Children's home run by South West Childcare Services

Information about this children’s home

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

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Information about this children’s home

Previous inspection judgement: Sustained effectiveness

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Information about this visit

Due to COVID-19 (coronavirus), Ofsted suspended all routine inspections in March 2020. As part of a phased return to routine inspection, we are undertaking assurance visits to children’s social care services that are inspected under the social care common inspection framework (SCCIF).

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Information about this visit

At these visits, inspectors evaluate the extent to which:

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Information about this visit

 children are well cared for  children are safe  leaders and managers are exercising strong leadership.

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Information about this visit

This visit was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000, following the published guidance for assurance visits.

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Information about this visit

Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education, Children’s Services and Skills is leading Ofsted’s work into how England’s social care system has delivered child-centred practice and care within the context of the restrictions placed on society during the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Findings from the visit

We did not identify any serious or widespread concerns in relation to the care or protection of children at this assurance visit. Assurance visit report: 1248071 2

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The care of children

The staff ensure that the young people understand the importance of good attendance and achievement at their school or college. Throughout the COVID-19 lockdown, the staff supported the young people to continue their education at home. The young people are making good progress with their education and are appropriately placed in educational settingsthat meet their needs.

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The care of children

The staff understand the complex health needs of the young people and obtain specialist health services when necessary. On the rare occasion when a member of staff has made a mistake with the administration of a young person’s medication, immediate action has been taken to rectify the error. In addition, the members of staff concerned have received additional training in the safe administration of medication.

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The care of children

The staff support the young people to have regular visits to see their families, who are also welcome to visit the home. The young people have been supported to use technology to remain in contact with their families virtually when they have been unable to see them face to face due to COVID-19 restrictions.

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The care of children

The young people and the staff enjoy trusting and positive relationships. The young people gain a sense of safety and well-being from the consistent boundaries and rules that are in place in the home.

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The care of children

The staff support young people to learn the independent living skills that they will need when they leave the home. This learning is not always evaluated and documented. It is not clear what skills the young person has learned, what independent living skills need to be developed and how this will be achieved.

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The safety of children

The staff always follow the comprehensive and robust protocols that are in place, should a young person be missing or late back from their free time. Incidents of missing are reduced recently. The staff are vigilant and curious to know where the young people are going when they are missing, who they are with and what they are doing. Return-to-home interviews are promptly undertaken and the information acted upon.

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The safety of children

The young people said they feel safe living at the home. They understand the need to keep themselves safe by returning to the home at the agreed times at night and how to keep themselves safe and healthy through the COVID-19 pandemic.

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The safety of children

A strength of the home is the strong working relationships with placing social workers, safeguarding professionals and the police. Information is promptly shared between the home and involved professionals. Regular risk strategy meetings take place that inform risk assessments. These documents give the staff clear guidance about how to safely manage identified risks. Assurance visit report: 1248071 3 The staff know the young people well and can detect any changes in their behaviour that may indicate that the young person is worried or concerned. The staff then speak to the young person to encourage them to share their concerns and find solutions to their worries.

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Leaders and managers

The previous manager left the home last month. The deputy manager is undertaking the management role. She is providing strong leadership in the home and is in the process of improving recording systems and the monitoring of the quality of care.

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Leaders and managers

Some areas of the home do not provide the young people with a good-quality and homely environment. The dining room has a wall that needs repairing and the bedroom doors need replacing. The exterior of the home needs painting. There are plans in place to undertake this work, but it has not been started. This was a requirement at the previous inspection and is repeated.

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Leaders and managers

A consistent core staff team is in place in the home. They benefit from extensive training in all topics that they will need to care for the young people, such as safeguarding and first aid. The staff benefit from regular supervision and annual appraisals to ensure effective staff development.

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Leaders and managers

The independent visitor visits the home monthly and provides a comprehensive report that sets actions for the manager to achieve before the next visit. The young people are always spoken with during these visits, to give them the opportunity to share their views and raise any concerns, that are promptly addressed by the manager.

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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; 24/10/2020 Assurance visit report: 1248071 4 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

ensure that staff— provide to children living in the home the physical necessities they need in order to live there comfortably.

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring that all areas of the house are maintained to an acceptable standard.

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Recommendations

 Staff must help each child to prepare for any moves from the home, whether they are returning home, moving to another placement or adult care, or to live independently. This includes supporting the child to develop emotional and mental resilience to cope without the home’s support, and, where the child is moving to live independently, practical skills such as cooking, housework, budgeting and personal self-care. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 17, paragraph 3.27)

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Maybrook House, Second Floor, Queensway, Halesowen, West Midlands B63 4AH

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Inspector

Tina Maddison, Social Care Inspector Assurance visit report: 1248071 5 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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