Children's Home run by Guiding Light Residential Care Ltd in Derbyshire

Inspection report for children’s home: 2812944 1 Registered provider: Guiding Light Residential Care Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home registered with Ofsted in January 2025 and is operated by a private provider. It offers care for up to two children who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, one child was living at the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in January 2025.

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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: 2812944 2

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child living at the home was consulted as part of the inspection.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Since the home registered with Ofsted, three children have moved in and two children have moved out. Only one child has lived at the home at any one time.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is warm and welcoming and is maintained to a high standard. A calm and nurturing ‘snug’ room has been created as a dedicated space for the child to relax whenever they wish to use it. The child is proud of their artwork, which is celebrated and displayed in the room. This attention to detail has helped the child to develop a sense of belonging in the short time they have lived at the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The manager acted promptly and decisively in upskilling the staff team to meet the needs of a child who was moving into the home. This proactive approach ensured that the child was safely and consistently supported from the outset. The manager reviews the skills and capabilities of staff and implements additional training to equip the staff team with the necessary skills to meet children’s needs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

One child who has recently moved into the home has a history of being home-schooled, and therefore no formal education arrangements are in place. With limited academic history available, staff have introduced informal learning through daily activities, exploring the local area and supporting the child’s interests using their new laptop. The child has particularly enjoyed practical tasks, such as cooking with staff, which supports their independence and confidence. Staff have started to introduce the child sensitively to their new school, which they will start next term.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff help children understand the impact of their behaviour through conversation and by modelling a restorative approach. Incentives are used to encourage good choices, and children are supported in setting personalised, achievable goals aligned with their individual needs. For one child whose behaviour poses fewer safeguarding risks, the focus has shifted to promoting a consistent daily routine and reinforcing positive choices through encouragement.

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

Staff demonstrate strong commitment and resilience when supporting children with complex mental health needs and high-risk behaviours, including self-harm. Despite the intensity of these challenges, they consistently prioritise the child’s emotional safety and well-being by providing nurturing care throughout their time at the home. Robust risk management strategies are implemented to safeguard the child, and staff engage in open and supportive communication with the child and their mother. Inspection report for children’s home: 2812944 3 Staff work collaboratively with external professionals to ensure a consistent, multi- agency response that supports children holistically. Although one child has since moved on from the home, it remains evident that the team maintains strong commitment during periods of difficulty. Staff communicate their concerns clearly and work constructively with the local authority to ensure that they have the relevant information to inform the

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

Staff respond to missing-from-home incidents with a coordinated and child-focused approach. One child was reported missing before even moving into the home and meeting the team. Staff travelled to their location to introduce themselves and offer support, helping to build rapport and facilitate a safe move into the home. The placing authority opted to relocate the child closer to their home area. The manager’s robust safeguarding oversight prompted her to formally raise concerns about this decision, advocating for the child’s welfare and highlighting potential risks associated with the move.

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

Physical intervention is used only when necessary to ensure the safety and well-being of children. In one instance, a hold was deemed unnecessary by the manager. The matter was addressed swiftly, with the child’s complaint taken seriously and investigated in line with the home’s safeguarding procedures. The investigation identifies staff misconduct, leading managers to act swiftly and decisively. These actions demonstrate a robust safeguarding culture, maintaining high standards of professional conduct and reflective practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Although new to the role, the registered manager brings considerable experience from a long-standing career in children’s residential care. Her practice is informed by high expectations, and she clearly understands what good care looks like. An experienced deputy provides strong, consistent leadership alongside her. This leadership fosters a clear, shared purpose across the team, which underpins the delivery of nurturing and child-centred care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager provides strong oversight of the home, as evidenced by her thorough review of documentation and her commitment to fulfilling key responsibilities, including analysing and evaluating practice. She has established a clear and ambitious vision for the home and is proactive in identifying development priorities for her team. Through her focus on staff development and a culture of continuous improvement, the manager establishes a solid foundation for raising care standards and securing positive outcomes for children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager sets high expectations for the quality and accuracy of documentation, ensuring that it reflects the lived experiences of children in the home. While there is a clear effort to use child-focused language, some terminology, such as referring to family time as ‘contact’, does not always align with the home’s nurturing and non-stigmatising ethos. The manager recognises that shifting to more emotionally sensitive language Inspection report for children’s home: 2812944 4 requires consistency across the staff team. She is taking steps to embed this change in everyday practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Regular team meetings and supervision are well attended and used purposely to build staff knowledge and strengthen professional practice. These forums provide a structured and supportive space for reflective discussion, enabling staff to share learning, take collective responsibility for improving children’s experiences and celebrate good practice. There is a consistent focus on children’s welfare, with opportunities to reinforce shared values, embed good practice and promote a culture of continuous learning across the team. Inspection report for children’s home: 2812944 5

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that staff record information about individual children in a non-stigmatising way that is helpful to the child. Consideration should be given to using ‘language that cares’. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4)

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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: 2812944 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Guiding Light Residential Care Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 47 Pandora Drive, Peterborough PE2 8HD

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Inspector

Kayleigh Spinks, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2812944 7 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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