Children's Home run by Plus One South West Ltd in Somerset

Assurance visit report: SC467115 1 SC467115

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Information about this children’s home

This home is operated by a private company which is based in the South West of England. It provides care and accommodation for up to two children who may have emotional and behavioural difficulties and/or learning disabilities.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager left the home on 31 January 2020. The home has been without a registered manager for 34 weeks. On 1 September 2020, Ofsted received an application to register the current acting manager.

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Information about this children’s home

Previous inspection judgement: Requires improvement to be good

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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:  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. Assurance visit report: SC467115 2

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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.

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The care of children

The children in this home receive a high standard of care from a dedicated, hard- working staff team. Since the last inspection, some children have been at significant personal risk while missing from the home. However, the staff made a firm commitment to support the children through their difficulties and maintain their placements. One older young person moved into semi-independence accommodation, leaving one child resident at the home.

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The care of children

The staff have built up considerable trust with this child. They have supported him to make a fresh start at a new school and build healthy relationships. The child has responded very well to this and, consequently, has reduced his risk-taking behaviour.

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The care of children

In the past few weeks, the child has made considerable progress. He has started at a new school and is attending each day. He now has friends in the community who are a positive influence on his life and behaviour.

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The care of children

One social worker said, ‘[X] has experienced an unsettled period during lockdown, but staff have supported him very well and he appears to be far more settled again now. Staff have a very good understanding of [X] and have worked hard at building relationships with him. The rewards for this are that [X] likes where he lives and chooses to be there.’

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The care of children

In relation to the COVID-19 pandemic, the home has sound measures in place to maintain social distancing and promote good hygiene. These measures have, so far, kept the children and staff safe from infection.

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The care of children

The children’s physical, emotional and sexual healthcare needs are fully recorded and met. The children have access to a professional therapist who works with the company. The therapist also provides guidance and support to the staff team.

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The care of children

Since the easing of national COVID-19-related restrictions, the child has been offered regular activities outside the home. He is at an age when he prefers to spend time with his friends, but the staff continue to offer activities.

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The safety of children

There have been 26 missing-from-home incidents since 1 April 2020, 18 of which relate to the present resident. This child went through a very unsettled period after he started at a pupil referral school, where he met some older boys who were not a good influence. For several months, the child was at risk of criminal exploitation and was involved in drug misuse. His links with a criminal gang resulted in him being threatened, coerced and assaulted. Assurance visit report: SC467115 3 The staff team and manager worked exceptionally hard to support the child and keep him safe. They held frequent multi-agency meetings and worked with a wide range of professionals to protect him from further harm. They took the view that if he were to move from the home, it would not resolve his problems because it would disrupt the positive relationships that he has with the staff. This strategy has been effective. The child has not gone missing or been at risk for a period of seven

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The safety of children

There have been no complaints, restraints or referrals to the designated officer for child protection. Staff manage any incidents in the home by using their professional skills and do not resort to calling the police to the home. This helps to maintain the good-quality relationships that they have with the child.

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Leaders and managers

After 34 weeks when there was no registered manager, the home now has a qualified, experienced registered manager in post. He has recently applied to Ofsted to be registered. The manager makes good use of internal and external monitoring systems, such as the home’s regulation 44 reports, to help improve the quality of care.

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Leaders and managers

The manager has supported his staff team well. They benefit from regular professional supervision and team meetings. Information about the children is shared and discussed, and the staff are encouraged to undertake relevant training and development. For example, all the established staff members have a level 3 qualification. This commitment to learning helps to ensure that all staff feel valued and motivated and that they use consistent strategies to provide high-quality care to the child.

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Leaders and managers

The manager and staff work hard to establish and maintain positive working relationships with other professionals. A social worker commented, ‘The manager…always keeps me updated, so that I have a sense of [my child]’s lived world, despite being so far away… I wish all my children had a placement such as [this home], as the staff are fantastic.’

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Leaders and managers

The home currently has one half-time vacancy on the staff team. This vacancy is covered by the other team members, so there is no need to use agency staff. This helps to ensure consistent care for the child.

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Leaders and managers

During the COVID-19 restrictions in movements, the staff team continued to receive online training. The home also has some newly appointed staff. They said that they received good-quality induction and foundation training. They value the support they have received from their colleagues to help them to learn a new role.

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Leaders and managers

The home keeps good-quality written records, which ensure that the staff are well aware of the plans for the child’s day-to-day care. This includes detailed and rigorous risk assessments and behaviour support plans. Assurance visit report: SC467115 4 One requirement was made at the last inspection. This was to ensure that there is a structure and purpose to the child’s unsupervised time in the community. This requirement has been met. The manager established a clear plan for the child’s free time.

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Leaders and managers

Two new recommendations have been made in relation to supervision and record- keeping:  Although the manager receives a great deal of informal support, he has not received formal supervision from the responsible individual since March 2020.  There is some potential inconsistency between the lone-working risk assessment and the behaviour support plan, regarding whether a lone- working staff member is permitted to restrain a child.

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Leaders and managers

During this visit, discussion took place regarding the need to repair an item of garden furniture to ensure that it stays safe for the children and staff. The manager agreed to take the necessary action, so no recommendation was made on this occasion.

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Recommendations

 The behaviour management strategy should be understood and applied at all times by staff and must be kept under review and revised where appropriate (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, April 2015, page 46, paragraph 9.34). In particular, ensure that there are clear and consistent instructions to staff across all policy and care-planning documents, particularly with regard to lone members of staff restraining children.  A record of supervision should be kept for staff, including the manager. The record should provide evidence that supervision is being delivered in line with regulation 33(4)(b). (‘The Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations including the quality standards, April 2015, page 61, paragraph 13.3). In particular, ensure that the acting manager receives regular, formal, recorded supervision in addition to informal conversations. Assurance visit report: SC467115 5

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Plus One (South West) Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: The Mount, 21 High Street, Wellington, Somerset TA21 8QT

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Inspector:

Heather Chaplin, Social Care Inspector Assurance visit report: SC467115 6 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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Inspector:

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

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