Children's home run by South West Childcare Services

Inspection report children's home: 1248071 1 Registered provider: South West Childcare Services Interim inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children's home

This children’s home is operated by a local provider of children’s homes. It provides care and accommodation for up to two young people.

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Inspection date: 3 March 2020

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children's home: 1248071 2

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged good at the last full inspection. At the interim inspection, Ofsted judges that it has sustained effectiveness.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Children are well cared for and are supported to make progress. The staff team consists of a small close-knit group that is committed to caring for the children. The team is stable, and the staff know the children well.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Children are settled in the home, and they get along well with each other. One child has lived here for almost two years. The children confirmed that they feel comfortable, safe and well supported.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Both children have made progress at school. The manager has worked with others to ensure that the children have suitable educational opportunities. As a result, one child very much enjoys his new school, and the other child is taking his exams.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

One child has made good progress in several of areas of his life. He has received good support to develop his confidence and to learn new skills. The recent addition of a kitten to the home has helped him to overcome a fear of animals and has provided him with comfort and companionship. The other child moved in more recently and is just beginning to respond positively to boundaries. Missing from home incidents have very recently reduced.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The property has a warm and homely feel. The environment is mostly comfortable and welcoming. However, some fixtures and fittings are considerably past their best. The kitchen cabinets need to be replaced, and large areas of the cupboard doors have cracked and peeled away. The bathroom requires attention to ensure good health and hygiene; some areas have collected mould. There is an area of damp on the dining room ceiling.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Senior management and external oversight have not supported the registered manager to identify when safeguarding matters need to be highlighted as risks and actions set to mitigate a re-occurrence. Areas of risk are not always identified in children’s risk assessments and care plans. Satisfactory action has been taken to address safeguarding concerns, but information sent to other agencies lacked important detail. A requirement was set regarding these shortfalls at the last inspection. This requirement is restated.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Children have received one sanction each since the last inspection. Both sanctions concerned damage to property and required the children to pay financial compensation. The registered manager, independent visitor and senior managers did not recognise that financial reparation equates to a sanction. As a result, sanction records lack detail, and there is a failure to formally assess the effectiveness of using Inspection report children's home: 1248071 3 financial reparations as a sanction. A recommendation was set regarding this shortfall at the last inspection. The recommendation is restated. Inspection report children's home: 1248071 4

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

24/07/2019 Full Good 28/01/2019 Interim Improved effectiveness 16/05/2018 Full Requires improvement to be good 03/10/2017 Interim Declined in effectiveness Inspection report children's home: 1248071 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

6: The quality and purpose of care standard

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Requirement Due date

The quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children;

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Requirement Due date

use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential.

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

understand and apply the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

provide to children living in the home the physical necessities they need in order to live there comfortably. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b)(2)(a)(b)(vii)

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring that all areas the house are maintained to an acceptable standard. 05/04/2020

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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

assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the child’s relevant plans, and, if necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child; 05/04/2020 Inspection report children's home: 1248071 6 help each child to understand how to keep safe;

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Requirement Due date

have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm;

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Requirement Due date

manage relationships between children to prevent them from harming each other;

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Requirement Due date

understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person;

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Requirement Due date

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare; and

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Requirement Due date

are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies. (Regulation 12 (1)(2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the need to ensure that all safeguarding strategies are clearly recorded in the child’s behaviour care plan and risk assessment and that the details of all safeguarding concerns are shared in writing with other relevant agencies.

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Recommendations

 Any sanctions used to address poor behaviour should be restorative in nature, to help children recognise the impact of their behaviour on themselves, other children, the staff caring for them and the wider community (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 46, paragraph 9.38). In particular, the registered manager must ensure that they evaluate the effectiveness of each consequence given to the young people.

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Information about this inspection

This inspection focused on the effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of children and young people since the most recent full inspection.

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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 Inspection report children's home: 1248071 7 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: 1248071 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: South West Childcare Services

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 46 Durnford Street, Ground Floor Flat, Plymouth, Devon PL1 3QN

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Inspector

Michelle Oxley, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children's home: 1248071 9 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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