Children's Home run by Searchlight Care Services Ltd in Staffordshire

Inspection report for children’s home: 2490939 1 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 is operated by a private company. It is registered to provide care for one child who has had adverse childhood experiences.

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Information about this children’s home

There is a new manager in post who took up their position in December 2022. Ofsted is currently processing her application 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: 9 November 2021

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2490939 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

09/11/2021 Full Good 21/01/2020 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2490939 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

No children were living in the home at the time of this inspection. The child who previously lived in the home has moved to a different placement that is closer to his home authority in October 2022.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff worked hard to sustain a nurturing relationship with the child. This helped the child to feel confident about his relationship with staff and supported his progress.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child’s health and well-being were promoted. Staff ensured that statutory health assessments were completed for the child, and they helped him to attend all required medical appointments. Medication was stored safely, and records were maintained on the administration of medication.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff supported the child with his education, and he attended school on a regular basis. Good communication between staff and the school ensured that any potential barriers to accessing education were quickly overcome.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child was supported to spend time with his family and friends when it was safe to do so. This helped the child to have a sense of belonging and enabled him to have positive experiences and maintain links to significant people in his life.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is mainly well maintained and decorated. However, some areas of the home are looking tired and in need of repair. For example, the hallway stairs and landing would benefit from being refreshed, and the laminate flooring in the conservatory is beginning to lift, which is creating a potential trip hazard. This is not conducive to creating a homely and well-cared-for environment.

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

The child’s care plan included a range of risk assessments that identified his specific needs and how staff should best manage these.

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

Safeguarding concerns were well managed by the manager, with the prompt monitoring of incidents and quick referral to safeguarding agencies. The manager worked in partnership with safeguarding agencies. Concerns about the child’s welfare were notified to Ofsted and demonstrate that appropriate safeguarding action is taken when concerns arise.

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

Staff managed the child’s challenging behaviour well and in line with his individual risk assessments. Incidents of physical restraint were infrequent. When they occurred, they were carefully recorded and evaluated. There were good processes in place to ensure that all staff who were involved in such incidents had the opportunity to reflect and learn from them. Inspection report for children’s home: 2490939 4 The manager ensures that staff comply with locally agreed protocols for children who go missing from care. When the child did go missing, staff liaised with the police and completed detailed records of the actions that were taken. The child had access to an independent person to speak to on his return home. This helped the staff to consider any information that may help to protect the child from going missing from care again.

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

Staff completed regular health and safety checks and followed a range of safety procedures to protect the child from potential hazards. These included fire drills to ensure that the child knew what to do in the case of an emergency.

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

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

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The previous manager left the home in December 2022. Because of this, the organisation made the decision not to welcome any new children to the home until a new manager was in place. A new manager has recently been employed, she is suitably experienced and qualified and demonstrates a clear commitment to improving outcomes for children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff supervision provides opportunities for staff to reflect critically on their work with children. These meetings, along with regular team meetings, offer opportunities for staff to consider the impact of their work on children. Staff use these meetings to explore what is working well and what their developmental needs are.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

All current staff have completed their level 3 residential childcare diploma. Staff receive training that helps to keep their knowledge updated and current and allows them to develop and maintain skills that are effective in meeting children’s diverse and complex needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Effective working relationships exist with other professionals, such as the police, teachers and social workers. Effective communication ensures that information is shared quickly, which helps to keep children safe. Inspection report for children’s home: 2490939 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 quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

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

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

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to updating the stairs and hallway along with addressing the flooring in the conservatory, which is beginning to lift. 28 March 2023

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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: 2490939 6

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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 for children’s home: 2490939 7 regulates and inspects 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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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