Children's Home run by GSM Ardent Rawcliffe Limited in Liverpool

Inspection report children's home: 2822002 1 Registered provider: GSM ARDENT RAWCLIFFE LIMITED (15612913)

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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 home is owned and operated by a private provider. It is registered for up to two children who may experience social or emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children's home

The home was registered by Ofsted in January 2025.

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Information about this children's home

One child was living at the home at this inspection and has lived at the home since registration.

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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

Overall judgement at last inspection: not applicable

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children's home: 2822002 2

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child moved to the home after a period of instability and uncertainty. Since coming to live at the home he has developed warm and trusting relationships with staff. The strength of these relationships and the consistent child-centred approach from staff to the child’s care has supported him to make significant progress. As a result, a court ordered restriction of the child’s liberty, in place when he moved into the home, has been removed.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child has been encouraged to build relationships with peers outside of the home and to develop an active lifestyle. He is able to spend time with children from the organisation’s other home and has built positive relationships. He is involved in a range of activities outside of the home which keep him busy and give him the opportunity to develop new interests and hobbies.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff have been proactive in registering the child with all relevant health services. The child’s mental health needs are being met through local child and adolescent mental health services. Staff have advocated for further assessment of the child’s emotional health needs, ensuring that he has all the relevant support to continue his progress.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff has supported the child to maintain relationships with family members. Staff have a good understanding of the past trauma the child and his wider family have experienced and the impact this has on their relationships. The staff act in the child’s best interests to ensure that family time is a positive experience for him.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Until recently the child has continued to attend his previous school which is some distance from the home. This provision is no longer available to him and the need for the child to have a suitable school identified is a priority for the registered manager, who continues to be tenacious in his approach to securing this.

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

A skilled staff team use their knowledge of the child to reduce the levels of risks Staff are informed in their practice by comprehensive care records, risk assessments and plans.

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

Staff are trained in the home’s model of practice, helping them to respond to risk in ways that are supportive and beneficial to the child. Records of incidents demonstrate that staff use consistent and effective strategies when managing the child’s heightened emotions. However, these strategies are not clearly detailed in the written behaviour support plans. Despite this, staff have continued to respond appropriately and have successfully maintained the child’s safety. Inspection report children's home: 2822002 3 Staff had a clear understanding of their responsibilities while the child was subject to court-ordered restrictions on his liberty. Following the removal of this order, staff have appropriately adjusted their practice to support the child’s return to everyday life with minimal restrictions. This approach continues to safeguard the child while promoting his independence and personal development.

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

Following the ending of the restriction of liberty order, the manager acted swiftly to remove key locks to the external doors to the home. This means the child is not subject to any additional measures which are no longer needed to keep him safe.

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

There has been a reduction in the need for staff to physically hold the child to keep him and staff safe at times of emotional upset. When staff have had to use physical intervention, it has been proportionate and appropriate. Records of these incidents are comprehensive and provide a clear explanation of staff practice and decision making.

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

The child is spoken to after each incident of physical restraint and his views sought. For the most part this conversation takes place with a member of staff who has been involved in the incident. The registered manager completes an evaluation of staff practice. However, records do not include the managers discussion with the child. It is therefore not clear if the child has an opportunity to talk to someone who was not involved in the intervention.

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

There have been no safeguarding incidents which have required information to be shared with Ofsted in line with regulation. The registered manager has a good understanding of his safeguarding responsibilities and the expectations in relation to information sharing with the local authority, Ofsted, and other key stakeholders.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leadership and management of the home is strong. The skilled and experienced registered manager is supported by an experienced deputy. The registered manager is also registered for another home within the organisation.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager’s time at the home is not recorded on the staffing rota. As result there is a lack of transparency and accountability in terms of his allocation of time between the two homes.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager said that he receives a good level of support from the responsible individual, including supervision and monthly audits of practice within the home. However, since the home’s registration, only one written record of auditing activity has been provided by the responsible individual. Additionally, the registered manager does not have copies of his supervision records conducted by the responsible individual. The absence of written documentation makes it difficult to evaluate the quality and effectiveness of the responsible individual’s oversight. Inspection report children's home: 2822002 4 The registered manager ensures that staff have the skills and understanding to undertake their roles. Staff have regular training and supervision of their practice which helps them to develop and provide child centred care. Staff are enthusiastic and committed to their role in the home and as a result are making a positive difference to

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager and deputy manager are both vocal and effective advocates for the child. They provide regular and appropriate challenge to the child’s local authority. This ongoing advocacy helps to ensure the child has the right support in place to meet his needs and give him the best opportunity to continue to make progress in his life. Inspection report children's home: 2822002 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, 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

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home.

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, that the responsible individual provides written records of monitoring activity she has undertaken and records of the registered manager's practice supervision in a timely manner and ensures these are accessible in the home. 30 September 2025

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that children's plans detail what specific actions staff should undertake to keep children safe and encourage positive behaviours. ('Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards', page 42, paragraph 9.5)

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that records of physical intervention demonstrate that the child has had the opportunity to speak to a person not involved in the intervention about their experience. ('Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards', page 50, paragraph 9.60) Inspection report children's home: 2822002 6  The registered person should ensure that records detailed in regulations 35-39 are kept in children's homes. In particular, the registered manager should ensure that their presence at the home and their working hours are clearly recorded on the staffing rota. ('Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards', page 62, paragraph 14.3)

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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 children's home: 2822002 7

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Children's home details

Registered provider: GSM ARDENT RAWCLIFFE LIMITED (15612913)

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Children's home details

Registered provider address: C/O Jks Accountants Limited Suite 6a, 10 Duke Street, Liverpool L1 5AS

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Inspector

Dawn Parton, social care inspector Inspection report children's home: 2822002 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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Inspector

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