Children's Home run by Swan Cottage Limited in Worcestershire

Inspection report children’s home: 1258893 1 Registered provider: Swan Cottage Limited Interim inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is a privately run home. It provides accommodation and care for up to two children. Children come to live at the home because of family or placement breakdowns, which might occur in birth or adoptive families, foster placements and other residential placements. The registered manager is experienced and holds a level 5 diploma in leadership and management in residential childcare. She has worked at the home since it was registered in September 2017.

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Information about this children’s home

Date of last inspection: 4 September 2018

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Information about this children’s home

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged good at the last full inspection. At the interim inspection, Ofsted judges that it has declined in effectiveness. One young person continues to be resident at the home. Staff try hard to educate the young person about the risks of using the internet in planned meetings and through everyday discussions. Staff have also consulted the young person’s social worker about their concerns that they are unable to safely monitor the young person’s internet use. However, staff have failed to escalate their concerns further when they continue to have worries about the young person’s use of social media and her reluctance to allow the staff to monitor her online usage, so that they Inspection report children’s home: 1258893 2 know she is safe. The registered manager has not responded promptly when the whistle-blowing procedure has been used following an incident. This delay means that the young person

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

was not protected from emotionally harmful behaviour at the earliest opportunity. The manager has ensured that the one recommendation raised at the last inspection has been addressed. This has resulted in staff receiving regular supervision. However, supervision does not focus on the needs of the young person, including how the staff practice helps to keep the young person safe. Staff support the young person to have regular and meaningful contact with her parents. This thoughtful approach means that the young person’s parents feel involved in their child’s progress. Staff prioritise the young person’s education. This has helped her to maintain excellent attendance at school. Staff support the young person to complete homework in the way a good parent would. As a result, the young person is doing well in education and she is expected to achieve good grades when she sits her GCSEs.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

04/09/2018 Full Good 16/01/2018 Full Requires improvement to be good

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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 protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— that staff— have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm; understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting 01/05/2019 Inspection report children’s home: 1258893 3 children that are assigned to them by the registered person; take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare; and are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies. (Regulation 12 (1)(2)(a)(iii)(v)(vi)(vii))

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Recommendations

 No children’s home will be able to meet, on its own, all of a child’s needs. It is crucial that the home works in close partnership with all those who play a role in protecting and caring for the child, but particularly the child’s local authority and statutory social worker. The registered person and the staff of the home cannot force a relevant person to engage or work productively with them and the regulation does not require this. The registered person should evidence what they have done to achieve engagement, including any actions taken to escalate concerns. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 11, paragraph 2.3)  Supervision of staff practice should ensure that individual adults in the home are engaged in the safeguarding culture of the home so they understand what they would need to do if they found other staff misusing or abusing their position to

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Recommendations

the detriment of the safety of a child. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 43, paragraph 9.14)

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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

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’. Inspection report children’s home: 1258893 4

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Swan Cottage Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Parkar Accountants, 19 21, Hatchett Street, Birmingham, West Midlands B19 3NX

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Inspector

Karen Gillingwater, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: 1258893 5 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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