Children's Home run by Lighthouse Southwest Ltd in Torbay

Inspection report children’s home: 2534589 1 Registered provider: Lighthouse Southwest 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

The home is owned by an independent provider. It is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to three children and young people with emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

This home was originally set up to provide support for young people on a semi- independent basis. It was registered with Ofsted in September 2019 to enable the home to provide care for children and young people from the age of 11.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager has been in post since the home registered in September 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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Date of last inspection: This is the home’s first inspection

Overall judgement at last inspection: not applicable

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Date of last inspection: This is the home’s first inspection

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: 2534589 2

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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). The requirements are that—

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Requirement Due date

the individual is of integrity and good character; the individual has the appropriate experience, qualification and skills for the work that the individual is to perform; the individual is mentally and physically fit for the purposes of the work that the individual is to perform; and 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

In particular, recruitment processes must provide a high level of scrutiny of any potential staff. 10/03/2020

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that, in line with their individual health plans and the ethos of the home, children are offered advice, support and guidance on health and well-being to enhance, and supplement that provided by their school through Personal, Social and Health Education (PSHE). Staff should have the relevant skills and knowledge to be able to help children understand, and where necessary work to change negative behaviours in key areas of health and well- being such as, but not limited to, nutrition and healthy diet, exercise, mental health, sexual relationships, sexual health, contraception and use of legal highs, Inspection report children’s home: 2534589 3 drugs, alcohol and tobacco. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 35, paragraph 7.18)

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

This home provides a warm and welcoming environment for children and young people. It is furnished and maintained to a high standard. Children and young people’s bedrooms are personalised to a high standard. This has encouraged the child who lives at the home to take pride in her personal space.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child is happy and well cared for at the home. She told the inspector that she loves her home and the staff. She is doing very well at college and has a weekend job which she is fully committed to. The child has good relationships with staff, and this has evidently promoted her self-esteem and emotional resilience.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff provide nurturing care to children and young people. This includes supporting children to take pride in their appearance. For example, staff help children to style their hair. This is something a good parent would do.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

When children and young people move on from the home, staff stay in contact with them in line with their wishes. This provides important, consistent relationships for children and young people.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

One child has left since the home was registered. This child did not move in a carefully planned way, as an appropriate new home was not found by the local authority in a timely manner. There are new systems in place to ensure that the needs of new children and young people are very carefully considered before moving into the home. This is to reduce the risk of children and young people being moved unless this is part of their care planning progression.

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

Safeguarding practice is of a good standard. There are clear systems in place to ensure that staff know who to contact in all situations. Staff are also trained in safeguarding to an enhanced standard.

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

The registered manager stopped one child from being moved to another home which was not of a good enough standard. She ensured that her concerns were escalated effectively and that another home of a better standard was found.

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

Risk management guidance for staff at times lacks clarity. This does not promote important consistency for children and young people. For example, is it unclear how staff are to help children and young people keep themselves safe when using social media. Inspection report children’s home: 2534589 4 Children and young people are fully supported to explore their independence safely. They are encouraged to enjoy age-appropriate experiences, such as going to concerts and out with friends.

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

Records stated on several occasions that staff should contact police if they are unable to manage behaviour. It was not clear that this should only be as a very last resort. The registered manager rectified this during the inspection.

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

There has been one complaint from a child since the home was registered. This complaint was well managed and approached in a child-appropriate way.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager is undertaking important preparatory work to promote the ability of staff to meet the needs of younger children before they arrive. This includes providing enhanced staff training and reviewing areas for practice development.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager strongly advocates for children and escalates concerns regarding the practice of others effectively.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Management auditing systems provide good practice oversight. The responsible individual completes thorough, child-focused audits of the home on a regular basis. Clear challenge can be seen within these audits, which supports staff reflection and good practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager is a reflective practitioner who seeks to learn and raise the standard of care she provides. This promotes good practice and best outcomes for children and young people.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Recruitment practice at times lacks scrutiny. References for new staff are not always rigorously verified.

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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 Inspection report children’s home: 2534589 5 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: 2534589 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Lighthouse Southwest Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 7 St Pauls Road, Newton Abbot, Devon TQ12 2HP

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Inspector(s)

Polly Soper, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: 2534589 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(s)

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Inspector(s)

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Inspector(s)

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: http://www.gov.uk/ofsted

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