Children's Home run by SWAAY Child & Adolescent Services Ltd in Bracknell Forest

Inspection report children’s home: SC481040 1 SC481040 Registered provider: SWAAY Child and Adolescent Services Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is owned and run by a private organisation. It is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to four boys. The organisation runs other homes and a school in the local area. The manager was registered with Ofsted in May 2018.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account good

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Overall experiences and progress of

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

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Overall experiences and progress of

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

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Overall experiences and progress of

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

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Overall experiences and progress of

Date of last inspection: 31 January 2019

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Overall experiences and progress of

Overall judgement at last inspection: sustained effectiveness

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Overall experiences and progress of

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC481040 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

31/01/2019 Interim Sustained effectiveness 18/09/2018 Full Good 18/01/2018 Interim Improved effectiveness 18/10/2017 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report children’s home: SC481040 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 maintain records (“case records”) for each child which— include the information and documents listed in Schedule 3 in relation to each child; are kept up to date; and are signed and dated by the author of each entry.

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Requirement Due date

Case records must be kept— if the child dies before attaining the age of 18, for 15 years from the date of the child’s death; in cases not falling within sub-paragraph (a), for 75 years from the child’s date of birth; securely in the children’s home during the period when the child to whom the case records relate is accommodated there; and in a secure place after the child has ceased to be accommodated in the home. (Regulation 36 (1)(a)(b)(c)(2)(a)(b)(c)(d))

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Requirement Due date

This is in relation to ensuring that records contain the details needed and are kept up to date. 31/03/2020 Inspection report children’s home: SC481040 4

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children benefit from living here and make considerable progress in all aspects of their lives. Strong caring relationships with clear boundaries help them to feel safe and confident enough to reflect on their past experiences. In turn, they develop strategies and self-regulation skills to help them move forward.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The well thought-through support provided to the children and their families by the staff and therapists helps to rebuild some relationships. The close working between professionals and families helps the children to reflect on their past and to gain insight into their behaviours and feelings. ‘I’m so proud that my son is there; they are phenomenal’ is an observation made by a parent about the quality of care.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Each child receives a personalised package of care aimed at helping them to make positive choices and enhance their skills and opportunities. They receive support and nurturing from a staff team that understands their individual needs and strengths. Consequently, the children learn to trust the adults who care for them and know that they will advocate on their behalf and guide them at times of difficulty.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are aware of their rights and to whom they can complain if they need to. Any issues are dealt with quickly and at a low level so that the children do not feel they need to formally complain. ‘The staff here are good; they really listen to me’ was a comment made by a child.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

All children attend full-time education or college. This expectation is embedded into the culture and daily routine. As a result, attendance is excellent and the children make significant progress. Their successes are gleefully celebrated by the staff and their peers.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are able to take part in enriching activities in the community. The level of supervision and support they need is carefully assessed by the multi-disciplinary teams that work with each child. As a result, children are nurtured and encouraged to test their new confidence, skills and strategies with a good chance of success.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

On the back of the support to achieve in education and in taking part in activities, children consolidate their independence skills so that they are prepared to move on to adult life. This process is very well planned and at a pace that each child can cope with.

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

All children say they feel safe and protected. They all have an understanding of how to keep safe and they benefit from clear boundaries and routines which provide the basis for them to develop their own skills and awareness of risk.

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

Assessment of any incidents is thorough. Action plans are put in place promptly and reviews of strategies quickly implemented to ensure that further incidents are avoided. Inspection report children’s home: SC481040 5 Any issues related to safeguarding are shared promptly with relevant agencies so that plans can be put in place and children’s safety is promoted. Records show that staff understand their obligations and respond swiftly if they have concerns. It is clear that all members of staff have a very good understanding of each child’s risk-taking behaviours and how to respond to and minimise these.

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

Carefully planned interventions and meetings with the children help them consider and think about their past behaviours, especially if they have been harmful or risky. These sessions help the children reflect and learn and subsequently implement new strategies to avoid similar behaviours. Children have developed tolerance and understanding of their peers and this has led to a marked reduction in conflict, as well as an opportunity for them to model positive behaviours.

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

There are clear individual protocols in place for staff to follow in the event that a child is missing or away from the home without permission. Although such incidents are rare, the protocols are rigorously implemented when needed and have ensured that children have returned to the home safe and well.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager has very good insight into the strengths and weaknesses of this home. She has clear plans in place to address shortfalls and is ambitious for both the children and the staff. Consequently, staff and children feel they have a reliable role model who provides clear leadership.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Members of staff receive good levels of support via supervision sessions with line managers, therapists and reflective meetings with peers. This leads to a very good understanding of dynamics and behaviours in the home and how all staff can achieve a consistent approach, which in turn helps the children feel safe and to grow.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

A strength of this service is the willingness to reflect on practice and learn from any mistakes. This ensures that that there is transparency, accountability and a drive to improve the quality of care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Communication with stakeholders is very good. Any concern or important information is shared promptly with relevant agencies. Placing authority social workers and managers are challenged if they are not providing the support and cooperation expected. This level of advocacy ensures that children feel that the staff will speak up for them. It also ensures that professionals are held to account and drift of care planning is avoided.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Some records lack detail. These mistakes have been predominantly administrative and have not had an impact on children’s safety or progress. However, they are missed opportunities to record the efforts made by staff and to ensure that all the information is up to date and accurate. A requirement is made in relation to this shortfall. Inspection report children’s home: SC481040 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: SC481040 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: SWAAY Child and Adolescent Services Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 591 London Road, Sutton, Surrey SM3 9AG

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Inspector

Paul Taylor, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC481040 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

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Inspector

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Inspector

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