Children's Home run by G B A Care Limited in Calderdale

Inspection report for children’s home: SC462593 1 SC462593 Registered provider: G B A 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

The home is owned by a private company. It provides care for up to four children who may experience social and emotional difficulties. At the time of the inspection, four children were living in the home and were all spoken with.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in October 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

Date of last inspection: 16 September 2024

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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: SC462593 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

16/09/2024 Full Good 22/01/2024 Full Good 18/05/2022 Full Good 26/04/2021 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: SC462593 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff are committed in providing stability for the children. All four children spoke of having strong relationships with trusted members of staff. They spoke of being able to share personal information as well as their worries, concerns and achievements.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have access to education, and their progress reflects their individual circumstances. One child has sat their GCSE exams. However, one child has recognised that their education plan is not good enough. The manager continually challenges professionals and local authorities to ensure that children can receive full- time education in a suitable provision. Children’s education plans and timetables are adapted. Children are excused from activities that cause anxiety, such as reading aloud in class. These adapted plans help children to go to school and engage in their learning.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are in good health and are supported to meet their own health needs where appropriate, including attending routine and specialist health appointments. When children require medication, this is safely administered. Lessons have been learned from medication errors, improving staff practice. These errors did not affect children.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff recognise and are very understanding about children’s emotional difficulties and mental health. Mental health services are working with children and staff to help children manage their emotions. Staff use the guidance to develop their approaches so that their care supports children.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s moves into the home are planned well. They are welcomed by staff and the other children. They are supported to share their wishes and personalise their own bedroom. They also contribute to the decorative choices for the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children receive praise from staff, and their achievements are celebrated. There are rewards and incentives set for children to work towards.

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

All four children spoke of feeling safe and protected. There is a detailed and proactive approach to reduce harm towards children from known risks. The staff have clear communication with professionals to support the planning of safe care for each child.

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

Where children have known risks, they are understood by staff who respond proactively. When staff need to strengthen their knowledge and understanding about a specific risk to children, the manager has sourced specialist support and training. Professionals recognise the staff’s qualities and speak positively about the focused work that staff carry out with children. Inspection report for children’s home: SC462593 4 The manager and staff speak about age- and need-related risk as part of independent planning for children. Children are given the opportunity to do age- appropriate activities and tasks. Children are developing and learning new skills in the safety of the home and supported by attentive staff.

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

Children are supported to understand their emotions in a safe environment. Staff have detailed knowledge of the children’s experiences and provide clear, structured and consistent boundaries. Analysis is carried out to learn from any form of behaviours shown by the children. This helps staff to adapt their care strategies.

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

Physical intervention is used by staff as a last resort to keep children safe from harm. When children are restrained, the incident is clearly documented, reviewed and evaluated, identifying methods of de-escalation that were exhausted by staff. The manager has implemented new tracking audits. This enables the detailed analysis and triangulation of the children’s behaviours and helps to identify effective strategies.

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

There are strong working relationships with the local police. The police run early intervention programmes for the children, which helps to educate them and reduce known risks. The police spoke about having good professional links with the staff. They recognise how risk management methods are used by staff to safeguard children effectively.

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

Children have detailed knowledge of how to raise concerns if they are unhappy about the care provided to them. Investigations into allegations are timely and shared by the manager with the required professionals. Children are supported and protected from the point of their allegation and receive ongoing updates and support from trusted staff. Staff are supported during the process by managers. However, when managers carry out allegation reviews and evaluation, this process should support reflection for learning.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has a detailed knowledge of the children in their care. They are aspirational for the children and set high expectations of the staff to ensure that the children’s needs are met. Thorough monitoring and reviewing systems support the manager’s and deputy manager’s oversight of the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is clear that the progress of the children is paramount. They hold professionals to account when it is deemed that they are not meeting their duties or fulfilling their responsibilities to the children. The manager uses appropriate regulation and legislation in their challenge.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The mechanisms in place for sharing information are simple and effective. Reflective supervision sessions, team meetings and the support and guidance received from Inspection report for children’s home: SC462593 5 therapeutic services and specialist agencies support staff to fulfil their role. There is a consistent understanding and approach across the staff team.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff training is up to date, in line with the provider’s expectations. The training package offered to staff is vast and provides them with the practice knowledge to understand and respond to the needs of the individual children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Supervision sessions provide a safe and reflective environment for staff to explore their professional and personal needs. Team meetings are well attended and well planned. The time is used to support staff to develop their practice and to reflect and explore the needs of the children and how to adapt and support the children going forward.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff are very positive about their roles and the open culture in the home. Staff appreciate the opportunities provided to them and, most importantly, the opportunities offered to the children. The staff speak highly of the management team and identify it as their point of contact and support. Inspection report for children’s home: SC462593 6

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that the child protection policy of the home is followed regarding how allegations against staff members are managed. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 17, paragraph 9.44)

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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: SC462593 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 2nd Floor Brian Royd Mills, Saddleworth Road, Halifax HX4 8NF

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Inspectors

Rachel Moore, Social Care Inspector Rachael Lewis, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC462593 8 and inspects 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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