Children's Home run by South West Childcare Services in Plymouth

Inspection report children’s home: 2539305 1 Registered provider: South West Childcare Services 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 accommodation, care and support for one child who may have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. It is one of a number of children’s homes provided by a private organisation operating in this area.

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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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Information about this children’s home

We last visited this setting on 3 December 2019 to carry out a full inspection. The report is published on the Ofsted website .

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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

Date of last inspection: 3 December 2019

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: 2539305 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

03/12/2019 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: 2539305 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

There is only one child in the home and this means that there are no competing needs of other children. Prior to the child moving into the home, there was a clear plan which supported him to visit the home and meet with the staff. The child has settled well and is making progress from his starting point.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child says that he likes living in the home. He can identify members of staff who he trusts and who he can go to for support and/or advice. The child is aware of how to make a complaint. Any complaints are dealt with in a timely manner and there is clear management oversight of this.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff promote a healthy and active lifestyle and this helps to improve the child’s emotional and physical health. As a result, the child is no longer taking medication to aid his sleep.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The staff have a good understanding of the child’s needs and they have supported him to engage in hobbies and attend different groups. This has helped to increase the child’s opportunities to socialise with his peers, increase his confidence and his self-esteem.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The registered manager and staff are committed to promoting the child’s relationship with his family. The child’s parents report that there is good communication with them and, because of the support he is receiving, he is safe and making progress.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The manager and staff actively seek the voice of the child and this is recorded and actioned where appropriate. The child is informed of the outcome of any decisions and reasons for decisions are explained to him.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff help to capture the child’s experiences in a memory book and to help promote his interest in fossils. They have supported the child to attend the local museum and are planning other trips to further enhance his interests and expand his knowledge.

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

The manager and staff receive advice and input from a clinical team. This provides them with valuable information to help understand and support the needs of the child.

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

The staff have developed some positive relationships with the child. There are no missing from home incidents and physical restraints are not used to manage behaviours. Inspection report children’s home: 2539305 4 Staff advocate strongly on behalf of the child in all areas of his life. There is evidence that positive working relationships have been made with specialist agencies and professionals. This ensures that the child’s needs are identified, and the school actively supports the child to address any concerns regarding peer and friendship issues.

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

Specialist professional support is provided to the child, and staff support him with attending all his medical reviews. However, inspectors identified that, on one occasion, medical attention was not sought in a timely manner. Lessons have been learnt from this incident and the registered manager has ensured that policies have been updated and the issue thoroughly addressed in staff supervisions and team meetings.

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

Inspectors found that there was not one comprehensive risk assessment which clearly recorded all risks and the child’s recently identified nut allergy. The manager has now actioned this and ensured that staff will support the child in-line with medical advice and to take his medication with him to school.

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

The child has not gone missing from the home. However, door alarms are in place. The use of this restrictive practice has not been reviewed.

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

The manager ensures that the recruitment of staff is safe. New staff are required to successfully complete a period of induction and mandatory training before being confirmed in post. Inspection report children’s home: 2539305 5

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The staff say that they feel very supported by the manager. There is good management oversight. Staff are aware of the complaints and whistle-blowing policy and staff said that they would use this if needed.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Continuity of staff is important to meet the needs of the child, and agency staff are not used. If necessary, staff will help to cover any shifts. A member of staff from the sister home has been based at the home to provide consistency of care to the child.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager and staff are committed to achieving positive outcomes for the child. The manager is very dedicated and has a good understanding of the home’s strengths and areas for development. She ensures that any incidents are reviewed, lessons learnt and actions implemented.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Ongoing professional training is valued by the manager and the staff team. Any additional training needs are identified and sourced. However, not all relevant training was provided to staff before the child moved into the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has good organisational skills and there are clear systems in place to review polices and to update procedures.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff are provided with regular and reflective supervisions. Minutes of supervisions are clearly recorded, signed and dated by the manager and staff. Agreed actions are clear with timescales for completion. Inspection report children’s home: 2539305 6

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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 care planning standard is that children—

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Requirement Due date

receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home. (Regulation 14 (1)(a))

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Requirement Due date

In particular ensure that there is a written plan to reduce and remove the use of restrictive measures ( door alarms) and ensure that risk assessment information is clear and easily accessible to staff. 30 November

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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

assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the child’s relevant plans, and, if necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child; and

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Requirement Due date

help each child to keep safe. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that the team supports the child in following medical advice about his nut allergy. 30 November

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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: 2539305 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: South West Childcare Services

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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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Inspectors

Claire Drummond, Social Care Inspector Michelle Oxley, Regulatory Inspector Manager Inspection report children’s home: 2539305 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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