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

Assurance visit report: SC362170 1 SC362170

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Information about this children’s home

A private provider operates this home. It provides care and accommodation for up to three children who have experienced childhood instability, which has resulted in trauma and associated complex behaviours. The current manager has been in post since July 2019. He holds a level 5 diploma in leadership and management.

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Information about this children’s home

Previous inspection date: 28 October 2019

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Information about this children’s home

Previous inspection judgement: Not judged

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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. 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: SC362170 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

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, staff have built trusting relationships with the children. As a result, children have benefited from experiencing stability and individualised care.

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The care of children

Staff have helped children to stay in touch with their families throughout the COVID- 19 pandemic. Staff have supported children to make telephone calls to their families when COVID-19 restrictions have been in place. This has helped children to sustain important links with people who are important to them.

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The care of children

Children are encouraged to participate in weekly discussions, key work and reflective sessions. Children are confident that they are listened to and have influence in how the home is run. For example, children have asked for decorations for the home for Halloween and Christmas celebrations. The manager and members of the staff are in the process of purchasing these items.

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The care of children

Throughout the challenges of COVID-19, staff have continued to maintain good partnership working with essential services to help ensure that children’s holistic care needs continue to be met. For example, staff have stayed in touch with the virtual school, teachers and children’s social workers.

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The care of children

Staff have continued to promote children’s education during the COVID-19 pandemic. For example, staff have helped one child who was not accessing education on admission to the home, to build up enough confidence to attend school full time. As a result, children are being supported to achieve their full educational potential.

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The care of children

As COVID-19 guidelines have changed, children have been supported to engage in varied activities, including playing football, going on walks, participating in outings to theme parks and visiting farms.

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The care of children

Children have also been helped to stay occupied at home, especially when the national lockdown was in place. Children have benefited from having a games room that includes the latest console games.

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The care of children

The home environment is comfortable. However, at times, decoration and repairs are not always carried out routinely to maintain a homely environment. Assurance visit report: SC362170 3

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The safety of children

Staff follow clear risk assessments and behaviour support plans. These plans ensure that staff have a range of interventions to support children in managing their emotional needs. As a result, children feel safe.

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The safety of children

Staff are more informed about children’s emotional needs. As a result, there is a decrease in the number of incidents of physical interventions and the amount of damage in the home.

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The safety of children

When staff are required to physically intervene to safeguard a child, the incident and physical intervention are well recorded. The staff and children are all offered a debrief session. The staff take what they learn from these sessions to develop their practice.

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The safety of children

Staff have continued throughout the COVID-19 pandemic to sustain effective communication with other professionals to ensure that children stay safe. This good communication means that all professionals involved in a child’s care are well informed about the child’s progress and their areas of difficulty.

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Leaders and managers

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, the manager has ensured that staff have continued to receive support and opportunities to develop their practice. This level of support has helped staff to become more informed about decision-making. As a result, the children feel valued and listened to.

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Leaders and managers

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, staff have continued to have access to in- house training. Despite this training being mainly online, staff have been able to complete several courses. These learning opportunities have enabled staff to increase their knowledge, skills and competence in their residential childcare roles.

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Leaders and managers

The manager is a child-centred practitioner who works hard to ensure that children achieve positive outcomes.

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Leaders and managers

The manager has continued to provide staff with structured supervision and appraisals, and ensures that there are regular team meetings. These varied meetings enable staff to reflect on their practice and improve outcomes for children.

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Leaders and managers

The manager has systems in place to oversee staff development and the children’s progress. However, this monitoring does not always result in the development of the quality of care. This creates a missed opportunity to inform practice from evaluation. Assurance visit report: SC362170 4

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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 leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that—

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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 the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home.

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Requirement Due date

The quality and purpose of care standard

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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

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

(Regulation 6 (2)(vii)) 19/12/2020 Assurance visit report: SC362170 5

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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, Park Hall Road, Longton, Stoke on Trent ST3 5XA

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Inspector

Noel Cooper, Social Care Inspector Assurance visit report: SC362170 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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