Wood View

Inspection report children’s home: SC008274 1 SC008274 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 is a privately owned children’s home that is registered to provide care and accommodation for one young person, who has experienced adverse childhood experiences that have led to associated trauma and presenting complex behaviours social and/or emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

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 good

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good

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

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: improved effectiveness

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC008274 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

20/03/2019 Interim Improved effectiveness 15/01/2019 Full Requires improvement to be good 29/01/2018 Interim Not judged 20/01/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report children’s home: SC008274 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

After consultation with the fire and rescue authority, the registered person must— take adequate precautions against the risk of fire, including the provision of suitable fire equipment in the children’s home. (Regulation 25 (1)(a)) 30/11/2019

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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— helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and promotes their welfare. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to— use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b)(2)(h)) This specifically relates to the recording and monitoring of complaints. 30/11/2019

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Recommendations

 The children’s home must produce a children’s guide that is pertinent to where the young person is to live. The children’s guide must be made available to all children when their placement in the home is agreed (or on arrival at the home if the placement is made in an emergency) and must be age appropriate, provided in an accessible format and explained to each child to make sure they understand it. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 24, paragraph 4.22)

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The young person continues to benefit from good-quality care that contributes to her making good progress in many aspects of her life. This is because the staff team places her individual needs at the centre of its work. Relationships are warm and caring and Inspection report children’s home: SC008274 4 interactions between the young person and staff are positive and engaging. The young person is clearly at ease with staff and appears settled in her home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff meet the young person’s complex medical needs well. Information about her pre- existing medical conditions is clear and well documented in the young person’s case records. The staff acquaint themselves with this information and consult with specialists as needed. Appropriate arrangements are in place for the safe administration and management of medicines to promote the young person’s health and well-being.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The young person has 100% school attendance and is making good progress with her learning. Staff ensure that the young person’s continued attendance at school is well supported. They maintain a presence within the school setting so that they are on hand to help the young person and ensure that she is given the opportunity to achieve to her full potential.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

With staff’s help, the young person maintains positive relationships with her family. Staff support these arrangements practically and provide emotional support to her as needed. Any restrictions on the young person communicating with family members are discussed with her and she understands why these are in place. This means that the young person’s time with her family is safe and a positive experience.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The young person knows how to make a complaint. She has access to information on the home’s complaints procedure and contact details of independent people and organisations who could provide her with support. However, managers do not keep a clear record of complaints, including the outcome. This means that complaints are not being documented thoroughly, which hinders the manager’s reviewing and monitoring of them.

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

The young person is protected by staff who implement clear safeguarding procedures. Safeguarding is a high priority for staff. They are clear about their safeguarding responsibilities and there are comprehensive risk assessments in place for the young person. The staff safeguard her by using these assessments to help them to identify risks and vulnerabilities and by having strategies that minimise these risks.

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

The young person benefits from clear rules and boundaries, which are consistently applied by staff. The young person has never gone missing and does not display behaviour that requires staff to use physical intervention. Staff use incentives to recognise and reward the young person’s achievements. The young person has responded positively to this approach, developing greater consideration for others and learning the benefits of cooperative behaviour.

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

Staff complete household environment checks to maintain safety in the home. However, checks on fire alarms and equipment are not being carried out regularly. This means that vital equipment is not being checked to ensure that the home is prepared for such an emergency. Inspection report children’s home: SC008274 5 Young people are protected by the organisation’s recruitment practices. Staff are vetted and assessed as suitable before any appointment is confirmed. These procedures promote young people’s safety by preventing unsuitable adults from working with them.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff access a wide range of training, which centres on the young person’s specific needs and vulnerabilities. Staff receive regular supervision and have had their annual appraisal. Consequently, staff have the confidence and knowledge to provide the specialist care that the young person needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager provides effective leadership to the staff team and demonstrates a strong commitment to driving forward improvements in the home. Arrangements for monitoring practice ensure that there is good oversight of the care that is given to the young person and the progress she makes.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager builds collaborative working relationships with partner agencies. This helps to ensure that the young person receives a strong, focused multi-agency response to meet her specific needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home’s children’s guide is a generic document that does not provide unique information about the home. This means that the young person is not accessing specific information about the home she lives in.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has acted to address the one requirement made at the last inspection. Regulation 44 reports are now being sent to Ofsted in a timely way. This means that the regulator has access to information to inform its monitoring of the service.

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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: SC008274 6

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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

Dave Carrigan, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC008274 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 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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