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

Inspection report children’s home: SC008273 1 SC008273 Registered provider: Searchlight Care Services Limited 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 up to two young people who have experienced adverse childhood experiences that have led to associated trauma and presenting complex behaviours and/or social or emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The current manager has been registered with Ofsted since December 2019 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

Date of last inspection: 27 February 2019

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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: SC008273 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

27/02/2019 Full Good 26/02/2018 Full Good 21/03/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness 03/01/2017 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: SC008273 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people receive good levels of support from a committed and experienced staff team. Staff have a positive view of the young people and work hard to engage with them. This helps young people to feel confident about their relationships with staff and supports their progress.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Placement plans are clear and set out what staff must do to meet the needs of young people effectively. All staff are aware of the detail set out in young people’s individual care plans. This ensures that young people are treated consistently and know what their objectives are and how these will be met.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people are in good health. They are registered with primary healthcare and specialist providers. This ensures that they can access services and receive treatment without undue delays. Appropriate arrangements are in place for the safe management of medicines, to promote the safety and well-being of young people.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The manager and staff work closely with schools and training providers to ensure that young people can derive the maximum benefit from education. When there are difficulties in school, staff liaise with teachers and others to resolve them speedily.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people enjoy regular and positive time with their families and significant people. This keeps them connected to the people who are important to them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people are offered a good range of constructive leisure activities in the local community, which strengthens their sense of belonging. Individual interests and talents are actively encouraged and supported by staff, which increases children’s self-esteem and confidence.

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

Young people said that they feel safe. The staff team receives regular safeguarding training and has a good understanding of its duties in promoting young people’s welfare. This ensures that staff are confident in the procedures to follow should any concerns arise. Staff make sure that care plans and risk assessments are in place for young people to help to keep them safe.

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

Staff implement boundaries consistently so that young people know what is expected of them. Some young people test staff members’ willingness to keep to the rules, some in extremely challenging ways. This is met with appropriate resilience. Staff use diversionary strategies to defuse situations whenever possible, but when necessary use physical intervention to prevent young people from harming themselves or others. However, some staff members are unable to perform physical interventions due to pre-existing injuries. Both staff members have worked together in the home, which means that, in the event of an incident, staff are unable to take all measures that may be necessary to effectively safeguard young people. Inspection report children’s home: SC008273 4 Young people rarely go missing from this home. Staff know how to implement and follow the local authority’s joint protocol and procedures for reporting young people

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

missing from care. This includes keeping in touch with the young person and liaising closely with the police and other agencies. There is a process in place for young people to be seen by an independent person on their return home.

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

Young people live in a safe environment. There are effective health and safety systems in place. Regular practice evacuations ensure that young people know how to exit the building safely and quickly, in case of an emergency.

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

Staff are vetted and assessed as suitable before any appointment is confirmed. These procedures promote young people’s safety.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Despite only being in charge for a brief time, the manager is already well established in his role. He has developed a detailed knowledge of staff and the young people and has a good insight into the home’s strengths and areas of development.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive regular training to make sure that they have the skills and competencies necessary to meet the diverse needs of the young people who they look after. There are systems in place to make sure that training is regularly updated or refreshed. New staff undergo a thorough induction programme, and most staff are qualified or are working towards the required level 3 diploma qualification.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager and staff receive regular supervision that allows them to reflect on their practice and recognise their own strengths and any areas for development.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager and staff work collaboratively with other professionals and family members to ensure that young people receive a good quality of care and intervention. This partnership working results in the young people receiving the best possible care to meet their individual needs. A social worker told the inspector, ‘Communication between me, the manager and staff has been brilliant.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has acted to address the requirement from the last inspection. The manager now ensures that records after a physical intervention are all fully completed. Inspection report children’s home: SC008273 5

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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 protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

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Requirement Due date

that the home’s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm. (Regulation 12 (1)(2)(b)) 16/04/20

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people, 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: SC008273 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Searchlight Care Services Limited

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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: SC008273 7 to 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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