Children's home run by Gloucester Family Care Ltd

Inspection report for children’s home: 2808212 1 Registered provider: Gloucester Family Care Ltd

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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 by a private provider and provides care for up to three children who experience social and emotional difficulties. This the first inspection after registration, and two children were living in the home and both were present.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager and the home registered with Ofsted in March 2025. The manager was absent for the inspection.

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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 outstanding

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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: not applicable Inspection report for children’s home: 2808212 2

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children like living at the home, they feel safe and are well-supported by staff, and they feel listened to.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have good school attendance and enjoy engaging in education. When children are not attending education, staff encourage children to participate in learning activities.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have made good progress, and this is demonstrated in their social skills, their understanding of boundaries and being open with staff. Children are supported to learn practical skills in preparation for independence. Staff have supported them to bake, keep their room tidy and do their own laundry. Children are given realistic goals and incentives to work towards these.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff help children maintain positive relationships and enjoy quality time with family members and people that are important to them. Friends visit the home, and children regularly spend time with them in the community. Children take part in a range of trips and activities, such as visits to a theme park, bike riding in the forest and holidays at the beach. Children also participate in community activities and regular after-school clubs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support children to meet their health and well-being needs. They are registered with local universal services and attend all appointments. Staff prepare children so they know what to expect, which helps alleviate any anxiety.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

One professional said that children are relaxed and settled in the home, that there is good communication with staff, and that they are impressed with staff responses. If there are concerns, staff inform the appropriate people and seek support for children.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children regularly express their views, wishes and feelings. These are in natural and open conversations with staff. Staff interactions with children are warm and caring. There are nice conversations, positive encouragement and good-humoured interactions. Children also engage with advocates, so they have external support outside the home.

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

When children move into the home, they are prepared for the move. Arrangements are made to help alleviate anxiety and so children feel welcome. This includes children visiting the home to meet staff, participation in planned activities to start building relationships, and involving children in decorating their bedroom.

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

Children have access to devices with internet access, but there are filtering systems in place, and staff support children to understand how to keep themselves safe online. Staff help children to understand a range of topics, including healthy relationships and safe boundaries. Inspection report for children’s home: 2808212 3 There have been no incidents of children missing from the home, no use of restraint, and no safeguarding concerns since the home opened. However, staff have robust training, so they feel confident to manage any concerns if they arise.

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

There have been no complaints or concerns about staff. However, when children raise concerns about other matters, leaders and managers address these swiftly. They investigate and feedback to children, so they feel listened to and aware of outcomes.

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

There have been no medication errors in the home. Managers have a robust and efficient system in place when medication is administered to children, so they can track and monitor use in the home. Following training, all staff complete additional tasks, before they are signed off to administer medication to children. This is so managers have confidence that staff have the skills and knowledge to safely manage medications.

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

Children’s plans are thorough and support staff to have an in-depth understanding of children’s needs and help them keep safe. Staff use effective strategies to help children to express themselves safely. Reviews ensure that staff are kept up to date and informed about any changes to children’s plans.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered manager was absent from the home, so the deputy manager led the inspection. She has an excellent oversight of the home and knowledge of children. She is a confident manager, and she demonstrated that the home places children at the forefront of all decision-making.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The deputy manager is very child focused and is keen to provide children with a therapeutic and nurturing environment so they feel loved, settled and can flourish. She said the home strives to provide children a ‘home from home’ experience. Leaders and managers work cohesively to provide children with a high level of care. Managers and staff are excellent advocates for children and represent children’s views at meetings and challenge when necessary to ensure that children’s needs are met.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff said leaders and managers provide exceptional support and have arranged a wealth of training, so staff have the confidence to meet children’s needs. Staff receive regular group and one-to-one supervision with a clinical lead, so they can seek guidance and advice, and improve their practice for children. Staff said there are strong family values and a sense of inclusion for children, that children are listened to, and their best interests are the focus in the home. Staff said they enjoy working at the home and spending time with children. This is because of the positive and trusting relationships that they have built with children and the environment they have created, so children feel valued, empowered and safe.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff said that leaders and managers aim to create a sense of belonging, as well as following the values, which are community, inclusion and safety. Staff support one another in a positive way to improve their practice for children. Staff have supported Inspection report for children’s home: 2808212 4 children to overcome challenges by providing constant reassurance, patience and understanding. They help children process the trauma they have experienced, offering them a safe space to talk, consistent emotional support, and the tools to begin building a positive future.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered manager has good oversight of documents, and monitoring and review systems are in place. However, although an independent person has visited the home, this has not been at least once a month. Leaders and managers said they understand this shortfall and recognise this is an area for improvement. Inspection report for children’s home: 2808212 5

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Recommendations

 The registered person should actively seek independent scrutiny of the home and make best use of information from independent and internal monitoring (including under regulations 44 and 45) to ensure continuous improvement. In particular, the registered manager should ensure that independent visits occur at least once per month. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 55, paragraph 10.24)

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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: 2808212 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Gloucester Family Care Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Office 2, Floor 2, Messenger House, 35 St. Michael’s Square, Gloucester, Gloucestershire GL1 1HX

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Inspector

Emma Fryer, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2808212 7 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.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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