Children's home run by SES Avocet Limited

Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC063259 1 SC063259

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SES Avocet Limited

Monitoring visit Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This privately owned home is registered for up to eight boys aged eight to 14 on admission. It is registered as a children’s home because it provides 52-week placements. Education and administration facilities are on site and separate from the living areas.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager left the home on 2 October 2020. The acting manager has been in post since 2 November 2020. They have applied for registration.

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This monitoring visit

This visit took place to look at how changes to the management and senior staff team have been managed. In addition, the inspectors reviewed the management of a staff practice concern and the quality of a previous investigation into staff practice. The visit was undertaken using a blended approach of on-site and off-site activity.

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This monitoring visit

At the time of the visit, eight young people were living at the home. One young person has moved into the home and one young person has moved out since the start of the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic. For most young people, this has been their home for a number of years. This stability has helped the young people to feel safe and build strong relationships with the staff who care for them. These relationships underpin the positive progress that young people make. One social worker described their young person as ‘unrecognisable’ from the little boy who first moved in.

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This monitoring visit

There have not been any identified bullying concerns. However, there have, on occasion, been derogatory comments made by young people to other young people. Staff deal with such conflict when it occurs and help the young people to rebuild fractured relationships. Two young people, who last year had a strained relationship, have now become firm friends. However, despite a bullying log being held, Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC063259 2 derogatory comments are not consistently logged. Therefore, potential opportunities to identify any emerging patterns and trends may be lost.

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This monitoring visit

Although there have been several changes to the senior staff structure, this has not negatively affected the care and support that the young people receive. The changes have arisen through internal promotions due to the previous manager and some staff leaving. While some new staff have been employed, most of the experienced team remains. The young people continue to receive good-quality care and support from trusted adults, who have watched them grow and develop. Children’s social workers are highly complimentary about the staff, who they describe as competent and caring people ‘who go the extra mile’.

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This monitoring visit

Any safeguarding concerns are shared with the relevant partner professionals. However, records of concern in relation to the upholding of professional boundaries by staff have not been consistently maintained. Although managers deal with individual concerns about staff practice suitably, there are missed opportunities to address patterns in individual staff performance to prevent these being repeated.

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This monitoring visit

The home is safe, suitably furnished and well maintained. However, the recent damage in one young person’s bedroom had not been repaired.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 03/03/2020 Full Outstanding 27/02/2019 Full Outstanding 10/05/2017 Full Outstanding 13/02/2017 Interim Improved effectiveness Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC063259 3

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Recommendations

 The registered person should provide a nurturing environment that is welcoming and ensure that any damage is swiftly repaired. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.7)  The registered person should make best use of information from internal monitoring to ensure continuous improvement. They should be skilled in reviewing incidents, such as shortfalls in staff practice, and anticipating potential future difficulties. They are responsible for proactively implementing lessons learned and sustaining good practice. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 55, paragraph 10.24)

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Information about this inspection

The purpose of this visit was to look at how well the staff safeguard the children and promote their well-being, and to look at how changes to the management and senior staff team were managed.

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Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000.

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Children’s home details

Provision sub-type: Residential special school

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Inspectors

Joanna Heller, Social Care Inspector Deirdra Keating, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC063259 4 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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