Children's Home run by Guidance Care Limited in Lancashire

Inspection report for children's home: 2739597 1 Registered provider: Guidance Care 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

This home is owned and operated by a private provider. It offers care for up to two children who experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, there were two children living in the home.

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Information about this children’s home

There is a manager in post who registered with Ofsted in December 2024.

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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: requires improvement to be good

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Enforcement action since last inspection:

This home was judged to have serious and/or widespread concerns at the assurance inspection on 3 September 2024. Following this inspection, Ofsted issued two compliance notices under section 22A of the Care Standards Act 2000. These related to Regulation 12, the protection of children standard, and Regulation 13, the leadership and management standard.

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Enforcement action since last inspection:

A monitoring visit was carried out on 1 October 2024. At this visit, the compliance notice relating to Regulation 12, the protection of children standard, was deemed to have been Inspection report for children's home: 2739597 2 met. A further compliance notice was issued under Regulation 13, the leadership and management standard.

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Enforcement action since last inspection:

A monitoring visit was carried out on 28 October 2024. The compliance notice relating to Regulation 13, the leadership and management standard, was deemed to have been met following this visit. Inspection report for children's home: 2739597 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

12/06/2024 Full Requires improvement to be good 27/02/2024 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children's home: 2739597 4

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported by staff who know them well. They have positive relationships with staff, who treat them with dignity and respect. Staff speak fondly and passionately about the children in their care. Children spoken to said that if they have any worries or concerns, they can speak to staff about these, and they will listen.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported to take part in activities that meet their social and emotional needs, as well as promote their life skills, such as playing football, going to the park, visiting the arcades, shopping, baking and cooking.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support children to spend time with their families, in line with their agreed plans. They take children to visit their families. This ensures that they can maintain relationships that are important to them. Staff share information with family and ensure that they are notified of key events and children’s achievements.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff ensure that children’s health and well-being needs are met. Staff support children to attend routine health appointments and ensure that they have access to specific health and well-being professionals, such as mental health support and therapeutic input, when needed. However, specialist bereavement support has not been provided for children.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have positive attendance at school and are making progress in line with their targets. Staff support children to attend their schools each day and encourage them to do well in their education. When children have been excluded or have no education provision, staff support educational activity throughout the day and advocate for a return to education as soon as possible.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

When children are new to the home, assessments are completed before they move into the home. These take into account all relevant and necessary information about the child and the staff’s ability to meet their needs. However, assessments do not consider how children’s behaviour may impact each other and how this will be mitigated. Staff support children to move into the home as sensitively as possible, taking into consideration their individual circumstances.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

When children have moved out of the home, the manager has made informed and considered decisions about when it has been necessary to end children’s placements. Staff have worked with the child, placing authority and new placements, where possible, to support them to move to their new home. Inspection report for children's home: 2739597 5

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

There have been no safeguarding issues, concerns or allegations since the last inspection. Staff are suitably trained in safeguarding subjects and are aware of the process to follow should a concern arise.

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

Support plans and risk assessments are detailed documents that are frequently updated to include current and relevant information. They provide clear guidance and strategies for staff to provide consistent support to children. However, there is not clear information in these plans to give guidance for staff regarding effective approaches to physical intervention.

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

Physical intervention is not regularly used. This is due to the effectiveness of behaviour support strategies and positive relationships between staff and children. When it has been necessary to physically hold a child to keep them safe, it has been reasonable and proportionate. The manager has thorough oversight of the reports and ensures that staff’s actions are reflected on after the incident. Children are supported to explore their understanding of why a hold was used and to discuss their feelings about the incident.

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

When children go missing from the home, there are clear and comprehensive plans in place for staff to follow. The manager and staff work with external professionals, such as the local police, to ensure that there are well-coordinated responses when children go missing from the home. Staff are proactive in their searches to locate children and support them to return home safely. Once children return home, staff show professional curiosity to gain a picture of where the child has been and who with. This is then used to inform protocols. The manager has oversight of these reports and has identified trends and lessons learned to help reduce the likelihood of reoccurrence.

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

Direct-work sessions are frequent and cover topics that are associated with the children’s individual needs and vulnerabilities. In the main, this is conversational and takes place across the whole staff team. However, when needed, it is completed in response to a significant event and is targeted to a specific topic.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home is managed by an experienced manager. Staff spoken to describe the manager as supportive and always available for guidance and advice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has improved her systems for the monitoring and oversight of the home. The manager uses these systems effectively to highlight positive practice and to address any shortfalls and drive improvements.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There have been some periods of inconsistency since the last inspection. However, there is now a steady and consistent staff team. Children are supported by staff who know them well, which provides stability for them. Staff have clear roles and responsibilities and have a shared sense of ownership and accountability. Inspection report for children's home: 2739597 6 The manager and staff are committed to working together with parents, placing authorities and schools. These positive and effective working relationships make sure that children consistently receive a high level of care and ensure that there is a wraparound approach to supporting children’s progress and achievements.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff are suitably qualified and are trained in key topics. However, not all staff are trained in topics specific to the individual needs of the children, such as sexualised behaviours and bereavement support.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff have regular supervision sessions. These are a learning opportunity for staff to reflect on their practice and identify lessons learned. They are also an opportunity for the manager to support staff welfare. Team meetings are held regularly and are well attended by staff. They are used as a forum for staff to get together as a team and to discuss any updates or address any issues arising.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager and staff take pride in the home environment and ensure that it is maintained to a high standard, meets the needs of the children and feels and looks like a family home. It is a nice place for children to live. Inspection report for children's home: 2739597 7

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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 health and well-being standard is that—

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Requirement Due date

the health and well-being needs of children are met; and

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Requirement Due date

children receive advice, services and support in relation to their health and well-being. (Regulation 10 (1)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that children receive suitable bereavement support. 25 June 2025

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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

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(c))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that staff are trained in subjects relevant to meeting children’s individual needs. 25 June 2025

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that approaches to restraint are detailed in children’s support plans. The context in which restraint is used should also recognise that, as a result of past experiences, children will have a unique understanding of their circumstances that will affect their response to restraint by adults responsible for Inspection report for children's home: 2739597 8 their care. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 48, paragraph 9.54)  The registered person should ensure that there are procedures in place for welcoming and introducing each child to the home and that they are sensitive to the needs of each child at the time of arrival. This should include a plan to identify and mitigate any behaviours or risks from children that may negatively impact on each other. (‘Guide to the Children’s Home Regulations’, page 57, paragraph 11.7)

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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: 2739597 9

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Guidance Care Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Unit 8, Sovereign Court, Wyrefields, Poulton Industrial Estate, Poulton-le-Fylde FY6 8JX

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Lorraine Anderson

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Inspector

Katie Tomlinson, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: 2739597 10 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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