Children's home run by Good Foundations Limited

Inspection report for children’s home: 2728615 1 Registered provider: Good Foundations Limited

p.1

Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The home is managed and run by a private company. It provides care for up to 4 children who may have social or emotional needs or a learning disability.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in March 2023 as part of a full registration as a new children's home.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

Four children were seen as part of the inspection.

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

p.1

outstanding

How well children and young people are helped and protected outstanding

p.1

outstanding

The effectiveness of leaders and managers outstanding

p.1

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.

p.1

outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

p.1

outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2728615 2

p.1

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

19/03/2025 Full Good 07/11/2023 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2728615 3

p.2

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children make exceptional progress from their starting points. The excellent quality of care exceeds the expectations of a good standard. Children are encouraged to develop their identities with confidence; their individuality is nurtured. Children thrive and the care provided is unconditional.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff understand children exceptionally well. Staff provide care so that every child is supported to achieve meaningful and sustained outcomes. For 2 children, this has included settling into the home quickly after moving in. For one child this has meant engaging positively in learning and maintaining friendship groups.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children have trusting relationships with staff. These relationships are warm and playful to observe. The home is filled with laughter and moments of genuine joy, which reflect the strong emotional connections. Observations showed children and staff sharing fun, relaxed interactions that demonstrated affection and mutual enjoyment. The nurturing relationships underpin the exceptional progress children make.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The home environment provides a sense of family. Children’s bedrooms are highly personalised, and children have ownership of their space and pride in their home. Photos and displays are visible throughout the home, including a family tree wall that celebrates shared relationships and memories. These features help children to develop a strong emotional connection to the home and a strengthened sense of belonging.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children are supported to maintain the relationships that matter to them. Staff work to overcome any barriers, building constructive relationships with family members.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children’s voices are heard. Children are active participants in their own care planning. Staff ensure that children understand their plans and contribute to them. Children influence key decisions about their daily lives, including how they wish to be supported when they are feeling distressed. Children feel listened to in decisions about their future and their views shape their plans, their routines and the wider life of the home.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children receive support to stay healthy and understand and manage their own needs. Staff demonstrate a strong commitment to promoting physical and emotional wellbeing. They provide positive reassurance to children to promote their own sense of self. For children with more complex health needs, staff work effectively with external professionals to ensure consistent approaches that maximise progress for the child.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Education is highly valued. Staff are ambitious for children and support each child to engage in learning. Staff have high aspirations for children, and they provide encouragement and support children to succeed. Staff provide additional learning opportunities tailored to children’s needs. Children are encouraged to value their own learning. Inspection report for children’s home: 2728615 4 Children moving in or out of the home are supported sensitively. Children who leave receive support to help prepare them for change and experience a positive ending. Children have thoughtful plans built around them which consider their wishes and feelings. When staff have concerns about the decision-making for a child's future, they challenge professionals to ensure that the child's needs are fully considered. Staff continue to provide a lasting relationship after children leave the home and children are welcomed back at any time. This reflects the enduring and supportive nature of the

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children enjoy a range of activities that reflect their interests, broaden their experiences and help them develop confidence. Staff are creative and enthusiastic in offering opportunities to children linked to hobbies, new skills or providing an experience. Children’s experiences extend far beyond the home. They enjoy enriching activities, sustain meaningful relationships and develop a strong, positive sense of identity. This contributes significantly to their personal growth and wellbeing.

p.4

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children are encouraged to take part in community events and opportunities to ‘give back’. These experiences help children develop an understanding of their community and feel valued in their own community.

p.4

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

Children feel exceptionally safe in this home. Staff know each child well and are highly attuned to their emotional presentation, routines and vulnerabilities. This deep understanding enables staff to recognise quickly when something is wrong and to respond with sensitivity and the required skills.

p.4

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

Staff have an excellent knowledge of children’s care plans and safeguarding arrangements. Staff are knowledgeable about how to respond if concerns arise. Managers regularly test staff’s knowledge so they can be confident that the team can act decisively and appropriately to a safeguarding concern.

p.4

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

Risks associated with each child are fully understood and consistently responded to. Children benefit from predictable care responses. Staff recognise early indicators that a child may be unsettled and respond promptly with appropriate additional support.

p.4

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

Staff are highly skilled in de-escalation. They work with children to develop plans that help them to understand what being safe looks like. As a result of the strong preventative measures, incidents are rare. There have not been any missing-from-home episodes or any physical interventions since the last inspection.

p.4

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

Children are supported exceptionally well to understand their own emotions and behaviours. Staff help children reflect, build insight and develop emotional literacy. Positive behaviour is consistently promoted through nurturing and relational approaches that build trust and confidence. Inspection report for children’s home: 2728615 5 Staff maintain excellent communication with safeguarding partners. These relationships ensure that concerns are shared swiftly and that children benefit from coordinated support focused on reducing risk and promoting safety.

p.4

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

Managers ensure that all health and safety requirements are met to a high standard. Monthly reviews of the environment ensure that the home remains safe with a warm and welcoming feel. Fire safety procedures are clear, well understood and practised regularly so children know what to do in an emergency. Each child has a personalised emergency evacuation plan that reflects their individual needs. These plans help reduce anxiety and ensure that children understand what to expect and how to stay safe if an evacuation is required.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The home is led by a passionate, highly experienced and inspirational manager and deputy manager. Managers provide strong and visible leadership. Staff speak extremely positively about the management team and describe feeling valued, supported and grateful to work in a home with such consistently high standards.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Professionals across partner agencies hold the staff in the home in high regard. Feedback from professionals is overwhelmingly positive. One professional described the managers as ‘the best they work with’.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Managers are ambitious and aspirational for children. They model high expectations and a culture of positivity and perseverance that is embedded throughout the staff team. Their inspirational leadership creates an environment where staff feel confident to challenge professionals, advocate for children and drive change. This culture ensures that children’s safety is prioritised and they experience the highest possible standard of care.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Managers have a strong understanding of what works well and what requires further development. Managers welcome insight, professional challenge and ‘fresh eyes’ from internal and external sources. Learning is used from feedback, training and reflective discussions to drive continuous improvement. Development plans are clear, child-centred and consistently improve children’s day-to-day experiences. This commitment to continuous improvement strengthens practice and ensures that staff are consistently developing their skills and understanding.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Case recordings are of a high standard. They are written sensitively, with kind and respectful language, and clearly reflect children’s daily lives, progress and achievements. Children are encouraged to understand their history and experiences and written records are available to them with support from staff, when they wish to contribute to them or review them.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Supervision for staff is regular, reflective and purposeful. Staff view supervision as a learning opportunity that enhances their practice and supports their emotional resilience. Inspection report for children’s home: 2728615 6 Managers use supervision to encourage reflection and deepen staff understanding of children’s needs and reinforce high standards of care.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Managers also place strong emphasis on staff valuing their own learning and contributing to the team’s development. Staff research, present and share knowledge, which supports a highly skilled and confident workforce. Team meetings are used proactively as learning forums to share updates and embed exceptional practice and cascade training throughout the team. Inspection report for children’s home: 2728615 7

p.6

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 he Children’s Homes Regulations including the quality standards’. Inspection report for children’s home: 2728615 8

p.7

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Good Foundations Limited

p.8

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 6 Tower Quays, Tower Road, Birkenhead, Merseyside, CH41 1BP

p.8

Inspector

Kate Jackson, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2728615 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.

p.8

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 . 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.9

Inspector

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

p.9

Inspector

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

p.9