Children's home run by Blue Elephant Childcare Limited

Inspection report for children’s home: 1278020 1 Registered provider: Blue Elephant Childcare Ltd Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

This home is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to three children. Short-term placements and a care needs assessment are offered for children in crisis. The home is owned and managed by an independent organisation.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The registered manager has been registered with Ofsted since July 2018.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

Due to COVID-19, at the request of the Secretary of State, we suspended all routine inspections of social care providers carried out under the social care common inspection framework (SCCIF) on 17 March 2020. We returned to routine SCCIF inspections on 12 April 2021.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

We last visited this setting on 15 and 16 September 2020 to carry out a monitoring visit. The report is published on the Ofsted website.

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

p.1

good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

p.1

good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

p.1

good

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

p.1

good

Overall judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

p.1

good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 1278020 2

p.1

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

26/06/2019 Full Requires improvement to be good 13/11/2018 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 1278020 3

p.2

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

This home offers care for children in crisis which typically means children live here for a short period of time. However, where it is in the child’s best interest, the home has accommodated children for longer periods. Two of the children living in the home at the time of the inspection have lived there for several months. The third child had recently moved into the home.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children make good progress in this home. A social worker told the inspector that they were reluctant to move a child who was doing well and enjoying living at the home.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Two of the children told the inspector that they like living in the home. However, one child recognised that they are not in crisis and would prefer to live somewhere more permanent. However, they do like their room and feel that staff keep them safe.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are given opportunities and experiences that mirror typical family life. Children’s interests are encouraged and, where possible, they are supported to be part of the local community.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s education is supported. One child receives home tutoring while another child is in full-time education. Professionals told the inspector that the children receive good support from staff to support their education. However, the managers are not always proactive in achieving their ambitions for children to build up to a full timetable.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children told the inspector that they like their bedrooms and have chosen the colour for their rooms. However, some rooms are starkly furnished with stained carpets and furniture. Communal areas of the home are welcoming and homely.

p.3

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

Children are kept safe in this home. The manager and staff understand the risks to children and respond accordingly. When children go missing from the home, staff are quick to act and work together with other professionals to locate the child.

p.3

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

Following missing-from-home incidents, children and staff receive a debrief by the manager. Staff debriefs are reflective and completed in a timely manner.

p.3

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

Restraints are infrequently used in this home. When staff do use physical intervention, it is proportionate and necessary to prevent harm.

p.3

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

Children are helped to achieve personalised goals. However, children’s records do not accurately detail their care needs. Children’s care plans are lengthy and repetitive, yet pertinent information is not well recorded. Inspection report for children’s home: 1278020 4 Parents feel confident that their child is well cared for and feel comfortable to contact the manager and staff if they have any questions or concerns. One parent told the inspector that they appreciate the timeliness in which the staff share any concerns for their child.

p.3

good

The managers and leaders do not have a good oversight of staff training. Mechanisms to monitor training dates are ineffective and some staff have training outstanding.

p.4

good

Supervision happens regularly for staff and the manager. There is evidence that supervision encourages staff reflection. However, the recording of agreed actions is of poor quality and records are not always signed and dated by the member of staff.

p.4

good

The home has a dedicated office area, which is accessed via a lockable door. While children are allowed in this area, it is a reminder to children that this is a place of work. The office is also used as a staff bedroom. Staff who sleep in this room have to sleep on a sofa bed and it does not provide a comfortable space for staff to rest.

p.4

good

Staff enjoy working in this home and cite the ethos of the home as one of the main reasons. Staff feel that children come first and report feeling well supported by the manager to work to this child-centred approach.

p.4

good

The manager has managed the challenges of COVID-19 well and reports that they were largely unaffected by sickness through this period. Inspection report for children’s home: 1278020 5

p.4

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.

p.5

Requirement Due date

The quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who—

p.5

Requirement Due date

understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children;

p.5

Requirement Due date

use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential.

p.5

Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

p.5

Requirement Due date

ensure that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed and furnished so as to—

p.5

Requirement Due date

enable each child to participate in the daily life of the home. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(c)(i)(ii))

p.5

Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that children’s bedrooms are maintained to a high standard and provide a clean and comfortable environment. 31 August 2022

p.5

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—

p.5

Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

p.5

Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

p.5

Requirement Due date

lead and manage the home in a way that is consistent with the approach and ethos, and delivers the outcomes, set out in the home’s statement of purpose; 30 June 2022 Inspection report for children’s home: 1278020 6 ensure that staff work as a team where appropriate;

p.5

Requirement Due date

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child;

p.6

Requirement Due date

ensure that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child;

p.6

Requirement Due date

ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(c)(d)(e))

p.6

Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that staff training is maintained within timescales to develop the skills and knowledge of the workforce.

p.6

Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children—

p.6

Requirement Due date

receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home; and

p.6

Requirement Due date

have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home.

p.6

Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

p.6

Requirement Due date

that each child’s relevant plans are followed. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b) (2)(c))

p.6

Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that children’s records contain relevant information that is easily accessible to staff to help them know how best to care for the children. 30 June 2022

p.6

Recommendations

 The registered person should review the dedicated office spaces, including the use of locks, and ensure that a homely environment is maintained. This will provide a domestic rather than ‘institutional’ impression. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9)

p.6

Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that all staff, including the manager, receive supervision which allows them to reflect on their practice, and that the content and/or outcomes of supervision sessions are accurately recorded. The record should provide evidence that supervision is being delivered in line with regulation Inspection report for children’s home: 1278020 7 33(4)(b) and that it is signed and dated by the supervisor and staff member. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.3)  The registered person should ensure that staff who sleep in the home overnight have comfortable accommodation and facilities to do so. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 17, paragraph 3.26)  The registered person should ensure that children are supported to be in full-time education while they are of compulsory school age, unless their personal

p.6

Recommendations

education plan contained within the care plan or other relevant plan states otherwise. The home must aim to support full-time attendance at school unless the child’s relevant plan indicates this is not in their best interests. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 28, paragraph 5.14)

p.7

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 for children’s home: 1278020 8

p.7

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Blue Elephant Childcare Ltd

p.8

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Unit 30, Chivenor Business Park, Barnstaple, Devon EX31 4AY

p.8

Inspector

Katie Ratcliffe, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 1278020 9 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.

p.8

Inspector

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.9

Inspector

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.9

Inspector

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

p.9