Children's Home run by Gold Cross Children’s Home Ltd in Lewisham

Inspection report children’s home: 2810058 1 Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The home is privately owned. It provides care for two children, who experience social and emotional difficulties.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

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

p.1

Information about this children’s home

At the time of this inspection, one child was living at the home.

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

p.1

good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

p.1

good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

p.1

good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

p.1

good

Date of last inspection: not previously inspected

p.1

good

Overall judgement at last inspection: not applicable

p.1

good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2810058 2

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child lives in a well-presented, nurturing and family-oriented environment. Managers planned the child’s arrival with great detail and thought. They met with key people in the child’s life and arranged for the child to visit. This helped the child settle quickly and develop a sense of belonging.

p.2

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child has built positive and trusting relationships with staff. The child has one-to-one support from a specialised health professional that the leaders and managers commission. Staff tailor the child’s care according to these sessions. Staff’s approach is supportive of the child’s sensory needs, which reassures the child.

p.2

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff advocate for the child and ensure they access appropriate educational provision. As a result, the child engages more consistently in school, supported by close communication between staff and school-based professionals.

p.2

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child is making progress at the home. Professionally curious staff adapt their support as the child’s needs evolve. Incidents within identified areas of risk for the child reduce.

p.2

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child talks to staff about what they like. Staff listen to the child’s views and include their likes, dislikes and preferences in the child’s care plans. These plans do not accurately record whether the child has recorded their own comments and views.

p.2

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Culturally aware staff promote the child’s identity. They celebrate commemorative months and ensure the child eats food traditional to their heritage.

p.2

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

The child says they feel safe living at the home. Staff understand safeguarding processes and implement them effectively. They hold regular conversations with the child to support them and help them better understand their own needs and feelings.

p.2

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

Staff and the manager routinely review and update the child’s care plans and support strategies. Overall, these detailed records provide staff with clear actions on how to support the child, manage risk and help the child to work towards long-term goals. The manager has not, however, prioritised a review of strategies agreed with the local authority when one identified risk has reduced. This omission has not had a detrimental impact for the child, however, it means some staff have inaccurate guidance for when the child plays in the garden.

p.2

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

Staff use physical intervention only when necessary, and its use has reduced over time. Staff record these incidents in detail. Following incidents, both staff and the child have reflective conversations. This supports their well-being and they identify learning. Inspection report for children’s home: 2810058 3 Staff demonstrate vigilance and promptly raise concerns about the child’s medication. They collaborate closely with health professionals to ensure the child’s health needs are met.

p.2

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

Leaders and managers investigate allegations in a robust and transparent way. They work effectively with safeguarding partners, including the local authority designated officer, and address any concerns promptly. The manager seeks the child’s views to understand their feelings and experiences and ensures that outcomes are shared. The manager has reflective discussions with staff, which encourages their learning and strengthens safeguarding practice in the home.

p.3

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The child and staff team benefit from a motivated leadership team. The leadership team recognise the home’s strengths and areas for development and know the child well.

p.3

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers are building the staff skills. They have a strong commitment to staff’s continued professional development, and seek extra individualised support for staff to help them to understand the child’s needs. Staff are developing resilience and confidence in their work.

p.3

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff reflect on their practice and discuss their welfare and well-being during supervision. During regular meetings, the staff team make collective decisions about the child’s needs. This helps to ensure that the staff have a consistent and caring approach.

p.3

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers are empathetic, and confidently challenge external agencies to promote the child’s best interests. This advocacy has influenced the child’s access to education.

p.3

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers complete safer recruitment checks of staff. They have not held professionally curious discussions around one worker’s employment history or ensured that they have an updated identity document.

p.3

Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that the child’s risk management plans accurately reflect all current, agreed support strategies, inclusive of restrictive practices. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 42, paragraph 9.5)

p.3

Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that thorough recruitment checks take place for staff employed to work at the home. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.1) Inspection report for children’s home: 2810058 4  The registered person should ensure that all staff encourage children to see the home’s records as ‘living documents’, supporting them to view and contribute to the records in a way that reflects their voice on a regular basis. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 58, paragraph 11.9)

p.3

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: 2810058 5

p.4

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 14 Greenfinch Way, Newhall, Harlow CM17 9FT

p.5

Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Foriwaah Ntiamoah Amponsa

p.5

Inspector

Richard Wyper, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2810058 6 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.

p.5

Inspector

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.6

Inspector

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.6

Inspector

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.6

Inspector

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.6