Children's home run by Flourish (Gloucestershire) Limited

Inspection report children's home: 2631690 1 Registered provider: Flourish (Gloucestershire) Limited

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Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children's home

This home is owned by a private provider and provides care for up to 3 children who have learning disabilities.

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Information about this children's home

Since the last inspection, the registered manager has left, and a new manager started in June 2025. This manager was registered with Ofsted in January 2026 and holds a level 5 diploma in leadership and management.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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outstanding

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

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outstanding

The effectiveness of leaders and managers outstanding

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outstanding

The children's home provides highly effective services that consistently exceed the standards of good. The actions of the children's home contribute to significantly improved outcomes and positive experiences for children and young people who need help, protection, and care.

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outstanding

Date of last inspection: 14 January 2025

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outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: outstanding

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outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children's home: 2631690 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

14/01/2025 Full Outstanding 05/12/2023 Full Outstanding 28/02/2023 Full Good 08/03/2022 Full Good Inspection report children's home: 2631690 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

At the time of this visit, three children were living at this home. All have lived at the home for a significant period. This stability has contributed to a strong sense of security and belonging. Children continue to make exceptional progress across all areas of their lives.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The home’s therapeutic, nurturing model of care underpins staff practice. This approach has been transformative for children. Children who previously experienced crisis, high levels of distress, social withdrawal, self ‑ injurious behaviours and were at risk of placement breakdown are now settled, happy and participating positively in all areas of their lives.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

A key strength of the home is the highly effective multi ‑ agency working. Staff proactively seek professional advice and collaborate closely with external partners. Plans are developed and reviewed jointly, and information is consistently shared with education and families. This ensures a consistent and unified approach to supporting children. Although children’s progress may appear incremental, these achievements represent significant steps that have had a measurable impact on their emotional well ‑ being and independence.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff have helped children to develop and use their communication systems more effectively. Children have also made progress in becoming continent, increasing their independence in personal care, completing tasks within the home, and taking part in cooking and making drinks. Staff have helped children to regulate their anxiety, so that they can now engage in and see community activities as enjoyable experiences rather than sources of distress.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The home environment is warm, homely, and well maintained. Changes to the home are informed by research and a desire to improve children’s sensory and emotional experiences. For example, the manager has considered how colour palettes can support children with Autism. When it was identified that certain rooms were under ‑ used, the manager explored alternative uses informed by evidence-based practice. This has led to the development of an aquarium room featuring a large fish tank to provide a calming, therapeutic space for children.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff demonstrate a strong understanding of the importance of family relationships. Despite some children living a distance from family members, staff prioritise visits so that children can maintain those relationships. For one child who had not seen their father for several years, staff facilitated reconnection through supported calls and visits. This has led to the child now having a positive and meaningful relationship spending time with their father independently, as well as maintaining links with extended family. Inspection report children's home: 2631690 4 Feedback from families and professionals is overwhelmingly positive. All spoke highly of the exceptional commitment of the staff team, and the progress children have made. Given the extent of this progress, there is hope that some children may in the future be able to return to their families or move to step ‑ down foster placements.

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

Children are kept safe because staff know them well and provide consistent care. High staffing levels ensure that children have regular opportunities to socialise and participate in community activities. For those children who require additional staffing when they are away from the home, this support is consistently provided during waking hours. As a result, children can access activities safely when opportunities arise or when they express a wish to go out.

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

Children have become increasingly settled in the home. Staff reflect on their practice and consider patterns and trends in children’s behaviour. They have focused on helping children to communicate their needs more effectively without relying on behaviours of concern. Staff have worked collaboratively with education professionals to understand each child’s communication system and have implemented this approach within the home. Consequently, children are now able to express their needs in more appropriate ways.

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

On occasions, staff need to use physical intervention to keep children safe. These interventions are used only when necessary and are consistent with children’s individual plans. However, the quality of recording does not always provide sufficient clarity, leaving unanswered questions for the reader. In addition, debriefs with children do not always include a narrative explaining how the child’s views have been obtained when pictorial tools are used. Leaders have already recognised these shortfalls and are providing staff with additional training and updated guidance to improve practice.

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

Some children engage in self-injurious behaviours as a way of managing their emotions. The manager has used research to better understand these behaviours. For example, why children may engage in head banging behaviours. This is helping staff to better understand the potential causes. Using a multi-agency approach, staff have developed plans to support the child safely. A reward system is also being introduced to help the child develop greater awareness of their behaviours and begin to regulate their emotions more independently.

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

The manager has high expectations of staff and ensures that staff understand and follow children’s safety plans. When one member of staff failed to adhere fully to these plans and not read the up-to-date behaviour management guidance, the manager provided further support and supervision. When improvements are not made, the workers probation was ended. This demonstrates a strong commitment to maintaining a safeguarding culture. Inspection report children's home: 2631690 5 When concerns are raised about staff practice, leaders have taken appropriate action. Managers have notified relevant professionals, conducted investigations, and implemented outcomes such as written warnings, further training, and guidance.

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

Leaders also challenge external professionals when necessary. For example, when delays occurred in dispensing a child’s prescribed medication, managers sought advice from the pharmacy safeguarding lead. Their persistence ensured that medication is dispensed promptly to meet the child’s needs.

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

Fire evacuation practices are completed with children. However, these drills are not completed frequently. This lack of frequency could mean children do not retain the knowledge needed to evacuate the building quickly and safely in the event of a fire.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Since the last inspection, there have been changes to the manager and staff team. Leaders carefully considered how best to implement these changes to minimise disruption for children. This thoughtful planning ensured that the impact on children was minimal.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager provides strong and inspirational leadership. He encourages staff to think creatively and to use research to inform their practice. This has fostered high levels of professional curiosity and consistently child ‑ centred care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

A key strength of the manager is his collaborative approach with staff and external professionals. He leads the team with purpose and vision, rather than simply managing day ‑ to ‑ day tasks. As a result, he has successfully developed a newly formed staff team into a confident, forward ‑ thinking group that demonstrates creativity and ambition for children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager draws on extensive research to shape practice and develop the home in ways that best meet the needs of the children. As a result, children are settled, happy, and making exceptional progress from their starting points.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff receive regular supervision and support. The manager is highly visible within the home and remains actively involved in day ‑ to ‑ day practice rather than being office ‑ based. Staff speak positively about both the manager and the wider leadership team and feel that he has made a significant and positive difference.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff training and induction are comprehensive. Bank and agency staff receive the same level of training as permanent staff. Training is tailored to the specific needs of the home and the children. For example, close partnership working with education staff has helped to upskill the care team in communication methods. As a result, staff can now interpret their communication more accurately, reducing the need for behaviour as a form of expression. Inspection report children's home: 2631690 6 The manager uses monitoring systems effectively. Through this oversight, he identifies areas for improvement and takes action to continue driving the home forward. For example, using research to support staffs understanding, and multi-agency working to provide consistent holistic care such as shared communication systems for children so that children are better able to express their needs. He is aspirational for the children

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

and has clear plans to help them achieve their full potential. Inspection report children's home: 2631690 7

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure records of restraint enable the registered person and staff to review the use of control, discipline, and restraint to identify effective practice and respond promptly where any issues or trends of concern emerge. The review should provide the opportunity for amending practice to ensure it meets the needs of each child. Specifically, the use of professional curiosity when records are not clear or leave the reader with questions. ('Guide to the Children's Homes Regulations, including the quality standards', page 49, paragraph 9.59)  The registered person should ensure staff continually and actively assess the risks to each child and the arrangements in place to protect them this relates to frequency of fire evacuation practice for children. That they are completed with all children regularly so that children understand how and why they need to evacuate the home in

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Recommendations

the event of a fire. ('Guide to the Children's Homes Regulations, including the quality standards', page 42, paragraph 9.5)

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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 children's home: 2631690 8

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Children's home details

Registered provider: Flourish (Gloucestershire) Limited

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Children's home details

Registered provider address: 20 Westend Office Suites, Westend, Stonehouse, Gloucester GL10 3FA

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Children's home details

Responsible individual: Samantha Summers

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Inspector

Debbie Bond, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children's home: 2631690 9 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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