Children's Home run by New Start Living Residential Limited in Gloucestershire

Inspection report for children’s home: 2810368 1 Registered provider: New Start Living Residential Limited 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 offers care for up to 3 children who experience social and emotional difficulties.

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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

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2810368 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

13/05/2025 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2810368 3

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Summary of findings

The home provides a warm, inviting and well-kept environment. Children form close, trusting bonds with adults, which helps them feel secure, settled and confident in sharing their views and emotions. Adults have a good understanding of each child’s unique needs and risks, and respond appropriately to safeguarding issues, including incidents of children going missing from home, which have recently decreased. Strong leadership ensures children receive high-quality care, advocacy and support.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is decorated to a good standard, and the children’s bedrooms are personalised to meet their individual needs. Photos of the children having fun with adults, and artwork they have created, are displayed throughout the home, creating positive memories.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have secure, trusting relationships with the adults who care for them. These positive relationships help children feel confident, settled and able to express themselves. Adults invest time in creating opportunities for children to share positive experiences together and to build stronger connections with others.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

A recent example of this is the holiday to Devon, which all 3 children enjoyed. This experience provided valuable opportunities for the children to strengthen their relationships, create positive memories and enjoy shared time in a supportive environment. Such experiences contribute positively to children’s emotional wellbeing, confidence and sense of belonging.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The adults prioritise education, carefully considering each child’s unique needs and strengths. One child has been supported to start a college course aligned with their interests in online activities, while another has been enrolled in a hair and beauty programme.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported to spend time with their friends and family, ensuring these experiences are positive and safe. The manager has raised concerns with professionals when family and friendship ties put children at risk of harm.

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

Inspection report for children’s home: 2810368 4 Adults have a good understanding of children’s lived experiences and how these experiences influence their emotional wellbeing and behaviour. They pay attention to each child’s unique vulnerabilities and use this insight to guide their practice. This includes having direct conversations with children about their behaviour and potential risks, as well as educating them about these risks.

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

There have been periods when children have struggled to maintain positive relationships with one another, leading to tension in the home. Adults have supported children through these periods by ensuring they all feel heard and by helping them rebuild their relationships and re-establish mutual respect.

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

Risk assessments are thorough and are regularly reviewed, providing adults with clear guidance on identified risks and effective mitigation strategies. Safety and behaviour support plans are tailored to each child, promoting a consistent, child-centred approach. Risk assessments are not always up to date Risk assessment must be accurate to ensure adults have the correct information to safeguard children’s safety.

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

Adults respond appropriately to risks and concerns about children’s safety. When a child goes missing, they act quickly and effectively, coordinating with the child’s friends and known contacts and conducting searches to ensure the child’s safe return. After the child’s return, adults speak with the child to understand the situation and to provide education on potential dangers. Recently, incidents of children going missing have decreased.

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

Children are supported to build confidence and social skills. For one child, this has reduced their social anxiety, making it less of a barrier. As a result, they have had more positive community experiences, such as using public transport and planning for further education in September.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Children and adults benefit from strong, effective leadership. The manager provides clear direction, oversight and a child-focused approach that promotes positive outcomes for children. Their commitment to the development of both children and adults has fostered a nurturing, aspirational and well-supported environment in which children are making meaningful progress.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The leadership and management team is committed to achieving the best outcomes for children. Leaders and managers maintain positive working relationships and set a good example for adults and children. They spend time in the home, working directly with adults and children. This has enabled them to build positive, trusting relationships with both adults and children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager is a strong advocate for children. When external professionals fail to meet children’s needs, she ensures that additional resources are accessed and appropriately challenges these professionals, to safeguard children’s best interests. Inspection report for children’s home: 2810368 5 Supervision sessions are held regularly, emphasising child safety, quality of care and adult wellbeing. Team meetings and reflective practice sessions provide a secure, supportive environment for adults to express their views and identify areas for growth and learning.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Professional feedback is positive, overall. Professionals noted that children have made good progress from their starting points, thanks to the support and care from the home. One professional remarked, ‘The home has actively advocated for the child, ensuring her voice is heard and supported throughout her educational planning.’ Inspection report for children’s home: 2810368 6

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that all decisions are informed by a rigorous assessment of the individual child’s needs, are properly recorded and are kept under regular review. In particular, records should be kept up to date and accurate to ensure adults have the correct information to help keep children safe. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.10)

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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: 2810368 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: New Start Living Residential Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 2nd floor, Olympus House, Olympus Park, Gloucester GL2 4NE

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Inspector

Darren Wickens, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2810368 8 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 children looked after, safeguarding, and child protection. 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

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Inspector

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 .

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Inspector

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Inspector

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

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