Children's home run by Within Reach Services Limited

Inspection report for children’s home: 2838087 1 Registered provider: Within Reach Services Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is managed by a private provider and can provide care for one child who may experience learning disabilities as well as social and emotional difficulties. The manager and the home have been registered with Ofsted since March and May 2025, respectively.

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Information about this children’s home

This is the first inspection and one child has been living at the home since June 2025. They were present during the inspection and spoke with the inspector.

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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: 2838087 2

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child is enjoying many positive experiences, including trips to nearby beaches and visits to funfairs. The child feels safe and happy living in the home. The manager models care that is affectionate and recognises the difference between chronological age and the impact of learning disability. There is physical affection and warmth demonstrated in the care of the child, who responds positively to hugs and cuddles.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child is making progress and receives care that meets their individual needs. Staff provide nurturing support and create positive experiences, including a family visit with an overnight stay and a trip to a football stadium. This was celebrated with photos and discussions. There is no clear plan to support all safe family time, and communication with relatives outside the area is inconsistent, which limits planning for relationships now and in the future.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is warm and welcoming. The child has chosen the decoration for their bedroom and has contributed to decisions about the home. Photos and certificates celebrate achievements, and there are spaces for gaming, sticker play and creative activities. Sticker charts are displayed, and the child enjoys praise and rewards for positive behaviour. However, creating an upstairs office and requiring staff to sleep in the lounge has restricted access to shared spaces impacted on the homeliness.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff champion the child’s education and celebrate achievements. The child attends an alternative provision tailored to their learning needs, with staff providing supervision and support to attend. Health needs are understood and referrals are made, but there was a delay in getting prescription glasses and delay in a review of the child’s education, health and care plan was not escalated.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The manager and staff visited the child several times at their previous home to reduce their anxiety and to build relationships at the earliest opportunity.

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

The staff deliver therapeutic care that aligns to the home’s aims and objectives. The manager understands their safeguarding responsibilities and knows the child’s individual needs well. However, they do not consistently notify Ofsted of serious incidents.

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

Through consistent support, the need for waking night staff has been reduced. However, the current three-to-one staffing ratio has not been adequately reviewed to consider the impact that other staff members being in the home have on it feeling crowded. Some items are restricted to the child due to their location in the home or through being locked away. This is not always informed by appropriate assessment of risk with consideration of how these will be removed. Inspection report for children’s home: 2838087 3 There have been eight incidents of physical restraint. Two involved supine holds that were not approved for the child. The manager acted promptly to address poor practice and to ensure staff understood the correct techniques. Reflective discussions took place, and there have been no restraints at all for the past three months.

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

Staff and the child are spoken with after incidents and body maps are used; however, there is inconsistency in the recording and some incorrect use of forms, for example a staff injury was noted on the child’s incident record report.

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

The child has made three complaints since moving in. These were recorded, investigated and taken seriously. The child understood the actions taken and was able to explain the outcomes, which were also confirmed in writing.

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

There have been two occasions when the child has been being missing from the home. Staff appropriately involved the police and social worker. There is ambiguity about what constitutes an incident of the child going missing, despite the high levels of supervision, and protocols to support staff in their care are not in place. This risks consistency in practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is ambitious for the child living in the home. They are creative and focused on providing positive experiences and in responding to behavioural challenges, with an understanding of trauma and learning disabilities. Their approach has developed as they have become more attuned to the child’s needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Multi-agency working is promoted, and meetings take place to oversee planning for the child. However, plans do not consistently capture actions taken by staff, such as restrictions on items, and these lack clear review points or goals. Day-to-day care expectations and progress are not consistently recorded in the child’s documentation, making this information less accessible to staff.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff report feeling supported and receive regular supervision overall. They enjoy team meetings, which link learning to incidents. Staff have access to training and development opportunities.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The children’s guide has been updated to be more child friendly. Practical steps have been taken to support the child’s access to entitlements, such as opening a bank account.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager identifies the home’s strengths but not all of the weaknesses. Learning from another home’s inspection within the provider group has been shared, and the managers are taking action to learn from all inspections, for example starting a review to ensure that records contain language that is not institutional. Inspection report for children’s home: 2838087 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 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. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(h))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person should ensure that plans to support children are written in plain language. Plans should contain measurable and specific strategies and a detailed understanding of all restrictions. These should be linked to the child’s needs, and what actions are required to support independence aligned with risks and the age of the child. Furthermore, the registered manager should ensure that documents set out in the home’s statement of purpose and policy are completed, for example documentation that supports incidences of children going missing from the home. 22 December 2025

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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

a child is involved in or subject to, or is suspected of being involved in or subject to, sexual exploitation;

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Requirement Due date

an incident requiring police involvement occurs in relation to a child which the registered person considers to be serious; 22 December 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: 2838087 5 there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there;

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Requirement Due date

a child protection enquiry involving a child —

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Requirement Due date

concludes (in which case, the notification must include the outcome of the child protection enquiry); or

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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)(a)(b)(c)(d)(i)(ii)(e))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered manager must consistently undertake this duty.

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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: 2838087 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

Ashley Arkless, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2838087 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 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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