Children's home run by The Governing Body of Woodlands School in Plymouth

Inspection report children’s home: SC448615 1 SC448615 Registered provider: The Governing Body of Woodlands School

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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 provides short breaks for children who have sensory impairment, learning disabilities and/or physical disabilities.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager has been in post since 2016.

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Information about this children’s home

Inspection dates: 29 and 30 October 2019 and 2 November 2019

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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

Date of last inspection: 8 November 2018

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC448615 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

08/11/2018 Full Good 20/02/2018 Interim Sustained effectiveness 28/11/2017 Full Good 19/10/2016 Interim Improved effectiveness Inspection report children’s home: SC448615 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 registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety. The registered person may only—

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Requirement Due date

employ an individual to work at the children’s home; or if an individual is employed by a person other than the registered person to work at the home in a position in which the individual may have regular contact with children, allow that individual to work at the home, if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3).

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Requirement Due date

the individual is of integrity and good character;

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Requirement Due date

the individual has the appropriate experience, qualification and skills for the work that the individual is to perform;

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Requirement Due date

the individual is mentally and physically fit for the purposes of the work that the individual is to perform; and

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Requirement Due date

full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 32 (1)(2)(a)(b)(3)(a)(b)(c)(d))

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Requirement Due date

This relates to the registered person satisfying themselves that any agency worker used in the home fully meets these requirements. 27/11/2019

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Requirement Due date

In meeting the quality standards, the registered person must, and must ensure that staff—

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Requirement Due date

seek to develop and maintain effective professional relationships with such persons, bodies or organisations as the registered person considers appropriate having regard to the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the children’s 27/11/2019 Inspection report children’s home: SC448615 4 home is to provide care and accommodation.

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Requirement Due date

When errors in medication administering occur, it is important that relevant information is provided to parents in a timely manner on every occasion. This includes any learning which had been identified.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

This home is attached to a school, which gives children easier access to an increased variety of on-site resources, such as a soft play area and a hydro pool. The children use these resources on a regular basis.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The registered manager is working on making the environment homelier. Bright colours have been used on the corridor walls and fun pictures are on the bedroom walls. There is a clear development plan in place to make the children’s bedrooms more personalised.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

There is a long-standing core staff team at this home. This provides important consistency for children with complex needs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Observations of staff with children demonstrated that staff are committed to ensuring that children enjoy their stays. Children were seen to be happy and enjoying themselves.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children who are due to move on to adult services are provided with ongoing support to minimise any possible gaps in their care.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Several parents spoken with during the inspection spoke very highly of the home. All these parents commented that their children enjoyed visiting the home.

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

Safeguarding practice is of a good standard. Systems for monitoring and acting on concerns are robust and effective.

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

A significant safeguarding concern was well managed by the registered manager. He ensured that all the relevant information regarding concerns for a child was escalated and that increased support was provided to the family. Inspection report children’s home: SC448615 5 The home has its own bespoke electronic medication recording system. This enables staff to access and record medication administration easily and in a timely manner. This is a good system which supports staff to manage a significant amount of medication.

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

Children currently receive health care from a number of different nurses. The post for an onsite nurse is being advertised. This will be beneficial as children will have one familiar person to help support their health needs and promote the consistent and safe delivery of health care.

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

Staff have a good understanding of each child’s needs, and personality traits. Several of the children rely on non-verbal communication methods. Staff interact sensitively with each child to gain their needs, wishes and feelings in alternative ways.

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

There have been some medication errors since the last inspection. In one case, information regarding an error and the identified learning was not shared with parents in a timely manner.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There is an underlying drive to raise the standard of care provided to children at this home. The registered manager is supported in this activity by robust senior management.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager is a strong advocate for children and young people. He acts effectively on any concerns or issues within the wider care provided to children and young people.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager makes child-centred decisions to promote the best possible outcomes for children and young people.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The staff hold equal responsibility and accountability for the care provided to children. Staff are all trained to the same higher level.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Supervision is of a good standard. It is consistently used to promote continued practice development. It is child focused and purposeful.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Agency staff are rarely used. However, they are not always suitably vetted prior to working at the home. This was a requirement at the last inspection and has been reissued at this inspection.

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Information about this inspection

Inspection report children’s home: SC448615 6 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: SC448615 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: The Governing Body of Woodlands School

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Civic Centre, Armada Way, PLYMOUTH PL1 2AA

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Inspector(s)

Polly Soper, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC448615 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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector(s)

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Inspector(s)

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Inspector(s)

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