Children's Home run by South West Childcare Services in Plymouth

Inspection report children’s home: 1254740 1 Registered provider: South West Childcare Services

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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 children’s home has recently been registered to care for up to two children. It is located in a residential area on the outskirts of a large city.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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outstanding

How well children and young people are helped and protected outstanding

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outstanding

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

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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.

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outstanding

Date of last inspection: This is the first inspection for this service.

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outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: Not applicable

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Enforcement action since last inspection:

None Inspection report children’s home: 1254740 2

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Key findings from this inspection

This children’s home is outstanding because:

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Key findings from this inspection

 Children who live at this home feel loved and cared for. They see this as their home and have excellent relationships with the staff who care for them. Relationships are built on mutual trust and respect.  Children are making exceptional progress since being cared for in this home. They have aspirations for their futures. They live in a calm and nurturing environment and they like living here.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

This is the first inspection of this service. Inspection report children’s home: 1254740 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children who live in this home receive excellent nurturing and consistent therapeutic care. Staff receive expert professional advice and support from a child psychologist. This helps staff to develop their skills and enables them to provide children with therapeutic, individualised care. The team understands and responds to complex behaviours effectively. The care and attention that children receive supports them to feel that staff genuinely care about their welfare. One young person told the inspector, ‘I love the staff and I know that they really do care about me.’ Children who come to live or move on from this home are prepared and supported extremely well. Leaders and managers within this organisation registered this home to allow further progression for one young person already in their care. The young person was fully involved in the planning, registration and décor of this home, resulting in a

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

smooth, positive move. The young person really appreciated being involved and felt included every step of the way. The decision has supported them to live successfully with other young people for the first time in years. Relationships in this home are built upon mutual respect and trust. The staff are dedicated to ensuring that the children receive unconditional care and attention and hold high but realistic expectations for them and their futures. Consequently, children have highly positive relationships with the staff who care for them. This strength is recognised by other agencies. One professional stated that the ‘relationships built between children and staff are exceptional’. Children who live in this home have made excellent progress in all aspects of their lives. One young person who was not attending full-time education for a number of years before coming to live here, just a few months ago, is now attending full time and is

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

motivated to learn. All children attend full-time education and hold dreams and aspirations about their futures. Children benefit from living in a well-furnished, modern house in a residential area that has the appearance of a family home. The children who live here identify this house as their home. Consequently, they respect their environment and are proud of it. One of the young people said, ‘This is the best place I have ever lived.’ One of the things they really valued was that, ‘It does not look like a children’s home.’ Children are encouraged to have increasing, positive contact with their families and friends. One young person who was finding family contact difficult before moving to this home now has contact on an almost daily basis. Where there is a possibility of reunification, staff do all that they can to support children and their families to prepare for living together again. Family members and friends are encouraged to spend time in

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

the home. Brothers and sisters who visit have a ‘den’ in which to play that is fun and interactive for them. It is common for children and families to cook meals and for everyone, including staff, to eat together. The children and their families appreciate this practice. Inspection report children’s home: 1254740 4

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

Children who live in this home state that they feel safe living here. They are able to identify many adults whom they can turn to if they are worried or concerned. When children raise concerns or worries, they feel that they are taken seriously and that their worries are dealt with. One concern was raised about a member of staff who worked at this home. Leaders and managers took swift and effective action to ensure the safety and well-being of the children. The immediate action that the leaders and managers took, as well as the outcome and learning from this incident, demonstrate their determination to ensure that children in their care do not feel unsafe or uncared for and that they feel listened to and valued. The care that children receive is supported by a risk reduction plan based on psychological principles. The quality of training that staff receive ensures that staff are well equipped with the skills that they need to target and reduce all known risks

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

effectively. The approach to reducing risk is therapeutic, nurturing, proactive and effective. As a result, children’s risk-taking behaviour has significantly reduced in seriousness and length and there have been no incidents in this home for almost two months. In addition, emotional distress for children is minimised as they begin to develop security and stability.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The newly registered manager brings with her a wealth of experience. She demonstrates that she is a highly skilled leader who places the well-being of children at the forefront of her practice. She leads by example and places high expectations on her staff to ensure that her team makes a positive difference to the lives of children in its care. Children and staff alike respect her. The home has rigorous systems to review and monitor the quality of care provided. The registered manager has an excellent day-to-day knowledge of what happens in this home. She makes clear that she is accountable for the children and their progress. She makes decisions based on her in-depth knowledge and understanding of the children’s needs. Her detailed knowledge and level of oversight of the care that children receive is supported by an effective system of monitoring that ensures ongoing improvements to the quality of care that the children receive.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

A culture of child-centred practice is evident in the staff team’s interactions with children, as observed by the inspector. This approach is insisted upon by the registered manager, who sets high standards for herself and for her team. For example, she recognised the value in one parent taking part in the registered manager’s own clinical supervision sessions to support a more consistent approach to care and to support the child’s return home. This innovative arrangement is supporting the child to reintegrate into family life at a much quicker pace than was anticipated when the placement began. Leaders and managers are respected by other agencies who work with them as a result Inspection report children’s home: 1254740 5 of their child-centred ethos and approach to care. One psychologist who provides support to children in the home stated, ‘They would be my first port of call for any young person who needs to be looked after in residential care. They engage well with all

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

agencies and they are completely child focused and open to addressing the issues and adapting to models that are suggested.’ They went on to state to the inspector, ‘They should be a blueprint, because the quality they offer is what we are looking for. It is exceptional care and it is really making a difference.’ The registered manager provides her staff with good-quality and regular supervision. This is in line with company policy and staff report that this is of a good quality and relevant. While supervision is good, there is some room for the registered manager to improve the quality further by working individually with care staff to reflect on practice as a means of continuing to improve the way that care is delivered.

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people. Inspectors considered the quality of work and the differences made to the lives of children and young people. They watched how professional staff work with children and young people and each other and discussed the effectiveness of help and care provided. Wherever possible, they talked to children and young people and their families. In addition, the inspectors have tried to understand what the children’s home knows about how well it is performing, how well it is doing and what difference it is making for the children and young people whom it is trying to help, protect and look after.

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Information about this inspection

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: 1254740 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: South West Childcare Services

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 46 Durnford Street, First Floor Flat, Plymouth, Devon PL1 3QN

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Inspector

Tracey Ledder, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: 1254740 7 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.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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