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

Inspection report for children’s home: 1254740 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

The provider states in their statement of purpose that they provide care for up to two children with social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager resigned in July 2021. A suitably experienced manager has been appointed and has submitted her application to Ofsted for registration.

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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: 25 November 2021

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: improved effectiveness

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 1254740 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

25/11/2021 Interim Improved effectiveness 09/06/2021 Full Requires improvement to be good 17/09/2019 Full Good 16/07/2018 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 1254740 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Following a full refurbishment, children now live in homely and comfortable surroundings, having been involved in choosing colours and decoration that help them feel fully involved in the way the home looks and is run. The children look after the house rabbit and grow vegetables, and the home fits suitably alongside those in the local community.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Both children have made progress, despite difficult personal circumstances, through supportive, caring and considerate relationships with the permanent staff team. Significant progress has been made in terms of health, diet, routines and boundaries. A range of exciting activities and trips are captured sensitively in memory books and alongside diaries that demonstrate children’s progress and celebrate the positive things in their lives.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Time with family members is supported well and in a way that best suits the children. The staff team has created an environment where children are opening up about how they feel about difficult subjects and learning how to manage their emotions in more positive ways.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

One child has moved into the home since the last inspection and has been supported well through family court processes. Despite multiple changes of social worker and uncertainty about the plan for her future, staff have created a sense of stability at a time of change. This is well supported by the input of the home’s therapist.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Going to school on a regular basis has been difficult for one child to maintain, but they have completed school work online daily, supported by staff. The manager has advocated well for increased support from the virtual school in terms of equipment. However, in the run-up to examinations, all the professionals involved need to increase their focus on how to support this child back into the classroom.

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

From the point that new children arrive, the impact on the home and how to manage a change in dynamics is carefully assessed. Shortly afterwards, these risks are revisited, and practical plans are put in place to support children to understand the impact of their behaviours. As a consequence, the home does well at mitigating the impact of previous harm on children. This has also helped managers and staff to identify strategies aimed at protecting children from present or future risk.

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

Following a settled period, both children recently reacted to upsetting news about their families by going missing and physically challenging staff members. This was dealt with well, children were supported to return home. The police were appropriately informed and involved, and direct work has taken place to help Inspection report for children’s home: 1254740 4 understand the reasons behind these behaviours. Consequently, by the time of the inspection this period had calmed.

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

Staff are alert to the risks of online exploitation and support children well to develop ways of keeping themselves safe. When risks from people outside of the home are identified, other professionals are kept informed and alerted to the risks posed to other children in the community. Risk management meetings are convened quickly and are used to focus safety plans on the most important issues for children.

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

The new staff team has been recruited safely and offers a broad range of skills that give children several options about who to confide in when they are struggling. Staff were observed reacting to triggers and cues that signified changes in the children’s mood, and to support, comfort or divert accordingly.

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

The home itself is safe and secure. Minor issues regarding the process for ensuring that sharps are locked away and keys to the home are kept safe have been addressed promptly.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager of the home has overseen a successful overhaul of the house and the staff team since the last full inspection. The manager is currently going through the registration process with Ofsted and the responsible individual has offered regular, additional support while awaiting the completion of this process. A detailed and regularly updated development plan demonstrates that the children are central to the planning and the ethos of the home as laid out in its statement of purpose.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

A mixture of experienced and new staff have had a well-structured induction that includes all key issues relevant to the needs of the children that live in the home. Further training in identifying anxiety, contextual safeguarding, self-harm and promoting empathy have had a positive impact on how the children are cared for.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager responds positively to the findings of the monthly independent person reports. Notifications to the police and to Ofsted were not always made at the time of the last inspection, but this and other requirements have been addressed. There have been several examples of the manager advocating for children effectively and escalating issues to the local authority social worker and managers. In one case, the promotion of education in school requires further attention.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Supervision is regular and staff report positively on the ethos of the home and the leadership of the manager. Records of supervision could be more detailed, but staff demonstrate a good understanding of what the children need and what is expected of them. Inspection report for children’s home: 1254740 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 education standard is that children make measurable progress towards achieving their educational potential and are helped to do so.

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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

understand the barriers to learning that each child may face and take appropriate action to help the child overcome any such barriers;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand the importance and value of education, learning, training and employment;

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Requirement Due date

promote opportunities for each child to learn informally;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to attend education or training in accordance with the expectations in the child’s relevant plans. (Regulation 8 (1) (2)(a)(i)(iii)(iv)(v)(x))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring that children have full access to formal mainstream education 2 July 2022

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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 for children’s home: 1254740 6

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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

Steve Lowe, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 1254740 7 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

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

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