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

Inspection report children’s home: 1235576 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 was registered in June 2016 and is part of a small organisation based in south-west England. This home is registered to provide accommodation and care for up to two young people. The current manager was registered with Ofsted on 10 May 2018. The home is situated in a residential area on the outskirts of a large city, with access to good amenities and public transport.

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Information about this children’s home

Inspection dates: 25 to 26 September 2018

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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 requires improvement to be 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: 9 November 2017

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: 1235576 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

09/11/2017 Full Good 07/02/2017 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: 1235576 3

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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 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

ensure that the staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child;

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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) and (2)(c)(e)(h))

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Requirement Due date

In particular:  ensure that any issues or incidents are thoroughly recorded, reviewed and escalated where appropriate;  ensure that children are clear about the outcome of any concerns or complaints they raise. 03/12/2018

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Requirement Due date

22: Contact and access to communications Subject to paragraph (5), the registered person must ensure that children are provided at all reasonable times with access to the following facilities which they may use without reference to persons working in the home— (a)a telephone on which to make and receive telephone calls in private. 01/10/2018 Inspection report children’s home: 1235576 4

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Recommendations

 Where the placing authority or another relevant person does not provide the input and services needed to meet a child’s needs during their time in the home, the home must challenge them to meet the child’s needs (see regulations 5 (c)). Staff should act as champions for their children, expecting nothing less than a good parent would. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 12, paragraph 2.8)  Homes should seek as afar as possible to maintain a domestic rather than ‘institutional’ impression. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9)

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The progress that young people have made since coming to live in this home is remarkable. They feel settled and safe, and clearly benefit from the specialised care organised and provided by the manager and staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people have made progress academically and emotionally because of the hands- on support and encouragement they receive. Young people who have previously felt unable to go to school now attend regularly. They have made friends, who visit their home, and their outside interests and hobbies have expanded. A parent commented how pleased she is that her child is making progress in managing her emotions and now getting out and doing things that she had stopped doing previously.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people said they ‘love’ living in this home and feel like they are part of a family. They are successfully helped to understand why they live in the home and what the plans are for their future. The manager and staff make sure that young people have lots of things to look forward to and enjoy. A range of resources are used in the home to help young people, in addition to day-to-day activities and holidays. A huge amount of discrete planning and thought goes on to help children develop their potential and independence.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff work very closely with family members and professionals outside of the home. This has a very positive impact on the young people because plans are worked out together and young people know what to expect. Feedback from professionals about the home is excellent.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The environment is homely and inviting, with much evidence of enjoyed shared experiences such as board games and activities. There are some very minor points that detract from a largely welcoming home, such as unnecessary fire signs. Additionally, young people do not always have access to a telephone without having to ask staff first. Inspection report children’s home: 1235576 5

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

The manager works tirelessly to establish a loving environment which provides consistent routines and security for young people. Staff care for young people so that they are encouraged to develop self-love, self-worth and confidence. Consequently, incidents of a safeguarding nature have reduced significantly as young people respond to this approach. A young person who was restrained on an almost daily basis at a previous home has not been restrained in this home.

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

When safeguarding incidents occur, staff recognise these incidents and know how to respond to ensure that young people are safe.

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

If a young person makes an allegation, staff do listen and respond. However, on one occasion, the manager did not make clear to the young person what the outcome of the investigation was.

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

The registered manager is new to the role and is a caring, child-focused and enthusiastic leader, whose specialist skills are an asset to the home. She supports staff to work creatively and positively with young people, to help them achieve in all aspects of their life. Team meetings and supervision occur regularly, and performance is monitored.

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

Management oversight could be improved in some areas, such as reviewing of concerns, complaints or incidents. While action is taken to deal with safeguarding issues initially, some aspects of young people’s care have not been followed up adequately and require further challenge to ensure that their needs are met.

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

Continuity of staffing has been problematic alongside a lack of experienced staff who work in supervisory roles when the manager is not present. This has had a negative effective on young people. Staffing arrangements have started to improve as the manager has recruited permanent staff members.

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

Staff feel valued and supported by their manager and are equipped with the necessary training to carry out their roles. The manager and staff clearly describe the progress made by the young people they care for and are proud of the young people’s achievements.

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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 Inspection report children’s home: 1235576 6 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: 1235576 7

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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

Sarah Canto, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: 1235576 8 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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