Children's Home run by Headway Adolescent Resources Limited in Gloucestershire

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC061878 1 SC061878

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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 owned by a private provider and offers care for up to four children who experience social and emotional difficulties and/or have additional learning needs.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of this visit, two children were living in the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in March 2025.

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This monitoring visit

During the full inspection on 8 and 9 July 2025, Ofsted judged the home to be requires improvement in all areas and seven requirements were made. Following this inspection, a third child was moved into the home, and a serious safeguarding incident occurred. This led to a restriction of accommodation being imposed on the home on 23 July 2025. This monitoring visit was to review the progress made in response to the safeguarding concern and leadership and management shortfalls which led to the restriction.

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This monitoring visit

Leaders and managers have not provided effective oversight of the home. The provider planned to implement additional support to the registered manager and for more robust leadership oversight. However, the oversight was not effective. Despite leaders stating that they have been more present in the home, staff commented on the lack of leadership in the home, and the lack of visibility of senior leaders.

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This monitoring visit

There have been serious safeguarding concerns that have not been shared in a timely way. There is a concern that there is a culture in the home of not reporting concerns. Following the serious incident in July, a further serious incident occurred in August. This was not reported to the child’s social worker when it happened and there was a failure to follow safeguarding procedures. This meant one child’s risk of Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC061878 2 harm was unassessed. Details of the second incident were not known until leaders completed an audit almost three weeks later. As safeguarding procedures were not followed, swift action could not be taken to address concerns and support the child.

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This monitoring visit

One child has moved into and out of the home since the full inspection. The registered manager sought information about this child prior to them moving in. However, they did not liaise with relevant professionals to consider the needs of all children. Areas of concern were not sufficiently explored or assessed to ensure that the dynamics of all children in the home were suitable or safe.

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This monitoring visit

Professionals spoken with said that there are no current concerns surrounding children living in the home and that staff are supportive and are helping children to progress. The children are currently settled. One child said everything in the home is ok, and they confirmed that they are supported by staff.

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This monitoring visit

The communication between the home and external professionals is generally good, and since the serious incidents, leaders have sought external advice when required in a timely manner.

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This monitoring visit

Leaders are currently undertaking an investigation into concerns surrounding poor staff practice and how this contributed to children’s negative experiences. Leaders and managers have reviewed the ongoing effectiveness of the home considering the recent challenges. There are clear plans in place to address the issues identified.

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This monitoring visit

The requirements made at the full inspection were not considered at this visit, so they remain in place. The restriction of accommodation will continue. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC061878 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

08/07/2025 Full Requires improvement to be good 20/08/2024 Full Good 01/02/2024 Full Good 23/03/2023 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC061878 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 with 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

lead and manage the home in a way that is consistent with the approach and ethos, and delivers the outcomes, set out in the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff work as a team where appropriate;

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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

ensure that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to 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;

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Requirement Due date

demonstrate that practice in the home is informed and improved by taking into account and acting on—

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Requirement Due date

research and developments in relation to the ways in which the needs of children are best met; and 1 October 2025 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC061878 5 feedback on the experiences of children, including complaints received; 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)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(c)(d)(e)(f)(g)(i)(ii)(h))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person should ensure that records are up to date and have clear strategies within them so that staff understand how to support children. Also, the registered manager should have oversight of incidents and key documents.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered manager must ensure that all staff complete mandatory training in preparation for supporting children so that staff have the skills to meet children’s needs. This includes all staff completing emergency first-aid training so that at least one person on each shift is qualified in first aid. Furthermore, leaders and managers should ensure that they use effective monitoring and review systems, to help them understand where improvements can be made so that standards are raised in order that children experience a good level of care in the home.

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Requirement Due date

The education standard is that children make measurable progress towards achieving their educational potential and are helped to do so.

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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

help each child to achieve the child’s education and training targets, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

support each child’s learning and development, including helping the child to develop independent study skills and, where appropriate, helping the child to complete independent study;

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Requirement Due date

understand the barriers to learning that each child may face and take appropriate action to help the child to overcome any such barriers; 1 October 2025 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC061878 6 help each child to understand the importance and value of education, learning, training and employment;

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Requirement Due date

promote opportunities for each child to learn informally;

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Requirement Due date

maintain regular contact with each child’s education and training provider, including engaging with the provider and the placing authority to support the child’s education and training and to maximise the child’s achievement;

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Requirement Due date

raise any need for further assessment or specialist provision in relation to a child with the child’s education or training provider and the child’s placing authority;

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Requirement Due date

help a child who is excluded from school, or who is of compulsory school age but not attending school, to access educational and training support throughout the period of exclusion or non-attendance and to return to school as soon as possible;

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Requirement Due date

help each child who is above compulsory school age to participate in further education, training or employment and to prepare for future care, education or employment;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to attend education or training in accordance with the expectations in the child’s relevant plans; and

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Requirement Due date

that each child has access to appropriate equipment, facilities and resources to support the child’s learning. (Regulation 8 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(viii)(ix)(x)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person should support staff to provide care to children that promotes their educational attendance and achievement. When children are not attending full-time education, staff should engage children in suitable structured activities that promote their learning and development. This should also support children to build their confidence and help them to reintegrate into formal education.

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Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children—

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Requirement Due date

receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home; and

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Requirement Due date

have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home. 1 October 2025 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC061878 7 In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

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Requirement Due date

that children are admitted to the home only if their needs are within the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the home is to provide care and accommodation, as set out in the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

ensure the effective induction of each child into the home;

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Requirement Due date

manage and review the placement of each child in the home; and

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Requirement Due date

plan for, and help, each child to prepare to leave the home or to move into adult care in a way that is consistent with arrangements agreed with the child’s placing authority;

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Requirement Due date

that each child’s relevant plans are followed;

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Requirement Due date

that the child’s placing authority is contacted, and a review of that child’s relevant plans is requested, if—

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Requirement Due date

the registered person considers that the child is at risk of harm or has concerns that the care provided for the child is inadequate to meet the child’s needs. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(i)(ii)(iii)(c)(e)(i))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person should ensure that when children move into the home, he completes a thorough assessment to consider the home dynamics, risks surrounding each child, and the impact of children moving into the home on all children living in the home. Furthermore, the registered manager should ensure that he has information from the local authority so that sufficient planning is completed to prepare for a child moving in and so that staff understand the child’s needs.

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Requirement Due date

The quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children;

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Requirement Due date

use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential. 1 October 2025 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC061878 8 In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to— understand and apply the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

understand and apply the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

protect and promote each child’s welfare;

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Requirement Due date

provide personalised care that meets each child’s needs, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans, taking account of the child’s background;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to develop resilience and skills that prepare the child to return home, to live in a new placement or to live independently as an adult;

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Requirement Due date

make decisions about the day-to-day arrangements for each child, in accordance with the child’s relevant plans, which give the child an appropriate degree of freedom and choice. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(i)(ii)(iv)(vi)(ix))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person should ensure that children are supported by staff to learn and develop skills for independence.

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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

assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the child’s relevant plans, and, if necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand how to keep safe;

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Requirement Due date

have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm; 1 October 2025 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC061878 9 understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person;

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Requirement Due date

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare; and

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Requirement Due date

are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies;

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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)(i)(ii)(iii)(v)(vi)(vii)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person should ensure that children are supported to understand online risks and how to keep themselves safe online. Also, the registered person should ensure that staff have the knowledge and skills to understand online safety risks so they can monitor and protect children when using devices with internet access.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if—

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Requirement Due date

there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there;

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Requirement Due date

there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40 (4)(c)(e)) 1 August 2025

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that a record is made of any complaint, the action taken in response, and the outcome of any investigation.

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Information about this inspection

The purpose of this visit was to monitor the action taken and the progress made by the children’s home since its last Ofsted inspection.

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Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC061878 10

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Headway Adolescent Resources Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Headway, Malvern View, Saxon Business Park, Hanbury Road, Stoke Prior, Bromsgrove B60 4AD

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Inspector

Emma Fryer, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC061878 11 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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