Children's Home run by SWAAY Child & Adolescent Services Ltd in Bracknell Forest

Inspection report children‟s home: SC431803 1 SC431803 Registered provider: SWAAY Child and Adolescent Services Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

This home is registered to accommodate up to four young people who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. The home is owned and operated by a private organisation that specialises in the assessment and treatment of male adolescents who have experienced some form of abuse and may have subsequently been involved in perpetrating abusive behaviour towards others.

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

p.1

good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

p.1

good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

p.1

good

Date of last inspection: 16 January 2018

p.1

good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good Inspection report children‟s home: SC431803 2

p.1

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

16/01/2018 Full Good 29/03/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness 19/10/2016 Full Outstanding 03/03/2016 Interim Improved effectiveness Inspection report children‟s home: SC431803 3

p.2

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.

p.3

Requirement Due date

The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

p.3

Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure–

p.3

Requirement Due date

assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the child‟s relevant plans, and, if necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child;

p.3

Requirement Due date

help each child to understand how to keep safe;

p.3

Requirement Due date

have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm;

p.3

Requirement Due date

manage relationships between children to prevent them from harming each other;

p.3

Requirement Due date

understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person;

p.3

Requirement Due date

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child‟s welfare; and

p.3

Requirement Due date

are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home‟s child protection policies. (Regulation 12(1), (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii))

p.3

Requirement Due date

This is in relation to ensuring that risk assessments are accurate and up to date. 23/12/2018

p.3

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–

p.3

Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and 23/12/2018 Inspection report children‟s home: SC431803 4 promotes their welfare.

p.3

Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to–

p.4

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)(h))

p.4

Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring that records are clear and up to date. The registered person must ensure that–

p.4

Requirement Due date

within 24 hours of the use of a measure of control, discipline or restraint in relation to a child in the home, a record is made which includes–

p.4

Requirement Due date

details of the child‟s behaviour leading to the use of the measure;

p.4

Requirement Due date

the date, time and location of the use of the measure;

p.4

Requirement Due date

a description of the measure and its duration;

p.4

Requirement Due date

details of any methods used, or steps taken to avoid the need to use the measure;

p.4

Requirement Due date

the name of the person who used the measure (“the user”), and of any other person present when the measure was used;

p.4

Requirement Due date

the effectiveness and any consequences of the use of the measure; and

p.4

Requirement Due date

a description of any injury to the child or any other person, and any medical treatment administered, as a result of the measure;

p.4

Requirement Due date

within 48 hours of the use of the measure, the registered person, or a person who is authorised by the registered person to do so (“the authorised person”)–

p.4

Requirement Due date

has spoken to the user about the measure; and

p.4

Requirement Due date

has signed the record to confirm it is accurate; and within 5 days of the use of the measure, the registered person or the authorised person adds to the record confirmation that 23/12/2018 Inspection report children‟s home: SC431803 5 they have spoken to the child about the measure. (Regulation 35(3)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(viii)(b)(i)(ii)(c)(iv))

p.4

Requirement Due date

This is in relation to ensuring that the records of sanctions are completed in a timely manner.

p.5

Recommendations

 The registered person is responsible for ensuring that all their staff have been adequately trained in the principles of restraint and any restraint techniques appropriate to meet the needs of the children the home is set up to care for as defined in the home‟s statement of purpose. („Guide to the children‟s homes regulations including the quality standards‟, page 58, paragraph 11.18) This is with reference to enhancing staff training, bearing in mind the potential behaviours of some of the children.  Care must be taken to ensure prescribed medicines are only administered to the individual for whom they are prescribed. Medicines must be administered in line with a medically approved protocol. Records must be kept of the administration of all medication, which includes occasions when prescribed medication is refused. („Guide to the children‟s homes regulations including the quality standards‟, page 35, paragraph 7.15)

p.5

Recommendations

This is with reference to ensuring that records clearly show how missed doses of medication have been addressed.  Staff should be familiar with the home‟s policies on record keeping and understand the importance of careful, objective and clear recording. („Guide to the children‟s homes regulations including the quality standards‟, page 62, paragraph 14.4) This is with reference to ensuring that records such as risk assessments, medication and sanctions are kept up to date. Inspection report children‟s home: SC431803 6

p.5

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff provide a warm and welcoming environment that helps the young people to feel safe and grow. Consequently, they make very good progress, especially taking into account their starting points.

p.6

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff know each young person‟s interests, vulnerabilities and aspirations. This enables them to provide bespoke care that is focused on helping young people to make good progress. In turn, the young people feel that they are valued and that their carers have a genuine fondness for them and a commitment to helping them to move forward.

p.6

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The strength of relationships between the young people and the staff means that young people can express their views and feelings and feel that they have a meaningful role in the day-to-day routines and running of the home.

p.6

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people‟s health needs are met to a good standard. Their emotional health is particularly well promoted, with young people receiving therapeutic support when this is needed. This support helps them to reconsider their past experiences and behaviours and to develop strategies to move forward. The administration of medication is appropriately audited by members of staff to ensure that the young people receive their medication as prescribed. There was one incident where a missed dose of medication was noted by a member of staff. While the young person did not suffer from this error, the record of the steps taken by staff to address the issue was unclear.

p.6

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people all attend full-time education, and some make remarkable progress. All young people enjoy going to school and take pride in their individual achievements, which are also celebrated by the staff.

p.6

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Each young person takes part in activities that are tailored to fit their interests and levels of risk or vulnerability. This ensures that young people develop their confidence and life and social skills at a pace that they can cope with.

p.6

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Members of staff conscientiously ensure that key-work sessions take place regularly with young people. The records of these sessions evidence how each young person‟s feelings have been discussed and explored and what steps have been put into place to help them to move forward, to gain confidence and to improve their life chances.

p.6

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people are helped to stay in touch with their families, where this is appropriate. Staff provide very good, sensitive support if this is needed, both to the young people and their family members. This increases the opportunities for positive contact between young people and their families and lessens the anxiety and stress that some of these occasions can evoke. Inspection report children‟s home: SC431803 7

p.6

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

Young people say that they feel safe living in this home. They are confident that they can share any concerns with staff and that they will be addressed. There have been no formal complaints since the last inspection, and this is indicative of the efforts made to resolve any issues at a low level.

p.7

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

Clear protocols are in place should a young person go missing. These are followed in practice. Local police are very complimentary about the efforts that are made by staff to follow young people and encourage them to return home. There have been just four incidents of young people going missing from the home in the year preceding this inspection, and all ended in the young person‟s safe return.

p.7

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

Members of staff know the young people very well, and have a very good awareness of young people‟s vulnerabilities. One risk assessment in relation to managing the risk of a young person self-harming was not detailed enough, as it did not identify all the ligature points in his room. This has not had a detrimental effect on his safety, as clear guidelines are in place for staff observation if there are concerns about his emotional state. Although the young person has been well supported and the shortfall has not compromised his safety, the risks in his room have not been fully identified. Steps were taken during the inspection to address this shortfall.

p.7

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

All members of staff receive training in identifying and responding to safeguarding issues. They know who to inform if they have any concerns about a young person‟s welfare. The local authority designated officer told inspectors that the quality of communication between the home and herself is good. This means that any issues can be addressed promptly and effectively.

p.7

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

Young people say that the rules and expectations in the home are sensible and fair. Sanctions have been imposed just twice since the last inspection. One of the records did not include the young person‟s response or opinions about the fairness or effectiveness of the sanction. While this has not had a negative impact, the shortfall has not been addressed in a timely way.

p.7

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

Members of staff have all received basic training in physical intervention. They may need a higher level of training in the future, due to the potential risks that some young people may pose. Although this has been agreed by the organisation that runs the home, no definite date for this training has been agreed. From this inspection, a recommendation is made for senior leaders to achieve this.

p.7

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Young people speak well of the registered manager. They welcome her style of leadership and say that she listens to them and welcomes their opinions. She provides strong leadership to the staff team and has gradually implemented positive changes around the home. She has a clear understanding of the areas to improve and has a development plan which outlines the targets, alongside when these should be Inspection report children‟s home: SC431803 8 completed.

p.7

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

External professionals such as social workers, child protection staff and police officers speak very positively about the good levels of communication and sharing of information. This ensures transparency, good inter-agency cooperation and a sense of cohesive working together for the benefit of the young people.

p.8

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

If needed, the registered manager and other senior members of staff will challenge external professionals‟ practice. They act as strong advocates on behalf of young people, and this has a positive impact. For example, their efforts have ensured that the young people receive regular visits from social workers and that postponed meetings are quickly reorganised.

p.8

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

All members of staff receive regular supervision and training to ensure that they have the skills and knowledge to provide a good level of care to the young people. All staff attend clinical supervision, which offers them the opportunity to reflect on their work, the dynamics of the home and the impact of their professional role on their lives.

p.8

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Some members of staff have not recorded some details in their reports or have made mistakes in their records. This has not been promptly addressed by the registered manager or other senior members of staff who are responsible for quality assurance and monitoring. The mistakes have not had a negative impact on the well-being of young people, nevertheless they should have been noted and addressed.

p.8

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There has been a determined drive by the organisation that operates the home to recruit more staff. This has been effective, overall, and there is now an established core of staff, providing consistency of care for the young people. Consequently, the young people experience stability and reliability in their care, and develop meaningful and trusting relationships with the staff who care for them. Inspection report children‟s home: SC431803 9

p.8

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 difference 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.

p.9

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: SC431803 10

p.9

Children’s home details

Registered provider: SWAAY Child and Adolescent Services Limited

p.10

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 591 London Road, Sutton, Surrey SM3 9AG

p.10

Inspector(s)

Paul Taylor, social care inspector Inspection report children‟s home: SC431803 11 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.

p.10

Inspector(s)

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 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 .

p.11

Inspector(s)

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.11

Inspector(s)

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

p.11