Children's Home run by Gloucestershire County Council in Gloucestershire

Inspection report for children’s home: SC415400 1 OFSTED USE ONLY

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SC415400 Registered provider: Gloucestershire County Council

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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 local authority operates this home. It provides a short breaks provision for a maximum of six children up to the age of 18 years with learning and/or physical disabilities. A total of sixteen children use this service. Two children were at the home during the inspection, and they were supported to talk with the inspector.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has been registered with Ofsted since February 2024.

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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: 26 February 2025

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC415400 2 OFSTED USE ONLY

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

26/02/2025 Full Good 31/10/2023 Full Good 06/02/2023 Full Good 24/10/2022 Full Inadequate Inspection report for children’s home: SC415400 3 OFSTED USE ONLY

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children experience warm and nurturing care from staff who know the children well and understand their individual needs. This helps them offer activities and an environment that suit each child. Preparation is thoughtful, including the use of communication boxes to help children feel settled on arrival.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children attend the home on regular weekly schedules, which helps to establish routine, familiarity, and stability. When cancellations occur, sessions are re ‑ arranged so children do not miss their agreed support. Staff encourage children to form positive relationships with their peers, supporting their emotional well-being and social growth. There is careful consideration by leaders and manager of children’s individual needs, risks, and compatibility before offering a place.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff use a range of tailored communication approaches that meet each child’s individual needs. They receive specialist training and benefit from a communication champion who helps ensure practice is informed and consistent. Staff adapt their style using spoken, non ‑ spoken, and visual cues, including eye gaze and body language, so every child can communicate in a way that suits them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s voices are listened to and respected, both in care planning and in day ‑ to ‑ day choices such as what they would like to drink or which film to watch. However, the board in the entrance only shows which adults are working in the home and does not indicate which children will be present, which reduces how clear it is for children who else will be in the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support children to enjoy a variety of enriching experiences, including baking, arts and crafts, garden centres, and trips to the park. These outings provide opportunities for adventure, social interaction, and enjoyment. Staff captured these moments in personalised memory books, which children will take home to share with their families when they leave. Birthdays and special events are celebrated, making children feel valued and recognised.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Parents report that their children are happy, settled and enjoy attending the home. One parent described the staff team as ‘like family’ and said they feel the team thinks about ‘the whole family, not just the child who attends. Communication with families is strong, with regular updates through calls and written reports. Parents value that staff work on the same targets as home and school, which supports consistency for the children.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home feels welcoming and child ‑ friendly. Bedrooms are themed and children can personalise with items that they bring from home. Shared spaces such as the sensory room, playroom and garden are well used and enjoyed by the children. However, some areas of the home look worn and feel institutional, which detracts from the otherwise homely atmosphere. In addition, the dining table and kitchen units are not wheelchair Inspection report for children’s home: SC415400 4 OFSTED USE ONLY

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

accessible, which limits some children’s opportunities to eat together and to develop independence in the kitchen.

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

Staff understand children’s needs well and identify risks promptly. Children’s plans are personalised and broken down into practical, achievable steps which helps staff provide children with consistent support. Children’s behaviour support plans and risk assessments are developed in partnership with professionals and families, guiding consistent and effective practice. As a result, children receive stable and nurturing care and incidents are rare.

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

Restraint is rarely used, which reflects the home’s proactive and child ‑ centred approach to support children when they are upset. When restraint does occur, it is at a low level, and it is reviewed to share any learning shared with the team. Conversations with staff and, where appropriate, children take place after incidents, although there is not always a deeper exploration of the reasons behind a child’s distress. The use of restraint is independently evaluated. However, on one occasion, the staff member involved in the incident also evaluated staff practice in the incident, which reduced the level of independent managerial oversight.

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

Safeguarding practice in the home is well embedded. All staff receive a comprehensive induction and attend mandatory training, including modules tailored to safeguarding disabled children. Annual updates ensure that staff knowledge remains current.

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

Staff recruitment follows safer recruitment guidance. Leaders scrutinise references and undertake further exploration when necessary. Leaders identify when staff have worked overseas and undertake the necessary checks.

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

Medication is managed safely. Storage arrangements are secure, records are clear and accurate, and staff follow established procedures for administering and auditing medication. Staff understand each child’s health needs and collaborate closely with parents and health professionals to ensure medication is given as prescribed

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

Complaints and allegations are rare. An issue raised since the last inspection was managed appropriately, with all relevant parties involved and clear learning identified, which has strengthened practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers have a good understanding of the home’s strengths and areas for development. They recognise what the home does well, including strong professional relationships and the focus on ensuring children’s voices are heard. They also demonstrate insight into areas that need further development and are proactive in identifying ways to improve the service so that children’s needs continue to be met. Inspection report for children’s home: SC415400 5 OFSTED USE ONLY

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff feel supported and describe leaders as approachable, compassionate, and responsive. Staff feel well supported through regular supervision sessions, team meetings, and flexible rota arrangements. One staff member described this as the ‘best job’ they had ever had. Staff describe the team culture as ‘open,’ and staff are encouraged to raise concerns and contribute to service development. This promotes a positive working environment and supports staff retention and morale.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Specialist training is requested in response to the individual needs of children, including peg feeding, autism, Makaton, and epilepsy. Learning is reinforced through supervision sessions and team meetings, enabling staff to apply their knowledge confidently and effectively in practice. Training is comprehensive and tailored to children’s complex needs. Managers ensure staff are confident and competent in meeting each child’s health needs before the child is introduced to the home

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Professionals consistently praise the home, describing the staff and managers as ‘dedicated’, ‘warm’, and ‘child ‑ focused’. The team is stable, with no agency staff use and limited bank staff, which supports continuity for children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Recent changes in senior leadership have strengthened the residential experience within the organisation. The responsible individual is now more visible and provides good support to the manager and team.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Oversight and monitoring systems are becoming more robust, with new quality assurance processes being put in place. These enable the manager and responsible individual to maintain clear oversight of all aspects of care and the day ‑ to ‑ day running of the home. Inspection report for children’s home: SC415400 6 OFSTED USE ONLY

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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

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; 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)(f)(h))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that following incidents further exploration is undertaken with the children involved to help understand the reasons for their distress and to strengthen learning from these incidents.

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Requirement Due date

In addition, that the use of restraint is independently and critically evaluated. 30 April 2026

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that the photo board clearly displays both the children staying for their short break and the staff on shift. This will support children’s sense of belonging, aids communication and gives an immediate visual record of who Inspection report for children’s home: SC415400 7 OFSTED USE ONLY

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Recommendations

is present in the home. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 22, paragraph 4.6)  The registered person should ensure that the environment is fully accessible and well maintained and that the dining table is accessible for children who use wheelchairs, so they can sit comfortably and participate fully in mealtimes with their peers and adults. Areas of the home are now tired and worn and this detracts from the homely feel. Additional, kitchen units that currently limit wheelchair access should be repaired to promote children’s independence (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9)

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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 for children’s home: SC415400 8 OFSTED USE ONLY

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Gloucestershire County Council

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Shire Hall, Westgate Street, Gloucester GL1 2TG

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Isabel da Costa Santos

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Inspector

Karen Hallam, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC415400 9 OFSTED USE ONLY

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Inspector

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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