Children's home run by Gratia Cura Residential Ltd

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2798304 1 Registered provider: Gratia Cura Residential Ltd

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This private children’s home is registered to care for up to three children with social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, there were no children living at the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The home has been registered with Ofsted since November 2024.

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Information about this children’s home

The home has appointed a new manager who has applied to register with Ofsted.

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This monitoring visit

This home was judged inadequate at the full inspection on 9 and 10 April 2025. There were no children living at the home at the time of the inspection. Due to serious concerns about the provider’s ability to protect children, a suspension notice was issued following the inspection. This meant that the home could not admit any children into the home. No children have been admitted to the home and therefore the provider has abided by the notice.

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This monitoring visit

This visit took place to monitor progress after the inadequate inspection and to monitor what action the provider has taken since the suspension notice was issued.

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This monitoring visit

Prior to the last inspection, most of the staff team had resigned, including the home’s manager. Only three members of staff continued to be employed, and a manager from one of the organisation’s other homes was brought in to oversee this home. Since then, the provider has appointed six new staff who have all received an intensive induction. All staff have also received training that supports their skills to provide care to children. Leaders are keen to ensure that each member of staff has skills and knowledge at the same level so that they can all work collaboratively to protect the children in their care. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2798304 2 Leaders have reviewed the missing-from-home policy, the care plan and risk assessment procedures and the admissions processes. They have made appropriate changes that demonstrate that children will be at the heart of all their work and

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This monitoring visit

ensure that children are protected from harm.

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This monitoring visit

Leaders have appointed a psychologist who will formulate an assessment within four weeks of a child being admitted to the home, exploring the child’s needs in a therapeutic way. This assessment will inform the child’s day-to-day care plan.

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This monitoring visit

Staff’s and management’s morale is very positive, and they are working cohesively to ensure that they have a strong and supportive team. Managers have arranged several team activities to establish trust and rapport between the staff members, ensuring that they have an established positive relationship between them before they have care of children.

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This monitoring visit

Staff say that the managers are supportive and that they are receiving fortnightly one-to-one supervision. Managers have also set up monthly group supervision for the staff by the newly appointed psychologist. This will enhance the staff team’s understanding of the children’s emotional needs and help them to offer appropriate support to children.

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This monitoring visit

Managers and staff are committed and are eager to learn and to continue to make improvements.

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This monitoring visit

Most of the requirements made at the full inspection have been met. However, it has not been possible to establish whether some of the requirements have been met because there have been no children at the home. These requirements have been reinstated and will be reviewed at the next full inspection. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2798304 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

09/04/2025 Full Inadequate Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2798304 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;

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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

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;

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Requirement Due date

that the home’s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm;

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Requirement Due date

that the effectiveness of the home’s child protection policies is monitored regularly. Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(v)(vi)(b)(e)) 30 August 2025 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2798304 5 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—

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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 develop the understanding and skills to recognise or withdraw from a damaging, exploitative or harmful relationship;

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Requirement Due date

strive to gain each child’s respect and trust;

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Requirement Due date

understand how children’s previous experiences and present emotions can be communicated through behaviour and have the competence and skills to interpret these and develop positive relationships with children;

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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; 30 August 2025 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2798304 6 de-escalate confrontations with or between children, or potentially violent behaviour by children;

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Requirement Due date

understand and communicate to children that bullying is unacceptable; and

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Requirement Due date

have the skills to recognise incidents or indications of bullying and how to deal with them; and

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Requirement Due date

that each child is encouraged to build and maintain positive relationships with others. (Regulation 11 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vii)(viii)(ix) (x)(xi)(xii)(xiii)(b))

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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 promotes their welfare.

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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

lead and manage the home in a way that is consistent with the approach and ethos, and delivers the outcomes, set out in the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff work as a team where appropriate;

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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

ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to 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— 30 August 2025 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2798304 7 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; and

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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)(a)(b)(c)(d)(e)(f)(g)(i)(ii)(h))

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Requirement Due date

The quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children;

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Requirement Due date

use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential.

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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 and apply the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

understand and apply the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

protect and promote each child’s welfare;

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Requirement Due date

treat each child with dignity and respect;

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Requirement Due date

provide personalised care that meets each child’s needs, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans, taking account of the child’s background;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand and manage the impact of any experience of abuse or neglect. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)) 30 August 2025

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Recommendation

 The registered person should have a system in place so that all serious events are notified, within 24 hours, to the appropriate people. The system should cover the action that should be followed if the event arises at the weekend or on a public holiday. Notification must include details of the action taken by the home’s staff in Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2798304 8 response to the event. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 63, paragraph 14.13)

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Information about this inspection

The purpose of this visit was to monitor the action taken and the progress made by the children’s home since its last Ofsted inspection.

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Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2798304 9

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Gratia Cura Residential Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 6 Park Road, Didcot OX11 8QW

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Inspector

Shaheda Dhandia, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2798304 10 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 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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