Children's Home run by SWAAY Child & Adolescent Services Ltd in Bracknell Forest

Inspection report for children’s home: SC431806 1 SC431806 Registered provider: SWAAY Child & Adolescent Services Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is owned and operated by a private organisation that specialises in the assessment and treatment of four male children with trauma and associated specialist needs. The service offers an integrated education and therapeutic programme. The manager registered with Ofsted in July 2016.

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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

Overall judgement at last inspection: outstanding

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC431806 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

08/06/2021 Full Outstanding 03/12/2019 Full Outstanding 21/11/2018 Full Outstanding 24/08/2016 Full Outstanding Inspection report for children’s home: SC431806 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

At the time of the inspection, four children were living at the home. In the last year, three children have moved out of the home and three children have moved in. Children’s moves are well planned. Staff prepare well, they visit children and ensure that they have ample information about the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have warm and close relationships with the staff, who are tactile and caring. Children and staff enjoy a humorous and warm rapport that is balanced well with parental controls and boundaries.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children thoroughly enjoy a wide range of exciting activities, holidays and trips. Recent activities include visiting a chocolate factory, making fudge, participating in go-karting and visiting an activity centre. Children attend weekly football and sports clubs. One child is training to instruct at a sports club, having excelled in martial arts. The staff create memory boxes to capture children’s happy times.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children benefit from regular therapeutic support. They have a very good structure and daily routine. They prepare for the school day and demonstrate good organisational skills that will support them into adulthood. Children pack their bags and prepare packed lunches for the day.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s school attendance is very good. They attend an off-site school that is owned by the organisation, that specialises in small classes, and has a forest school.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Parents and social workers are extremely positive about the care provided and the progress that children make. Parents and social workers share the view that communication is excellent, and children are very well looked after by staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s cultures and family backgrounds are respected and embraced. Traditional days are celebrated and enjoyed. Language tuition is being sought for one child to support family relationships. Another child is being taken to Ireland to visit family.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The house resembles a family home. An enclosed communal grassed area provides a pleasant green space for ball games. Children have good relationships in the neighbourhood community. The children are respectful, polite and considerate.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children call out their movements around the house to enable staff to know their exact whereabouts. This expectation is not reviewed in line with their individual needs. Following staff shortages during the COVID-19 pandemic, children have attended after-school clubs twice a week. This club became part of the extended school day to assist with staff shortages during the pandemic. However, children are not consulted about this arrangement, despite their ages and emerging independence. Inspection report for children’s home: SC431806 4

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

Children who are at high risk of harm are supervised safely. The staff help them to gain insight and understanding of their individual risks. Children are helped to develop their independence and social networks with the close support of staff.

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

Children live alongside one another amicably. They show acceptance and tolerance of one another. Children benefit from having the shared experiences of similar difficulties. This reduces their isolation and generates empathy and understanding.

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

Staff keep children’s risk-management plans live and up to date. Children at risk of self-harm have intense staff support and monitoring. Staff work well with other professionals to provide responsive support and intervention.

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

There are no incidents of children going missing from the home or any police involvement. The children are respectful of the staff and of one another. They learn to resolve minor disagreements and conflict. Children enjoy one another’s company. They play ball games, board games and look forward to group holidays with enthusiasm. For children who have experienced isolation and exclusion, this provides them with warmth and company.

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

There have been several allegations about staff practice. These have been notified to Ofsted and children’s social workers. The manager has made referrals to the local authority designated officer. However, two of these were not referred within appropriate time frames. This delay could compromise any subsequent investigation.

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

The home is set over two floors. There are regular fire risk assessments carried out. The staff are diligent in making sure that children know how to evacuate the building. However, one of the actions from the fire risk assessment has been delayed by five months. This is regarding painting the external cladding to reduce the risk of external flames spreading.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home is well managed by an experienced, established and respected manager, who works well with a deputy manager to lead the team.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Children know the manager and deputy very well. The manager has recently managed two homes, and this has reduced her availability. A decision has been made for her to concentrate on this home solely, which will benefit the children and staff.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive managerial supervision and benefit from regular team meetings and training. Team morale is mainly good. Staff share a vision in supporting children’s success and achievements. Inspection report for children’s home: SC431806 5 The independent person visits each month and speaks to children. There are monthly managerial monitoring systems overseen by a quality assurance manager.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff provide high levels of supervision. The requirement for children to call out their movements, as they leave their bedrooms or go up and down the stairs, is not always supported by the waking-night staff. On several occasions, during the night, children called out their intentions but received no initial response from night staff. This highlighted concerns that waking night staff were asleep, and these concerns were investigated. However, despite three concerns that span six months, the action taken to address staff practice is slow and inconclusive. There are new systems in place to prevent any recurrence. However, these are in the early stages of implementation. The records of waking night notes vary in detail and quality. This does not provide enough assurance about the vigilance of the waking night staff. Inspection report for children’s home: SC431806 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

If the regulatory (Fire Safety) Order 2005 (a) applies to the home—

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Requirement Due date

the registered person must ensure that the registered person must ensure that the requirements of that Order and any regulations made under it, except for article 23 (duties of employees), are complied with in respect of the home. (Regulation 25 2(b)) 7 April 2023

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must operate a disciplinary procedure which, in particular—

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Requirement Due date

provides for the suspension from work of an employee, if necessary, in the interests of the safety or welfare of children;

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Requirement Due date

and provides that the failure on the part of an employee to report an incident of abuse, or suspected abuse, whether past or present, in relation to a child to the appropriate person is a ground on which disciplinary proceedings may be instituted.

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Requirement Due date

For the purposes of this regulation, "the appropriate person" is the registered person, an officer of HMCI, an officer of the local authority in whose area the home is located or a police officer. (Regulation 33 (2)(a)(b) (3)) 7 April 2023

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that children are supported to express themselves as individuals and should be given a degree of freedom and choice in their day-to-day care. Children’s reasonable preferences in relation to day-to-day arrangements should be met with consideration given to safeguarding. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 17, paragraph 3.21)  The registered person should ensure that all staff are familiar with the policy for the protection of children from abuse or neglect and act in accordance with it. In Inspection report for children’s home: SC431806 7 particular, how to report timely concerns to the local authority designated officer. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 44, paragraph 9.21)

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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: SC431806 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: SWAAY Child & Adolescent Services Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 599a London Road, Cheam, Sutton SM3 9AG

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Children’s home details

Registered manager: Sasha Austria-Stevens

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Inspector

Deirdra Keating, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC431806 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 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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