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 home provides care for one child who experiences social and/or emotional difficulties. The home is operated by a private company.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has been registered with Ofsted since May 2022 and holds a qualification in leadership and management at level 5.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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requires improvement to be good

How well children and young people are helped and protected requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The children’s home is not yet delivering good help and care for children and young people. However, there are no serious or widespread failures that result in their welfare not being safeguarded or promoted.

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requires improvement to be good

Date of last inspection: 12 October 2021

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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requires improvement to be good

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

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

12/10/2021 Full Good 16/03/2020 Interim Sustained effectiveness 09/07/2019 Full Good 05/12/2018 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report children’s home: SC411074 3

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improvement to be good

At the time of the inspection, one child was living in the home.

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improvement to be good

The child has lived in the home for over five years and was making good progress. For example, the child’s behaviour greatly improved, and he appeared to be developing positive relationships with staff. However, this progress has not been sustained. The child now requires regular physical restraint to manage the risks that some behaviours pose, and he has become selective in his compliance with staff’s rules and boundaries.

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improvement to be good

The physical appearance of the home is worn and not welcoming. There is damage to the sofa in the lounge, damage to the bathroom, and the child’s room has dirty windows with a curtain secured to the window rather than it being hung. Windows in the staff office and staff bedroom either partially open or do not open at all. This is not creating a homely environment for the child and staff.

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improvement to be good

Despite recent challenges, the child regularly attends an educational setting that is appropriate for his needs and abilities. Staff work in partnership with education departments and other relevant professionals to ensure that the child has every opportunity to reach his full potential.

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improvement to be good

The child is registered with all primary healthcare specialists. He attends his routine health appointments with good support and encouragement from staff. Medication is stored and administered safely by trained and competent staff.

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improvement to be good

Staff support the child’s time with his family. This ensures that the child continues to build relationships and attachments with those who are significant to him and benefit from being involved in a wider support network outside of the home.

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improvement to be good

The home has been unsettled. At times, the child’s behaviour has been extremely difficult to manage. For example, staff have been kicked, punched, spat at and bitten. Two staff required treatment in hospital because of their injuries. The child has been arrested for assault and criminal damage in the home. This has affected the stability of the home with the child not always engaging positively with the home’s routines and staff. As a result, minor situations can escalate quickly into incidents of heightened and destructive behaviour, which, on occasions, has placed staff at risk. This has resulted in an increase in police involvement at the home.

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improvement to be good

Staff work well together to reinforce boundaries. However, the child has required physical intervention to help him and others to remain safe. Despite most staff Inspection report children’s home: SC411074 4 having received suitable training, this intervention is not always appropriate. For example, not all staff are trained in using the same technique. One staff member told the inspector that, on one occasion, two staff performed an intervention on the child but had used two different techniques. The use of differing techniques potentially puts the child at risk of injury. All incidents are evaluated by the manager, and reflective discussion takes place with staff and the child to inform future practice.

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improvement to be good

Tailored risk assessments help to inform staff about the issues pertinent to the child and ensure that staff are aware of and understand the most appropriate strategies to use. These documents are regularly reviewed to make sure that they remain up to date and relevant.

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improvement to be good

Staff carry out regular health and safety checks and follow a range of safety procedures to protect the child from potential hazards. These include fire drills to make sure that the child knows what to do in the case of an emergency.

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improvement to be good

Children are protected by the organisation’s effective recruitment practices. Staff are vetted and assessed as suitable before any appointment is confirmed. These procedures promote the safety of the child by preventing unsuitable adults from working with him.

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good

The manager’s monitoring and review systems are not fully effective. For example, the staff training rota is not up to date and does not include all the staff working at the home. This compromises the manager’s ability to ensure that staff are appropriately trained to undertake their role.

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good

Records do not demonstrate that all staff have received sufficient training to ensure that they have the knowledge and skills to meet the needs of the child. For example, training records show that some staff have not updated their safeguarding or and medication administration training. This means that staff are not fully equipped to recognise and care for children who require support in these areas.

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good

All staff receive regular supervision that is challenging and reflective. This ensures that staff clearly understand their individual roles in achieving the aims and objectives of the home.

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good

Staff and managers have developed and maintain positive working relationships with education staff, youth justice workers, children’s families and their social workers. 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;

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Requirement Due date

that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed, furnished and maintained so as to protect each child from avoidable hazards to the child’s health. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(b)(d))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to all staff being trained in the organisation’s method of intervention and ensuring that all repairs are carried out in the home. 23 December

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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;

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Requirement Due date

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(c)(h)) 23 December Inspection report children’s home: SC411074 6 This specifically relates to ensuring that staff training and records of training are kept up to date.

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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 Limited

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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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