Children's Home run by Glan-Life Children’s Services Ltd in Herefordshire

Inspection report for children's home: 2827631 1 Registered provider: Glan-life Children’s Services Limited

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is privately owned and provides care for up to four children with social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The home and manager registered with Ofsted in April 2025. This was the home’s first inspection 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

Date of last inspection: not previously inspected

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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: 2827631 2

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

At the time of the inspection, two children were living at the home. Both were spoken to by the inspector.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have settled quickly. Despite the short time children have lived in the home, staff are helping them to make progress in all areas of their lives. Moves to the home are planned. Before moving in, children are given the opportunity see what the home looks like, talk to staff and choose their bedroom.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff form positive relationships with children. Children say they like living at the home and like the staff. Interactions between staff and children are nurturing. Staff encourage children’s engagement and involvement in the day-to-day activities of the home, such as tidying up after themselves, cooking, helping with shopping and joining in fun activities like arts and crafts.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff listen to children and children are involved in decisions about all aspects of their lives. Staff ask children what they want and how staff can help them. This results in children feeling valued and respected.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff help children to create positive memories. They take children out for walks and go on bike rides together. Staff have taken children to theme parks and places of interest and they have been on holiday with them. Staff also encourage children to have different social experiences. They have taken children to try a variety of clubs and to see friends and family. This is helping children’s relationships with their families improve, and children have been able to maintain and develop friendships in the wider community.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children who were reluctant to attend education are now attending and enjoying school. Children are even setting their own alarm in the morning so that they are not late for school. This demonstrates that staff are helping children to understand the value of education.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support children’s health and encourage healthy lifestyles. Children have gone from having limited diets to eating a greater variety of food, including fruit and vegetables.

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

Children are kept safe by a skilled and knowledgeable staff team.

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

Staff understand the risks and historical behaviours of children. Plans are in place which tell staff about those risks and how staff can keep children safe. Staff help children to understand risks when they are online and out in the community, as well as risks associated with peer pressure. Inspection report for children's home: 2827631 3 Children are settled. Since moving to the home, their risks have reduced. Children are well behaved and respectful towards staff and others. Children have not gone missing, and staff have not needed to use physical intervention to keep children safe.

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

Bedroom door alarms are used to alert staff at night if children leave their bedrooms. However, staff have not carried out individual assessments to assess if the door alarms are needed. This fails to ensure that the use of door alarms is proportionate for individual children.

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

On occasions, staff bring their pet dogs to the home, which children enjoy. However, the manager has not put in place any policy or guidance for staff. This could mean that risks associated with pet dogs are not fully understood and could potentially place children at risk.

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

Staff are recruited following safer recruitment practices. However, records do not show how suitability has been assessed for all staff, specifically bank staff. In addition, when references are provided verbally, there is limited information about the questions asked and the referee’s response.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There are due to be changes to the management structure at the home. The registered manager is leaving their position and will become the home’s proposed responsible individual. A new manager is already in post. She was the home’s deputy manager, so knows the home and children well. The handover has been done sensitively, and children and staff are aware and supportive of the change.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders show dedication and commitment to good-quality care for children. They are aware of the skills of staff and areas that need improvement.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has not always fully assessed the needs of the children before they move to the home. It is therefore not clear how he has ensured the staff can meet the needs of the child, or considered the effect a new child moving in may have on a child already living at the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staffing at the home has been stable, with no staff leaving. All staff have experience of residential childcare and bring a variety of skills to their roles. Staff receive a comprehensive induction and training programme which equips them with the knowledge and skills they need.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive regular supervision and say they feel well supported by the managers.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Feedback from external professionals and children’s family members is positive. All were complimentary about the staff and managers. One parent said they felt listened to and that their views were taken on board. Inspection report for children's home: 2827631 4

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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 protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

that the home’s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that there is a policy in place to ensure any risks relating to staff bringing pet dogs to the home are appropriately managed. 14 November 2025

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Requirement Due date

The registered person may only use devices for the monitoring or surveillance of children if—

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Requirement Due date

the monitoring or surveillance is for the purpose of safeguarding and promoting the welfare of the child concerned, or other children;

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Requirement Due date

the monitoring or surveillance is no more intrusive than necessary, having regard to the child’s need for privacy. (Regulation 24 (1)(a)(d))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure the use of door alarms is kept under review to ensure their use is necessary and proportionate. 14 November 2025

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Recommendations

 The registered person should only accept placements for children where they are satisfied that the home can respond effectively to the child’s assessed needs as recorded in the child’s relevant plans and where they have fully considered the impact Inspection report for children's home: 2827631 5 that the placement will have on the existing group of children. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 56, paragraph 11.4)  The registered person should maintain good employment practice. They must ensure that recruitment practices safeguard and minimise potential risks to children. Specifically, they should be able to demonstrate how suitability has been assessed in interviews and from references. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.1)

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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: 2827631 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Glan-life Children’s Services Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: The Bulls Yard, Glanmeheli, Kerry, Newtown SY16 4LN

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Inspector

Debbie Bond, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: 2827631 7 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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