Children's Home run by Gracebridge Care in Birmingham

Inspection report for children’s home: 2644474 1 Registered provider: Gracebridge Care

p.1

Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

This home is privately owned and provides care for up to three children who may have experienced social and emotional difficulties.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

There is a suitably experienced manager in post. The manager registered with Ofsted in October 2023.

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

p.1

good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

p.1

good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

p.1

good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

p.1

good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

p.1

good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2644474 2

p.1

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

08/07/2024 Full Good 31/08/2023 Full Requires improvement to be good 14/09/2022 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2644474 3

p.2

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Since the last inspection, three children have moved into the home and three have moved out. At the time of this inspection, two children were living in the home, and both spoke with the inspector.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The manager carefully oversees children’s transitions into the home. Both the manager and staff visit children in advance and provide them with information about the home, including pictures and videos. Children are given the opportunity to visit, view their bedrooms, and spend time with staff and the other children living there. This helps them to understand their future living environment and reduces potential anxieties. One social worker commented that the home is a ‘safe and controlled environment for [name of child].’

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

When children leave, they have the opportunity to go on farewell outings and activities with staff and the other children living in the home. They also receive goodbye cards and gifts from staff. When children leave earlier than planned, these decisions are made in their best interests. The manager and staff support children to understand the reasons for their early move. Staff work in partnership with professionals to ensure that transitions to new homes are smooth and well supported. One social worker said, ‘All professionals agreed that the child needed to move out earlier than planned. This was the right decision for the child, which the registered manager advocated for. [Name of child] is doing well.’

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support children’s health needs through careful planning and effective communication with external providers. They ensure that children attend routine health appointments and, where necessary, seek specialist support, including referrals for counselling. This multi-agency approach to care ensures that children’s holistic needs are met.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children make exceptional progress in their education. For example, both children currently living in the home had been out of education for an extended period. The manager worked in partnership with external providers to identify the most suitable educational provision, tailored to each child’s individual needs. As a result, both children now attend education regularly. One professional commented, ‘The staff are really good at keeping [name of child] academically engaged.’ Staff actively encourage children to be ambitious about their futures. One child spoke proudly about recently completing their GCSE exams and wanting to pursue a career in construction.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children make good progress in developing their independence skills. They are able to prepare simple meals and keep their bedrooms clean and tidy. One child has particularly thrived, taking the initiative to arrange their own family visits and applying for apprenticeships and college courses to pursue further education. These experiences help Inspection report for children’s home: 2644474 4 children build essential life skills such as responsibility, organisation and decision-making, which prepare them for adulthood.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home provides a warm and welcoming environment, with pictures of the children displayed throughout. Children’s bedrooms are personalised to reflect their choices, and photos of their families are displayed on the walls, creating a space that feels truly their own. One child said, ‘The home is really nice.’ These thoughtful touches help children develop a strong sense of belonging, making the home feel safe, familiar and deeply personal.

p.4

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

The manager and staff have a clear understanding of the risks faced by children. Effective systems are in place to keep children safe, including detailed behaviour risk management plans. These plans provide staff with practical strategies to minimise potential dangers and protect children. Relevant information is linked to research and theory to deepen staff understanding of the rationale behind the safety measures. One child said, ‘Staff are really kind to me, and I feel safe here.’

p.4

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

Disclosures and complaints are managed effectively. The manager ensures that children are safe and protected from harm, and she keeps them informed of the outcomes. These actions help children feel confident in raising concerns, knowing they will be taken seriously and that they are safe in their environment.

p.4

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

Staff respond promptly when children go missing from the home. They follow missing- from-home protocols, actively search for the children, and work with the local police until the children are found. When children return, staff spend time with them, offering the opportunity to share any worries or anxieties and to discuss their reasons for going missing and how to prevent future occurrences.

p.4

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

Staff support children to learn about risks and how to keep themselves safe. One child said, ‘I don’t go missing anymore. I don’t need to. I am cared for by all the staff.’ In addition, the manager escalates concerns to external professionals to ensure that children receive holistic support. This good practice promotes a collaborative approach to the provision of care, addresses all aspects of children’s well-being, and ensures that no area of need is overlooked.

p.4

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

Staff manage children’s behaviour well. Physical intervention is only used as a last resort, after all de-escalation techniques have been exhausted. The manager maintains oversight of all incidents and holds discussions with both children and staff afterwards. In addition, staff support children to reflect on what has happened, giving them the opportunity to express how they are feeling.

p.4

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

Staff use a nurturing approach when children hurt themselves. They seek medical advice when needed and provide appropriate first aid. Through supportive conversations, staff help children to understand their thoughts and emotions. When necessary, children are Inspection report for children’s home: 2644474 5 referred to specialist health professionals, and strategies are implemented to reduce the likelihood of further incidents.

p.4

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

The internal systems for monitoring children’s internet use are effective. Parental controls ensure that children can only access age-appropriate content. Additionally, staff educate children about potential online risks and responsible behaviour. These actions help children to use the internet safely.

p.5

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

Health and safety procedures, including fire safety arrangements, are well established. The home has received a gold award, the highest health and safety grading from the independent organisation. Children take part in regular fire drills and know how to evacuate the home safely in an emergency. This ensures that children live in an environment where high standards of care and safety are consistently maintained.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager is experienced and dedicated. She is child-centred and has high aspirations for both the children and the staff team. She fosters a culture of positivity and maintains high expectations of her staff to improve the lives of the children in their care. The manager has created an ethos of continuous learning and development, ensuring that children receive the highest quality of care.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff speak positively about the support they receive from the manager. One member of staff said, ‘The manager has got the gift of letting you do the job and get on with it, while supporting us all the time.’

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

An experienced and motivated staff team supports the children. Staff access a range of training and research that informs their practice and meets children’s diverse individual needs. They work collaboratively to implement this learning in their day-to-day care. The dedication of the staff team and the quality of care provided are evident in the good progress children make and the positive outcomes they experience.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff are supported through practice-related supervision. Reflective discussions about children’s well-being and safeguarding are central to these sessions. The manager recognises the importance of staff welfare, helping to ensure that staff are well prepared and supported to provide the care children need.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager leads reflective team meetings that provide valuable learning opportunities to enhance staff practice. During these sessions, staff are encouraged to explore research and theories that support each child’s individual needs, such as addressing attachment issues and managing emotions. One child said, ‘Since living in the home, I have learnt to control myself and not get so angry.’

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Partnership working with external agencies is excellent. All external professionals commended the manager and staff for their highly effective communication and the high quality of care provided to children. Inspection report for children’s home: 2644474 6 Overall, the manager’s monitoring systems are effective. However, while the manager updates the home’s Statement of Purpose, the revised document is not submitted to the regulator in line with regulatory requirements. This shortfall was identified at the last inspection and remains unresolved. Additionally, staff do not always clearly record information following incidents. As a result, the manager is unable to maintain clear oversight or effectively monitor staff practice. The manager has committed to immediately implementing processes to address these shortfalls. Inspection report for children’s home: 2644474 7

p.5

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.

p.7

Requirement Due date

The registered person must compile in relation to the children’s home a statement ("the statement of purpose") which covers the matters listed in Schedule 1.

p.7

Requirement Due date

The registered person must— keep the statement of purpose under review and, where appropriate, revise it; and

p.7

Requirement Due date

notify HMCI of any revisions and send HMCI a copy of the revised statement within 28 days of the revision.

p.7

Requirement Due date

(Regulation 16 (1) (3)(a)(b)) 30 August 2025

p.7

Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that staff are familiar with the home’s policies on record-keeping and understand the importance of careful, objective, and clear recording (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4)

p.7

Information about this inspection

The inspector has 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: 2644474 8

p.7

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Arden Lodge, 946 Warwick Road, Acocks Green, Birmingham B27 6QG

p.8

Inspector

Jas Nahar, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2644474 9 regulates 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.

p.8

Inspector

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.9

Inspector

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.9

Inspector

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.9