Children's home run by SWAAY Child & Adolescent Services Ltd in Sutton

Inspection report children’s home: SC431804 1 SC431804 Registered provider: SWAAY Child and Adolescent Services Limited

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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 may accommodate up to four children and young people. It is operated by a private company which has other similar homes in the area. The company specialises in providing care and therapeutic intervention for young people (males) who have a history of sexually harmful behaviour. There has been a suitably qualified and experienced registered manager in post since November 2018.

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Information about this children’s home

Inspection dates: 12 to 13 February 2019

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account Good

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Overall experiences and progress of

How well children and young people are helped and protected Good

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Overall experiences and progress of

The effectiveness of leaders and managers Good

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Overall experiences and progress of

Date of last inspection: 19 September 2017

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Overall experiences and progress of

Overall judgement at last inspection: good Inspection report children’s home: SC431804 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

19/09/2017 Full Good 25/08/2016 Full Good 18/03/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness 22/12/2015 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: SC431804 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 quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children; and use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to— ensure that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed and furnished so as to enable each child to participate in the daily life of the home. (Regulation 6(1)(a)(b) and (2)(c)(ii)) In particular, ensure that the games room is decorated to a good standard. 30/04/2019

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people benefit from living in this home and make significant progress. Admissions are carefully considered and include in-depth assessment by professionals such as therapists and the registered manager. This ensures that the mix of young people can live together in a small and intense community without impinging on each other’s progress. Importantly, young people make the decision that they wish to live at this home. They understand that their past behaviours will be explored and challenged and that this may be, at times, painful. They also acknowledge that living here will also help them to develop better coping skills and strategies that will enable them to have a chance of a more positive future. Relationships between members of staff and the young people are warm and supportive. There are very clear boundaries in place and the young people understand the need for close supervision and predictable routines.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people have a wide choice of activities in which they can partake. This helps them Inspection report children’s home: SC431804 4 to develop social skills and confidence and helps them to test out newly learned strategies. Independence and free time is gradually earnt and carefully assessed. Therapists and other staff in the organisation, together with other external professionals, are involved in agreeing to the young people increasing their unsupervised free time. This is carefully paced at a rate with which the young people can cope. Consequently, the young people are able to broaden their experiences and activities in line with their interests and enthusiasms. All young people achieve full-time attendance at school or college. They make excellent progress and receive bespoke support where it is needed, especially when attending college. This enables them to broaden their friendship groups, develop independence

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

and gives them an opportunity to explore their career options. Young people know how to complain and to whom concerns can be addressed. This includes access to independent advocates and help lines. Since the last inspection, there have been two complaints, and these have been thoroughly investigated and resolved to the young people’s satisfaction. The home is generally comfortable and well furnished. However, the games room is in need of redecoration as there are unsightly blemishes on the wall. This undermines the otherwise good standard of decoration achieved elsewhere in the home.

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

All young people report that they feel safe living at this home. Well-established systems and routines ensure that young people’s safety and well-being is promoted to a very good standard. Specific plans, developed with the young people, outline how they prefer to be supported and kept safe. This ensures that they are appropriately supervised, and all aspects of their behaviours are assessed. This is with a view to reducing risk, encouraging self-regulation and increasing independence. Young people make good progress in these areas, especially when bearing in mind their starting points. There are very clear procedures in place should a young person be missing or absent without permission. Young people are also very aware of any constraints that are put on them and how this will be reported if they do go missing. There have been no incidents of a young person going missing since the last inspection in September 2017.

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

On occasion, young people have had their rooms searched. This has been completed in an appropriate manner and the reasons for this have been clear and put in place to promote the young people’s well-being. Young people are present during these searches and have an opportunity to voice their views and understanding of the measure. Members of staff receive training in safeguarding issues and this has raised their awareness in areas such as child sexual exploitation and the possibility of ‘county lines’ involvement. All members of staff are clear as to what they need to do and who they need to inform if they have any concerns. Feedback from professionals about the staff’s communication is very positive. Overall recruitment practice is sound and ensures that appropriate checks are carried out Inspection report children’s home: SC431804 5 on adults before they commence work. One example was found where a qualification

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

declared on an application form differed in the date of the certificate provided by a number of years. This had not been recognised during the recruitment procedure, however the qualification was not related to the job description and other checks for the members of staff were positive.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

This is a very well-managed home. The registered manager is enthusiastic and realistically ambitious to develop the staff team and young people to their full potential. Both young people and staff speak very positively about her influence on the home and feel that she has made it a positive place in which to work and to live. There has been a lot of change in staffing in recent months and the manager has carefully assessed this so that young people’s quality of care and support has not been compromised. This has helped to embed a genuine feeling of belonging for both young people and staff. All members of staff receive a very structured induction complemented by regular supervision and training. This has led to a staff team which is confident and knowledgeable and has a good insight into the challenges of their work. Young people feel that their views are valued and promoted. There is a weekly community meeting which includes young people and staff. This emphasises the culture

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

of openness and is an opportunity for everyone to share their opinions and to influence how the home is being run. This home provides a specific service which helps young people come to terms with their past histories. The aim of the home is to help the young people to address their behaviours with a view to living safely and independently in the community. Senior managers within the organisation provide close guidance and support to ensure that young people and staff receive the help that they need in order for everyone to work together for a common purpose. Close multi-disciplinary working, involving therapists, education, care staff, and external professionals, ensures that aims are shared and that young people truly benefit from living at this home. Diversity and difference is celebrated and enjoyed in this home. Every member of the home is valued, and their needs are met on an individual basis. Any cultural, religious or

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

social needs are fully met, and the young people show a tolerance and understanding of each other’s idiosyncrasies and personalities.

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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 Inspection report children’s home: SC431804 6 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: SC431804 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: SWAAY Child and Adolescent Services Limited

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Children’s home details

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

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Inspector

Paul Taylor, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC431804 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 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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