Children's home run by South West Childcare Services

Inspection report children’s home: 1268518 1 Registered provider: South West Childcare Services Interim 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 November 2017 to provide care and accommodation for two children. The home is operated by a small private company that has other children’s homes in the same region. The home has not had a registered manager since December 2017. A manager has been in post since July 2018 but has not yet submitted a complete application to register with Ofsted.

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Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged requires improvement to be good at the last full inspection. At the interim inspection, Ofsted judges that it has declined in effectiveness.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Since the full inspection in April 2018, there have been further changes to the management of the home. A registered manager has not been in post since the middle of December 2017. A new manager was appointed in July and is in the process of submitting an application to Ofsted. However, insufficient action has been taken to submit a complete application promptly.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Six requirements were made at the full inspection. Not all have been fully addressed and three are repeated at this inspection. Inspection report children’s home: 1268518 2 The staffing of the home remains an area of concern. Since the full inspection, 80% of the staff team, including the manager, have changed. Except for the manager and deputy manager, staff are unqualified and have limited experience of working with children in a residential childcare setting. The staffing structure does not allow for a senior member of staff to be on duty at all times. While night staffing arrangements and practice-related supervision have improved, shortfalls remaining in the staffing arrangements require improvement to benefit children.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The management of serious incidents also requires improvement. Staff do not always follow guidelines, for example in relation to contacting senior staff on call. During a recent incident, this led to an escalation of the situation, which may otherwise have been resolved more effectively for the child. In addition, staff continue to use sanctions that are not effective or meaningful and do not reflect the home’s philosophy of ‘normalisation’. Records, and the rationale for decision making, relating to how sanctions are intended to benefit children are poor. While the manager is aware of this and is starting to make improvements, more work is needed to ensure that if sanctions are used, that they help children to reflect on their behaviour and understand why it is important for them to change it and not simply because of the financial penalty that they incur.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Since the full inspection, serious incidents, including going missing from home, have reduced in number. Following a requirement, arrangements are now in place for children to have an independent interview when they return home. A further requirement about the safe storage and administration of medication has also been addressed.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

On the day of the inspection, the home was warm and inviting. Good attention is given to providing a homely environment. Staff are working hard to help both children to make their own personal space comfortable and attractive. It was acknowledged that one child’s bedroom is not at the desired standard, but staff are trying creative approaches to make the necessary improvements. The manager and staff work effectively with other professionals to ensure that children are listened to and receive help and support to achieve their personal targets. One professional said that they had a ‘good impression’ of the new manager and overall was satisfied with the progress that the child was making but would like to see better continuity of staffing.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

23/04/2018 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report children’s home: 1268518 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

6: The quality and purpose of care standard The quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children;

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Requirement Due date

use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential.

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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

understand and apply the home’s statement of purpose.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that sanctions used are meaningful and restorative in nature and reflect the home’s philosophy of ‘normalisation’.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b)(2)(a)) 30/11/2018

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Requirement Due date

13: The leadership and management standard 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 promotes their welfare.

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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

lead and manage the home in a way that is consistent with the approach and ethos, and delivers the outcomes, set out in the home’s statement of purpose; 30/11/2018 Inspection report children’s home: 1268518 4 ensure that 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 has sufficient staff to provide care for each child; and

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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

(Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b)(2)(a)(c)(d) and (e))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, improve the staffing structure to provide senior, qualified and experienced staff leading shifts and supporting the manager and provide continuity for children. 13: The leadership and management standard 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

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, this is in relation to the manager’s oversight of records maintained by the home, including sanctions. The manager must review records and the practices that they describe in order to identify if improvements can be made and also to ensure that records are fit for purpose. 30/11/2018

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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: 1268518 5 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

This inspection focused on the effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of children and young people since the most recent full inspection.

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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’.

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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

Norma Welsby, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: 1268518 6 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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