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

Inspection report children’s home: SC411074 1 SC411074 Registered provider: Searchlight Care Services Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This children’s home provides care for one child who has social and/or emotional difficulties. The home is operated by a private company.

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Information about this children’s home

Due to COVID 19 (coronavirus), at the request of the Secretary of State, we suspended all routine inspections of social care providers on 17 March 2020.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

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good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

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good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: sustained effectiveness

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC411074 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

16/03/2020 Interim Sustained effectiveness 09/07/2019 Full Good 05/12/2018 Full Requires improvement to be good 14/03/2018 Interim Improved effectiveness Inspection report children’s home: SC411074 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child has lived at this home for several years. This placement stability has provided a sense of belonging and enabled the child to form strong relationships with staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child is making progress in his personal development. He is attending education and learning, developing his interests, maintaining good health, and feeling settled in his home. The reduction in behavioural incidents that require staff intervention is a further indicator of this progress.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child’s health and well-being are promoted. Staff ensure that healthcare plans identify the child’s individual health needs. Statutory health assessments have been completed and the child has attended all required medical appointments.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff value education and use their positive relationship with the child to ensure that he has good attendance and has every opportunity to reach his potential. Staff work well with education professionals and ensure that any barriers to the child’s learning are challenged effectively.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Relationships with the child’s family and friends are promoted effectively. The staff work well with the family and professionals to support and facilitate the child’s time with family members. This enables the child to retain positive links with those people who are most important to him.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

All staff are clear about their safeguarding responsibilities and demonstrate a good understanding of the individual needs of the child. Staff ensure that tailored risk management plans help to identify potential dangers and risks associated with the child’s activities. These are kept under regular review to ensure that the strategies remain effective.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

The child has made significant progress in changing his aggressive and challenging behaviour. This is because staff understand his needs, can discuss issues with him and de-escalate situations. Because of this support, the number of physical interventions has significantly reduced.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Key-work sessions are individualised to the needs of the child. Topics covered show that areas of risk are discussed. This demonstrates that the child is being helped to learn what it means to keep himself safe.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Staff ensure that the home environment is safe for the child to live in. A range of health and safety checks are completed to assess whether there are any hazards Inspection report children’s home: SC411074 4 which could pose risks to him. The child takes part in regular fire drills to ensure that he knows how to evacuate the home safely in case of an emergency.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Managers do not always make sure that staff are thoroughly vetted prior to starting their employment. One new member of staff who has started employment at the home had gaps in her work history that managers identified but failed to act on. This lack of investigation and scrutiny could place the child at risk from potentially unsafe adults.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home’s registered manager has resigned and no longer works at the home. In the meantime, the organisation has made interim arrangements by appointing an acting manager to ensure that the home continues to be managed and that staff receive the supervision and support they need to care for the child. The organisation is currently in the process of recruiting a permanent manager.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff benefit from regular supervision sessions, which enable them to reflect on their practice and development. Most staff are suitably qualified or currently undertaking the relevant qualification within timescales.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Training records show that staff benefit from a diverse range of appropriate training to develop their knowledge, skills and professional practice. However, the same records show that not all staff training is up to date. For example, some staff members’ physical intervention refresher training is over six months out of date. This is further compounded by the same staff being involved in physical interventions with the child. This is not safe practice and could result in injury to the child.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Partnership working with other professionals and family members is good. This ensures that appropriate support is in place to assist the child’s progress and to maximise his potential. Inspection report children’s home: SC411074 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

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

that the home’s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to physical interventions being carried out by untrained staff. 28 November 2021

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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

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

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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

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(c))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring that staff receive physical intervention training. 28 November 2021

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety. (Regulation 32(1))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring that any gaps in employment are addressed when recruiting new staff. 28 November 2021 Inspection report children’s home: SC411074 6

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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 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: SC411074 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Searchlight Care Services Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Marcus House, Parkhall Road, Longton, Stoke on Trent ST3 5XA

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Inspector

Dave Carrigan, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC411074 8 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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