Children's Home run by Within Reach Services Limited in Gloucestershire

Inspection report for children’s home: 2784407 1 Registered provider: Within Reach Services 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 managed by a private provider and can provide care for one child who may experience social and emotional difficulties. The same child has remained living at the home since the last inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

There is a newly appointed manager in post. Their application for registration was being processed at the time of this inspection.

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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: 24 September 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: 2784407 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

24/09/2025 Full Good 26/11/2024 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2784407 3

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Summary of findings

The home is effectively led and managed by a committed leadership team that places the child’s welfare, safety and progress at the centre of practice. Leaders have established a reflective culture with good oversight of the child’s experiences. Leaders have acknowledged areas for continuing development, which reflects their dedication to continuous improvement to sustain positive outcomes for the child in their care.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home provides a warm, nurturing and welcoming environment, where the child feels valued and cared for. There is clear evidence that the leadership team regularly reviews the home environment and implements plans to ensure that it continues to meet the child’s needs. Photographs displayed throughout the home celebrate the child’s achievements, experiences and positive memories. This creates a strong sense of belonging. The child’s bedroom is personalised and reflects their individual interests and hobbies. As a result, the child is provided with a stable foundation, enabling them to make progress across all aspects of their development.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff and leaders consistently promote the importance of education. Their continued support, high expectations and collaborative approach have directly contributed to sustained progress in the child’s educational engagement and achievement. Staff demonstrate creativity and commitment in identifying opportunities to reinforce and extend the child’s learning within the home. This means that education is consistently promoted across all aspects of the child’s daily life.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff provide the child with access to a wide and varied range of meaningful activities that reflect their interests and support their developmental needs. Staff and leaders recognise the importance of the child developing positive peer relationships. They proactively create regular opportunities for the child to engage with peers and participate in community-based activities. These experiences enable the child to strengthen their social skills and establish a wider support network that will help promote a positive move from the home in the future.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff and leaders are strong advocates for the child and work proactively with partner agencies to ensure that their needs are recognised and understood. Through effective advocacy the child has accessed an assessment relating to their specific needs, which has resulted in a formal diagnosis. The child is now receiving support that is tailored and reflects their individual needs. As a result, better access to specialist services and support will improve future planning and help ensure that the child is fully prepared for a successful transition from the home into their next placement.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff consistently seek the child’s views through a range of formal and informal opportunities. The child is encouraged to express their wishes and feelings, which are Inspection report for children’s home: 2784407 4 listened to carefully and acted on wherever possible. For example, the child has been supported to clearly express their wishes regarding time spent with family, ensuring that their views are represented and considered. This regular consultation across all aspects of the child’s life promotes meaningful participation and ensures that they remain actively involved in decisions that affect both their day-to-day experiences and plans for their future.

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

Staff and leaders have a strong understanding of the child’s risks and vulnerabilities. A comprehensive behaviour support plan provides clear guidance to ensure that staff respond consistently and effectively. Staff use strategies that reduce risk and promote positive behaviour. Leaders regularly review any restrictions in consultation with the child’s wider professionals’ network to ensure that they remain necessary and represent the least restrictive approach. As a result, plans promote the child’s safety while upholding their rights and promoting their independence.

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

Direct work sessions are purposeful and focus on the child’s vulnerabilities and emerging needs. Staff and leaders work collaboratively with a therapist to carefully coordinate sessions, ensuring that the child experiences consistent messages and approaches from the adults supporting them. Leaders maintain effective oversight of the child’s progress. They monitor the quality and impact of direct work to ensure that this support remains relevant, responsive and tailored to the child’s individual needs. This oversight enables leaders to identify any additional support required at the earliest opportunity. This ensures that the child experiences timely access to support that strengthens their resilience to risk.

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

Staff use physical restraint only as a last resort and in line with the child’s individual behaviour support plan. Following any incident of restraint, both the child and staff are provided with timely opportunities to reflect. This enables the child’s views and experiences to be explored and any additional support needs to be identified. Leaders maintain effective oversight of all incidents, ensuring that these are proportionate and consistent with the agreed strategies. Records are accurate, with learning being used to inform practice and promote positive behaviour support. As a result, the child experiences consistent and safe responses from staff during times of heightened distress.

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

When any consequence is used, these are restorative, natural and proportionate to the child’s presenting behaviour. Staff and leaders use these opportunities to enable the child to understand the impact of their actions and to encourage reflection. Robust management reviews ensure that any consequences are fair and aligned to the child’s individual needs. This approach ensures that the child experiences clear and consistent boundaries that promote accountability and help maintain positive relationships with staff. Inspection report for children’s home: 2784407 5

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders have not consistently submitted notifications of serious incidents to Ofsted or clearly recorded their rationale when they have determined that an incident does not, in their assessment, meet the threshold for notification. While the child’s day-to-day care has not been adversely affected, relevant information has been shared promptly with professionals from the child’s wider network. However, opportunities for independent oversight and scrutiny are reduced, limiting assurance that the home is managing and responding to significant incidents effectively.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders have not consistently ensured that independent monthly monitoring reports consistently seek and gather the views of the child and professionals involved in their care. As a result, the reports do not provide a comprehensive evaluation of the child’s experiences, limiting opportunities to strengthen practice. Leaders have recognised this shortfall and have taken appropriate action. Consequently, more recent monitoring reports evidence improved consultation with the child and professionals.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders demonstrate effective escalation when the responses of partner agencies fall below the expected standards of care. Leaders appropriately challenge professionals and ensure that the child’s needs remain at the centre of all planning and decision-making. Feedback received from professionals is consistently positive and reflects the high quality of communication and collaborative working.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff consistently speak positively about the support they receive from the leadership team. They have described leaders as approachable, responsive and available to provide guidance and support when needed. Staff benefit from regular, high-quality supervision and access to a comprehensive programme of training. This enables them to reflect on their practice, develop their knowledge and build confidence in meeting the child’s needs. Inspection report for children’s home: 2784407 6

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that they notify Ofsted and other relevant persons if one of the situations specified in regulation 40(4)(a)-(d) occurs, or if there is an incident relating to the protection, safeguarding or welfare of a child living in the home which the registered person considers to be serious. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including quality standards’, page 63, paragraph 14.10)  The registered person should ensure that regulation 44 reports gather and evaluate the views of children, their parents, relatives and staff working at the home. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 55, paragraph 10.24)

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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: 2784407 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Within Reach Services Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: c/o Hazlewoods LLP, Windsor House, Bayshill Road, Cheltenham GL50 3AT

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Trevor Ridgewell

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Inspector

Charlotte Tippett, Social Care Regulatory Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2784407 8 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.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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