Children's home run by Alcedo Gold

Inspection report children's home: 2821634 1 Registered provider: Alcedo Gold

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Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

A private provider operates this home. The home is registered to provide care for up to two children who have emotional or social difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager and home registered with Ofsted in July 2025.

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Information about this children’s home

No children were living at the home at the time of the inspection.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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requires improvement to be good

How well children and young people are helped and protected requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The children's home is not yet delivering good help and care for children and young people. However, there are no serious or widespread failures that result in their welfare not being safeguarded or promoted.

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requires improvement to be good

Date of last inspection: 11 November 2025

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: not applicable

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children's home: 2821634 2

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improvement to be good

A child moved into the home quickly. There were numerous incidents for the child which led to physical restraint being used by staff which will have impacted on the child’s experiences of living at the home.

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improvement to be good

The child's time living at the home ended abruptly after the provider gave notice on the placement. This was given based on the relationship breakdown between the provider and the placing authority. This will have been a negative experience for the child who has y experienced living in several homes.

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improvement to be good

Staff supported the child to engage in physical activities and with home cooking to widen their diet. A positive bedtime routine was developed by staff to support the child’s wellbeing.

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improvement to be good

The child’s health needs were not clearly outlined in the child’s plans. Therefore, staff could not fully meet the child’s health needs.

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improvement to be good

The child was not in formal education. This was not put in place before the child moved to the home and was not considered by the manager in terms of the ability to meet their needs. An informal learning plan was introduced for the child which was supported by staff. Tools were used to support the child’s sensory needs and engagement. No progress was made by the placing authority with identifying a suitable school before the child moved out.

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improvement to be good

The child developed some positive relationships with staff and enjoyed fun activities. The child’s need to be active was encouraged with the introduction of a trampoline and bike. Staff supported the child to engage in groups within the community which supported their interests and socialisation with other children.

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improvement to be good

An assessment completed by the manager to consider how well the home could meet the child's needs was not robust. It did not consider the ability and experience of staff to meet the child’s needs. It considered the risks for the child but did not evaluate the child’s wider needs around health and education.

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improvement to be good

There was significant use of physical intervention during the child’s time at the home. This reduced before the child moved from the home. Records demonstrate that this occurred more than once on the same day. Records do not demonstrate how staff Inspection report children's home: 2821634 3 attempted to deescalate incidents when the child was in crisis. However, the manager talked about the strategies that staff used to reduce the risk of this happening.

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improvement to be good

Records of incidents do not include all relevant information. Debriefs completed with the staff involved in physical interventions do not show meaningful reflection on the incidents. Records therefore did not support the manager to complete an effective review as to whether these measures were justified or proportionate.

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improvement to be good

Risk assessments do not include a review by the manager to demonstrate learning or to ensure that strategies remain relevant to support staff to reduce risks.

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improvement to be good

There were limited occasions where the child left the care of staff. However, on one occasion a member of staff did not support their colleague to follow the child in line with the child’s risk management plan. This was addressed appropriately by the manager.

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improvement to be good

There have been few consequences used to support positive behaviours. Measures used are not restorative in nature and have not been reviewed by the manager to ensure that they are effective.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The manager’s oversight of the home is not robust. The manager has taken time to reflect both individually and with staff when the child left the home. This led to changes being made to key documents to support the monitoring of staff practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Leaders and managers have investigated staff practice issues and taken appropriate action.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The manager has advocated for the child. The manager escalated concerns appropriately to the child’s placing authority particularly about the lack of education provision. However, the manager acknowledges that they experienced challenges in their relationship with the placing authority. This impacted on the placement, resulting in notice being given.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Staff feel well supported by the manager. They are encouraged to share their views in team meetings and supervision to reflect on their practice and consider ways to improve the care they provide. Staff said that additional training put in place has supported their development and confidence.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Team meetings are used to positive effect. They include reflective discussions, scenarios to develop staff understanding and workshops. Staff are provided with clear direction and expectations and any actions are agreed. Meetings show how the child's views are considered. Inspection report children's home: 2821634 4 Supervisions are detailed and support staff reflection. The manager uses sessions to raise staff practice issues and to consider areas for improvement. Records show that clear actions are agreed with target timescales. Inspection report children's home: 2821634 5

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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, 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 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;

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Requirement Due date

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

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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;

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(vi)) (b))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, risk management plans must be followed by staff. Staff must have the skills to identify potential risks to children and know how to reduce those risks. 30 April 2026

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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

promotes their welfare. 30 April 2026 Inspection report children's home: 2821634 6 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

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

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Requirement Due date

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)(f)(g)(i)(ii) (h))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, leaders and managers must have effective oversight of the home to identify shortfalls in practice and recording to ensure that reviews are robust and consider areas for improvement. Managers must review measures such as consequences put in place by staff to ensure that they are fair and effective.

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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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have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home. 30 April 2026 Inspection report children's home: 2821634 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. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(iii))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, care plans and assessments must consider all the child’s needs. They should consider the ability of staff to meet the child’s needs and set out how staff meet those needs effectively.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must prepare and implement a policy ("the behaviour management policy") which sets out—

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Requirement Due date

how appropriate behaviour is to be promoted in the children's home; and

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the measures of control, discipline and restraint which may be used in relation to children in the home.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must keep the behaviour management policy under review and, where appropriate, revise it.

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Requirement Due date

within 24 hours of the use of a measure of control, discipline or restraint in relation to a child in the home, a record is made which includes—

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Requirement Due date

details of the child's behaviour leading to the use of the measure; 30 April 2026 Inspection report children's home: 2821634 8 the date, time and location of the use of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

a description of the measure and its duration;

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details of any methods used or steps taken to avoid the need to use the measure;

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the name of the person who used the measure ("the user"), and of any other person present when the measure was used;

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the effectiveness and any consequences of the use of the measure; and

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a description of any injury to the child or any other person, and any medical treatment administered, as a result of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

within 48 hours of the use of the measure, the registered person, or a person who is authorised by the registered person to do so ("the authorised person")—

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Requirement Due date

has spoken to the user about the measure; and

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Requirement Due date

has signed the record to confirm it is accurate; and

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Requirement Due date

within 5 days of the use of the measure, the registered person or the authorised person adds to the record confirmation that they have spoken to the child about the measure.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 35 (1)(a)(b) (2) (3)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(vii)(b)(i)(ii) (c))

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that any sanctions used to address poor behaviour should be restorative in nature, to help children recognise the impact of their behaviour on themselves, other children, the staff caring for them and the wider community. In some cases, it will be important for children to make reparation in some form to anyone hurt by their behaviour and the staff in the home should be skilled to support the child to understand this and carry it out. ('Guide to the Children's Homes Regulations, including the quality standards', page 46, paragraph 9.38) Inspection report children's home: 2821634 9

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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: 2821634 10

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Alcedo House, Unit 14, Slaidburn Industrial Estate, Slaidburn Crescent, Southport PR9 9YF

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Inspector

Andrea Foreman, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children's home: 2821634 11 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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