Children's home run by Searchlight Care Services Ltd in Stoke-on-Trent

Inspection report children‟s home: SC411074 1 SC411074 Registered provider: Searchlight Care Services Ltd

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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 is registered to provide care and accommodation for one child who has social and/or emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The home is operated by a private company. The current manager has been registered with Ofsted since August 2017, and holds a level 5 qualification in leadership and management.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

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good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

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good

The children‟s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

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good

Date of last inspection: 5 December 2018

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children‟s home: SC411074 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

05/12/2018 Full Requires improvement to be good 14/03/2018 Interim Improved effectiveness 04/07/2017 Full Good 03/02/2017 Interim Not judged Inspection report children‟s home: SC411074 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 positive relationships standard is that children are helped to develop, and to benefit from, relationships based on an understanding about acceptable behaviour. (Regulation 11(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that staff help the child to understand why the use of racially abusive language is not acceptable. 30/09/2019

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Requirement Due date

No measure of control or discipline which is excessive, unreasonable or contrary to paragraph (2) may be used in relation to any child. (Regulation 19(1)) 30/09/2019

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children‟s safety.

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Requirement Due date

The requirements are that full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2. (Regulation (32)(1)(3)(d)) 30/09/2019

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that— 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— details of the child‟s behaviour leading to the use of the measure; a description of the measure and its duration; 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”)— has spoken to the user about the measure; and has signed the record to confirm it is accurate. (Regulation 35(3)(a)(ii)(iv)(b)(i)(ii)) 30/09/2019

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Since the last inspection, the same child continues to live at the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Specialist help has been commissioned by the placing authority to ensure that the child‟s needs are met well. Inspection report children‟s home: SC411074 4 This means that staff now receive regular and ongoing support and training to help them to understand and respond effectively to the child‟s particular needs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff know the child well and he has made positive relationships with them. The child is making good progress and his day-to-day experiences are mostly positive. For example, the child has now joined a local trampolining club. This is providing the child with the opportunity to socialise with children his own age and have fun.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child continues to make positive progress with his education. The number of hours he engages in education each week has increased, and he is now also undertaking a weekly music lesson. The child is making academic progress, given his starting point. Committed staff help the child to achieve educational success by supporting his learning at the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff meet children‟s health needs well. They ensure that he attends all routine health appointments. In addition, the child enjoys a good diet and plenty of exercise.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child has the opportunity to express his views, wishes and feelings in a variety of ways. For example, the child has regular key-working sessions with staff that cover a variety of topics as outlined in his care plan. This enables the child to have input into decisions about his care.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff help the child to maintain links with his family. This good support ensures that the child keeps in touch with people who are important to him. This promotes his identity and well-being.

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

The child knows how to complain. For example, when he made a complaint, this was treated seriously by the registered manager and was swiftly resolved. This means that the child feels listened to.

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

Improved staff training and support means that staff better understand the reasons behind the child‟s challenging behaviour. Staff respond to these behaviours consistently and with empathy. Clear boundaries mean that the child knows what is expected of him. Since the last inspection, incidents of challenging behaviour, including damage to the home, have reduced.

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

One aspect of the child‟s behaviour is a particular concern. This relates to the child‟s use of racially abusive language. Although the staff tell the child that this is not acceptable, they are not doing enough to help him to understand why this is so and the impact his words can have on other people.

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

The risks in respect of the child are understood by those caring for him. Staff regularly review the child‟s risk assessments and these documents contain clear guidance about what action staff should take to reduce risks. This promotes the child‟s safety and welfare. Inspection report children‟s home: SC411074 5 Since the last inspection, the number of incidents involving restraint has reduced. Changes to the way staff record restraint incidents have brought about some improvement. However, records still do not contain all the information required by legislation. For example, in one record it was not clear what had led to the incident, staff do not always record the duration of a restraint and on one occasion all staff involved in a restraint did not receive a debrief. This shortfall highlights a weakness in management oversight of such records and means that the registered manager cannot always accurately review whether staff use physical intervention techniques safely and

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

The child does not go missing from the home. Staff have procedures in place that they know to follow should such an incident occur. No allegations or child protection concerns have arisen since the last inspection.

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

This inspection identified some shortfalls in the quality of management oversight. Two requirements raised at the last inspection remain unmet. For example, restraint records do not contain all the information required by regulation. In addition, one consequence given to the child was excessive. This related to the amount of money he needed to pay in reparation for causing some damage to the home. The registered manager did not identify this consequence as a concern. Shortfalls in management oversight have the potential to affect the quality of care provided to children.

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

Staff recruitment is generally good. However, on one occasion the registered manager did not robustly follow up on information contained in references. This undermines her ability to make considered and informed decisions about the suitability of staff to work with children. This lack of rigour has the potential to compromise children‟s safety and welfare.

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

The staff and registered manager receive regular supervision. They receive feedback on their practice and feel well supported. In turn, this helps staff to reflect on their approach and this has helped to improve the child‟s experiences and progress.

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

When new members of staff join the organisation, they are provided with an effective induction programme. Staff have received more specific training to help them meet the specific needs of the child living at the home. Staff training is relevant and up to date. As a result, staff have the skills and knowledge to help the child to make good progress.

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

The registered manager and staff work well with partner agencies and the child‟s family. Good collaboration means that the child receives coordinated care. Inspection report children‟s home: SC411074 6

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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: SC411074 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Searchlight Care Services Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Marcus House, Parkhall Road, Longton, Stoke-on-Trent ST3 5XA

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Inspector

Sarah Junor-Fitzpatrick, social care inspector Inspection report children‟s home: SC411074 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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