Children's Home run by Within Reach Services Limited in Gloucestershire

Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2808008 1 Registered provider: Within Reach Services Limited

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is operated by a private provider and provides care for up to two children who have experienced social and emotional difficulties. At the time of this inspection, two children were living at the home and they both spoke with the inspector.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager’s post is vacant. The home is being overseen by the organisation’s area manager, who is also the registered manager for another home within the organisation. The provider has recruited a new manager for this home, and they have submitted their application to register with Ofsted.

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Inspection date: 2 September 2025

Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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Inspection date: 2 September 2025

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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Information about this inspection

At this inspection, the inspector evaluated:

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Information about this inspection

 the care of children  the safety of children  the effectiveness of leaders and managers. The inspector has looked closely at the experiences and progress of children, using the social care common inspection framework. This assurance 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’. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2808008 2

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Findings from the inspection

We did not identify any serious or widespread concerns in relation to the care or protection of children at this assurance inspection.

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Findings from the inspection

Leaders and managers have taken action to address the requirements and recommendation that were raised at the last inspection. Although some actions are ongoing, there is a robust development plan in place to support leaders and managers to monitor and support the improvement to the quality of care that is provided to children.

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Findings from the inspection

Feedback from children is mixed. Both children said that they enjoy living at the home, with one child rating the home a nine out of 10. Another child raised some concerns about the management of the home. Managers explained that they are aware of these concerns and have taken action to resolve them. One child stated that the staff are ‘amazing,’ and the other child recognised that the staff ‘have helped [them] a lot.’

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Findings from the inspection

Children are supported to make progress from their starting points. One child who has previously found it difficult to leave the house has been helped to gradually increase their time outside. They are now able to go out in the car with staff, which has allowed them to access the community more.

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Findings from the inspection

Both children are helped to participate in their education. The way in which educational opportunities are provided to children depends on their individual needs. As children build positive relationships with their tutors and their confidence grows, their learning is tailored to help them to achieve the qualifications that they need to pursue their chosen career paths in the future.

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Findings from the inspection

Leaders and managers work collaboratively with professionals and the children to agree the safety plans that staff use to help children to become increasingly safe. Although it has taken time to get some plans approved, early indicators suggest that they are helping staff to reduce the risk of harm effectively. Children’s plans are reviewed regularly. When the manager does not agree with the decisions that have been made about children’s care, they challenge them and share their views to ensure that the children are advocated for.

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Findings from the inspection

When restraint is used to prevent harm to children or others, its use is in line with deprivation of liberty orders and is proportionate and necessary. However, due to the frequency of restraint, leaders and managers are not always able to ensure that staff are provided with the opportunity to reflect on what happened in a timely manner. Further, it is sometimes difficult to understand the strategies that staff use to avoid the use of restraint. As a result, learning opportunities for staff may be missed. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2808008 3 Staff take appropriate action to prevent children going missing from home. Their approach is informed by a multi-agency team of professionals. However, not all members of staff are familiar with the individual protocols and procedures that they should follow when children are missing from home.

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Findings from the inspection

Relevant training opportunities are provided to support staff to meet the individual needs of children and help them to stay safe. However, staff are not always able to apply their learning to their day-to-day practice.

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Findings from the inspection

Leaders and managers have reviewed children’s care plans to ensure that they are helpful for staff. The plans provide a comprehensive overview of children’s needs and the support that they require. Children are supported to contribute to their care planning, and the plans are updated with their thoughts and opinions. Leaders and managers are exploring how they can streamline plans to ensure that they are accessible for staff and contain the important information that staff need to provide personalised care.

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Findings from the inspection

Leaders and managers have decided to support one child to move out of the home. They are confident that this decision is in the best interests of both children. Although the home was considered to be suitable to meet the children’s needs when they moved in, risks have changed as the children have grown older. Leaders and managers are not assured that they can help both children to stay safe in the longer term, so they are supporting the placing authority to identify an alternative living arrangement for one child.

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Findings from the inspection

The home is suitably furnished and decorated. It is clearly a home that children live in and would benefit from some minor maintenance and a deep clean. The use of physical restrictions to help children to stay safe is clearly documented, with rationales and agreements from the professionals who are involved in the children’s care. The use of physical restrictions is reviewed regularly so that they can be lessened in accordance with children’s ability to make safe choices for themselves.

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Findings from the inspection

Some of the communal spaces in the home have been adapted to meet children’s needs. For example, one room has some exercise equipment, and there are further plans to add a study area to support children’s education. Leaders and managers have also arranged for personal training sessions and some medical appointments to be held at the home to support children’s healthcare needs. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2808008 4

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

14/05/2025 Full Requires improvement to be good Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2808008 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, 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.

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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

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child;

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Requirement Due date

understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home; and

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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. (Regulation 13 (1)(b) (2)(c)(f)(h))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that staff are supported to reflect on their practice and the support that they provide to children in a timely manner. The registered person must help staff to assess the effectiveness of their responses to children so that continuous improvements to the quality of care can be made. Accordingly, records must be suitably detailed to promote reflection and learning.

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Requirement Due date

In addition, the registered person must ensure that staff are able to apply their learning from reflection and training to their day-to-day practice. 21 November 2025 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2808008 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Within Reach Services Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: C/O Hazlewoods LLP, Windsor House, Bayshill Road, Cheltenham GL50 3AT

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Trevor Ridgewell

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Inspector

Martin Brown, Social Care Inspector Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2808008 7 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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