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

Inspection report children’s home: 1277304 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 home was registered in May 2018 to provide care and accommodation for up to two children who have emotional and behavioural difficulties. It is owned and managed by a private provider who has other homes in this region.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager resigned from his post in October 2018. A new manager started in post in October 2018 and is planning to submit an application to register with Ofsted.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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requires improvement to be good

How well children and young people are helped and protected requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The children’s home is not yet delivering good help and care for children and young people. However, there are no serious or widespread failures that result in their welfare not being safeguarded or promoted.

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requires improvement to be good

Date of last inspection: first full inspection since registration

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: not applicable

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: 1277304 2

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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 registered person must make arrangements for the handling, recording, safekeeping, safe administration and disposal of medicines received into the children’s home.

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Requirement Due date

In particular the registered person must ensure that— medicines kept in the home are stored in a secure place so as to prevent any child from having unsupervised access to them;

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Requirement Due date

medicine which is prescribed for a child is administered as prescribed to the child for whom it is prescribed and to no other child; and

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Requirement Due date

a record is kept of the administration of medicine to each child.

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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 promotes their welfare. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure that staff have the experiences, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that staff have the skills to manage the known risks and presenting issues of the children associated with self-harm. 10/12/2018

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if—

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Requirement Due date

there is any incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must give notice in writing to HMCI, as 10/12/2018 Inspection report children’s home: 1277304 3 soon as it is reasonably practicable to do so, if any of the following events take place or are expected by the registered person to take place—

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Requirement Due date

a person other than the registered person carries on or manages the children’s home; a person ceases to carry on or manage the home.

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improvement to be good

Despite a catalogue of remarkable achievements made by a young person, a recent serious incident has had a negative impact on their health and welfare.

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improvement to be good

Outcomes for young people are variable. One young person with a history of numerous previous placements has found freedom from a secure placement and much-needed stability in this home. After being out of school for more than two years, their attendance is currently above 75%. Engagement with staff is productive. Through the efforts of staff and facilitation of joint activities, relationships with brothers and sisters have improved and the young person is now spending more time in their family home. Staff and the placing authority are pleased with the progress made.

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improvement to be good

Staff have not been able to fully engage a second young person who is nearing adulthood. This young person has spent much of a short-term placement away from the home. Despite the efforts of staff, the young person is not currently engaged in employment, training or further education.

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improvement to be good

Arrangements to move into the home are well planned and led by the needs of the young people. Young people are given opportunities to contribute to their care plans, assessments and reviews. Plans are up to date and reviewed regularly in line with the changing needs of the young people and expectations of the placing authority.

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improvement to be good

Arrangements for the safe storage, administration and recording of medication are ineffective. Ofsted is aware of a significant incident that occurred the day before this inspection, in which a young person gained access to a medication cabinet and ingested an overdose of prescribed medication including controlled drugs. Multidisciplinary agreed action has been taken to avoid a repeat, and the incident is currently under full investigation. Inspection report children’s home: 1277304 4 Two further incidents have occurred whereby a young person has required treatment in hospital. Leaders and managers did not notify Ofsted of these serious incidents.

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improvement to be good

Behaviour management is focused on positive relationships with young people and the development of mutual trust. The young people have at least two important staff members who they have developed a good relationship with and trust to act in their best interests. Physical intervention has not been used to manage behaviour, although all staff are trained in safe techniques should this be needed. The current manager feels that the use of sanctions to manage behaviour is ineffective and is concentrating on reinforcing positive aspects of behaviour instead.

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improvement to be good

Young people have not gone missing from this home. This is noteworthy for one young person, who was discharged from some previous placements because of the risks of this behaviour.

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improvement to be good

Leaders and managers have not satisfied themselves that the training provided to staff equips them with the skills and knowledge to manage the presenting behaviours of the young people. For example, although staff have completed training in how to deal with self-harm, they had not been shown how to use ligature removers. All staff have completed safeguarding training at a high level and know how to recognise and protect young people from abuse.

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

The home was registered in May 2018. The line management arrangement for the registered manager was unsuitable, lacking sufficient support and guidance. This manager has since left the home and a new manager with suitable childcare qualifications was appointed in October. There has been a delay in notifying Ofsted about the management changes.

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

The new manager has identified the strengths and weaknesses of the home and an action plan for improvement is in place. Several systems have been updated and practice improved.

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

Managers and staff work well with other agencies including education, mental health services and the placing authority. Staff managed to secure suitable access to child and adolescent mental health services. An education worker felt that although positive outcomes for one young person are significant, further progress could be made if the school were kept better informed by the home’s staff about issues.

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

The staff want young people to do well and are proud of their achievements. Young people are encouraged to voice their opinions and participate in making decisions. Staff advocate on behalf of young people and do their best to meet their demands and wishes. One young person’s objective to have their own flat in the community has just been agreed. Inspection report children’s home: 1277304 5 The home offers a family environment which is personalised by young people. It is close to the city centre, within easy reach of lots of amenities.

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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: 1277304 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: First Floor, 46 Durnford Street, Plymouth, Devon PL1 3QN

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Inspector

Janice Hawtin, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: 1277304 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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