Children's Home run by Flourish (Gloucestershire) Limited in Worcestershire

Inspection report for children's home: 2801970 1 Registered provider: Flourish Gloucestershire 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 is the first inspection since the home registered with Ofsted in October 2024. It is owned by a private organisation and is registered to provide care for up to three children with special educational needs and/or learning disabilities.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager and responsible individual have been in post since the home registered with Ofsted. The registered manager is working towards a level 5 qualification in leadership and management in children’s care.

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Information about this children’s home

Two children were living at the home at the time of the inspection. One other child has moved out of 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: 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: 2801970 2

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children experience loving and nurturing care from staff who demonstrate persistence and are aware of children’s emotional well-being. This helps them to feel safe and enables them to trust staff, often confiding in them. One child has lived in the home for a short period. Staff found it difficult to manage the child’s behaviours. This resulted in an escalation of missing-from-home episodes and associated risks. A multi-agency decision supported the child’s wish to move from the home. Despite this change to the child’s initial care plan, staff supported the child’s move to ensure that they benefited from a positive ending.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff have a clear understanding of children’s individualised needs. They use effective communication aids that are individual to each child alongside verbal prompts. This practice contributes to the significant progress children are making. For example, one child’s speech has improved since living in the home. They can now say the names of staff who care for them. Children receive support from staff with their daily routines, which provides them with structure and familiarity. This helps to reduce anxiety for children and supports them during evening routines and as they move between activities throughout the day.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children enjoy spending time with people who are important to them. They have a strong sense of belonging. They benefit from positive relationships with children they live with. They share experiences and spend time together. One child described their peer and the registered manager as their best friend. Nurturing relationships that are important to children promote opportunities to develop their social and emotional needs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Health needs are supported well by staff. Children attend regular health appointments, and their general health is good. Leaders and managers advocate for assessments where diagnoses are unclear to ensure children’s needs are fully understood. Staff are creative in supporting children to engage and develop their independence, especially around personal hygiene routines.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s engagement with education is mixed. One child attends a school regularly and is making good progress. When there are barriers to a child accessing school, staff work well with education providers. For example, there is now a plan for one child to have support from a tutor, and this is in addition to their part-time school programme.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Some staff have left. This has resulted in the use of agency staff and the manager covering some shifts. This means children have not always been able to access community activities. However, the manager ensures children are supported by staff who are familiar to them to provide continuity of care. Inspection report for children's home: 2801970 3

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

When children go missing from home, there is a well-coordinated response from staff. This reduces the risk of harm to children who are not where they are expected to be. Reflections on incidents inform future strategies to keep children safe. For example, the manager increased staff to help manage and reduce incidents. When children return, staff are nurturing and explore children’s feelings. This helps them to understand their experiences when away from the home.

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

When allegations are made, leaders and managers take appropriate action to investigate concerns. Relevant professionals are informed, including the local authority designated officer. However, there has been a delay for some investigations led by the local authority. As a result, outcomes have not been shared with the children in a timely manner.

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

There is a reduction in children hurting themselves. When incidents occur, these are managed well by staff. Risk management plans do not always provide clear guidance for staff to follow and are not regularly updated following incidents. The manager does not always review incidents where children hurt themselves, and records are occasionally confused with accident records.

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

Staff understand risks associated with children’s internet use. However, monitoring children’s online activity is inconsistent, particularly for children with known vulnerabilities. When restrictions are imposed on children to help keep them safe, they are not reviewed promptly after the child has been supported to develop their online safety knowledge.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is passionate about caring for children. This has been a challenging period, requiring a newly established staff team to manage complex behaviours. Managers and leaders have reflected on this time and intend to use learning to inform future decisions.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The staff team is dedicated. Senior leaders support the manager and staff. They are present in the home and know the children well. Senior leaders have robust monitoring systems to provide additional oversight.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers have worked well to recruit to vacancies, and new members of staff have been appointed and are waiting to start. Effective recruitment processes are implemented. This reduces the risk of children being cared for by unsuitable individuals.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager does not complete regular supervision sessions with staff. The quality of supervision records does not always reflect individual practices and focus on the needs of children. It is not clear if supervision sessions are always carried out by experienced, suitable people. Despite this, staff do feel supported by the manager. Inspection report for children's home: 2801970 4 Staff receive a variety of training. However, the manager has not ensured that all staff have completed the required training for their role. For example, staff have not completed training specific to the individual needs of a child who has a diagnosed condition. This has the potential to affect the quality of individualised care the child receives. Inspection report for children's home: 2801970 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 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;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child;

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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;

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Requirement Due date

demonstrate that practice in the home is informed and improved by taking into account and acting on—

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Requirement Due date

research and developments in relation to the ways in which the needs of children are best met; and

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Requirement Due date

feedback on the experiences of children, including complaints received.

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Requirement Due date

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(c)(d)(f)(g)(i)(ii)(h)) 14 September 2025 Inspection report for children's home: 2801970 6 In particular, the registered person must ensure that they use monitoring and review systems to evaluate incidents to improve practices. Ensure that children’s records are updated so staff have clear guidance to promote consistent care approaches.

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Requirement Due date

Ensure that restrictions imposed to protect children are reviewed without delay and reinstated at the earliest opportunity.

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Requirement Due date

Ensure that staff complete training specific to the children who live in the home and to their role.

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Requirement Due date

Ensure that staff are supervised regularly and that supervision is of good quality.

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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: 2801970 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Flourish Gloucestershire Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 27 Westend Office Suites, Westend, Stonehouse GL10 3FA

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Samantha Summers

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Inspector

Joanne Humphreys, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: 2801970 8 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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