection, one child was living at the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in February 2023.

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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

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children's home: 2722533 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

31/08/2023 Full Good Inspection report for children's home: 2722533 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child living at this home was seen and spoken to during the inspection.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff and managers have worked persistently and creatively to build strong and trusting relationships with the child who lives here. These relationships have contributed to the child making some exceptional progress over time.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff and managers are proud of the child’s progress. They speak warmly about the child and celebrate their achievements with them. Staff support them well to access different activities and opportunities in the community. For example, the child regularly goes horse-riding, which they enjoy, and had a part-time job for several months.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff worked effectively with education professionals to help the child return to school following a period of low attendance before they moved to this home. As a result of the support provided by the staff, the child’s attendance improved, and they were able to achieve some qualifications and a place at college.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

More recently, the child has not been taking part in any formal education, training or employment. Managers have developed a plan with education professionals to support the child with their post-16 education. However, managers have not taken swift enough action to ensure these plans are progressing.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home environment is warm and welcoming and maintained to a good standard. The child’s bedroom is highly personalised and decorated in line with their tastes and interests.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Feedback from professionals and a family member was very positive regarding the progress made by the child and the quality of care provided by staff.

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

Multi-agency working is a strength of this home. Staff have worked with the child and external professionals to build the child’s independence skills and reduce any restrictions that are in place for them. As a result, deprivation of liberty safeguards that had been in place have been removed and they are now able to spend time outside of the home independently.

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

In recent weeks, there has been an increase in the number of significant incidents at the home. Managers attend regular multi-agency meetings to review the support being provided to the child and ensure that the strategies in place to support them are effective. When there are serious safeguarding concerns, managers work effectively with external professionals and take swift and robust action to ensure the child is kept safe. Inspection report for children's home: 2722533 4 Staff have a strong understanding of the child’s needs and they recognise the child’s triggers. Strategies are used effectively and empathetically to help the child when they are upset or angry and to prevent situations escalating. However, staff do not consistently speak to the child about keeping themselves safe, about healthy relationships and about expectations of appropriate behaviour.

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

When the child goes missing, staff generally take appropriate action. Staff attempt to contact them and report them missing to the police. When the child returns home, they are welcomed warmly.

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

Restraint is rarely used at this home. When restraint is used, this is in appropriate circumstances and to prevent serious harm. However, records of restraint do not always include enough information about the action staff have taken to help the child calm down before a hold is used. Management oversight on these records is not clear about whether any identified follow-up actions have been progressed.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home is led by a suitably experienced and qualified registered manager. A plan is in place for the current manager to step back from her role and for a gradual handover to take place between her and a new manager. The second manager has been in post for several months and has submitted her application to register with Ofsted.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager has a strong understanding of the child’s individual needs and risks and she has a clear and detailed vision for the development of the home and staff team.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Effective monitoring systems are in place for tracking the child’s progress and achievements. For example, monthly reports are completed which give a comprehensive overview of incidents that have taken place. This information is shared with staff and professionals working with the child and is used to further develop and personalise the strategies being used to support them.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Since the last inspection, the home has undergone multiple changes in staff. Managers recognise the need for a stable staff team to continue to provide the child with consistent care and have taken decisive action to stabilise the staff team and build resilience. Staff say they enjoy working at this home and feel well supported by colleagues and by visible and approachable managers.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Supervision takes place regularly and staff receive appropriate training for the needs of the child who lives at this home. After any incidents, managers support staff to speak about the event and their actions. However, these discussions are not always reflective and do not always effectively identify learning, issues relating to staff practice or individual development needs. Inspection report for children's home: 2722533 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 positive relationships standard is that children are helped to develop, and to benefit from, relationships based on—

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Requirement Due date

an understanding about acceptable behaviour; and

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Requirement Due date

positive responses to other children and adults.

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

meet each child’s behavioural and emotional needs, as set out in the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to develop socially aware behaviour;

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Requirement Due date

encourage each child to take responsibility for the child’s behaviour, in accordance with the child’s age and understanding;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to develop and practise skills to resolve conflicts positively and without harm to anyone;

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Requirement Due date

communicate to each child expectations about the child’s behaviour and ensure that the child understands those expectations in accordance with the child’s age and understanding;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand, in a way that is appropriate according to the child’s age and understanding, personal, sexual and social relationships, and how those relationships can be supportive or harmful; 22 May 2025 Inspection report for children's home: 2722533 6 help each child to develop the understanding and skills to recognise or withdraw from a damaging, exploitative or harmful relationship;

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Requirement Due date

are provided with supervision and support to enable them to understand and manage their own feelings and responses to the behaviour and emotions of children, and to help children to do the same. (Regulation 11 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(x)(xi))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that staff effectively support the child to develop their understanding of appropriate and socially aware behaviour, healthy and appropriate relationships and conflict resolution. They must also ensure that staff are given appropriate support and opportunity to reflect on their own feelings and responses to children.

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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 and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(f)) 22 May 2025

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that staff support children to find appropriate education or training and that staff advocate for children and ensure plans for their education progress without delay. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 28, paragraph 5.12) Inspection report for children's home: 2722533 7

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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: 2722533 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

Janet Jauregui, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: 2722533 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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