Children's home run by SWAAY Child & Adolescent Services Ltd in Sutton

Inspection report for children's home: SC431804 1 SC431804 Registered provider: SWAAY Child & Adolescent Services Ltd Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This children’s home provides residential care for up to four children. It is operated by a private company which has other similar homes in the area. The company specialises in providing care and therapeutic intervention for boys who have a history of specific behaviours.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has been registered with Ofsted since May 2021.

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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: SC431804 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

11/05/2021 Full Outstanding 11/03/2020 Full Good 12/02/2019 Full Good 19/09/2017 Full Good Inspection report for children's home: SC431804 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Three children have moved out of the home and three children have moved in since the last inspection. Four children were living in the home at the time of the inspection.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have made good progress since moving into the home. The staff help the children confront and understand their past trauma and the impact this has on their behaviours. The highly effective teamwork nurtures the children and, as a result, the children are thriving.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The atmosphere at the home is calm, inviting and friendly. Children and staff appear happy and relaxed in each other’s company. There is shared laughter and appropriate jokes. Children spoke positively about staff and said that they enjoy spending time with them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The staff plan moves into the home well and provide excellent support. The staff visit the child and the child has tea visits and overnight stays before moving into the home. This helps reduce children’s anxiety. A family member said, ‘I was so impressed when I saw his bedroom had been decorated just how he wanted it. It made me feel emotional. I knew then that he would be looked after and cared for.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children attend the organisation’s school. The staff help the children leave for school in a positive frame of mind, through good morning routines. As a result, attendance and school engagement are high.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children engage in therapy. There is good communication between the therapists and staff. Therapists attend staff meetings to keep children’s therapeutic needs, risk assessments and support plans under review.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The staff manage risk effectively to ensure that the children enjoy activities in the community. Staff support the children to develop confidence and skills to attend activities on their own. One child proudly spoke about his increasing level of independence, staying at home alone for short times and travelling on public transport independently.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children are fully involved in the home and are encouraged to share their views in the weekly house meetings. The manager responds to any requests from children. This means that children know that their wishes and views are listened to and acted on.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children are able to access and comment on their electronic care records. Staff support the children to do this. This empowers the children and helps them understand their plans. Inspection report for children's home: SC431804 4

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

The children said that they feel safe living in the home because they can talk to staff about anything. They feel that they are not judged but listened to.

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

Children’s risk assessments and behaviour plans are comprehensive and are updated regularly. The children, with their therapists, are involved in their development. This means that children have a better understanding of risk and what is in place to help keep them safe.

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

Supervision arrangements in the home are appropriately high and children do not spend time alone with each other. This is to safeguard them and others.

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

Children rarely go missing from the home. However, the staff know what to do should this happen. Staff and children are familiar with the detailed missing-from- care protocols. Staff are professionally curious and try to find out more about where the child has been and the reason that they went missing.

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

The staff have good knowledge of how to keep children safe and who to report concerns to. Staff have attended safeguarding training, and safeguarding is discussed as part of supervision and staff meetings.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The experienced registered manager is respected by the staff and children, who describe her as open and supportive. Professionals and parents said that the manager is approachable and always works in the best interests of the child.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has developed a highly positive ethos and culture in the home that supports the staff to speak openly and honestly with children and their families. Children say that the manager always has time to listen to them. The manager has advocated effectively for the children and raised concerns when other agencies have not worked in the best interests of the child.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The staff provide a nurturing and warm environment which is critical for children to be able to talk about their past, move forward and thrive. Staff receive regular and effective supervision. Staff keep children’s changing needs in mind through regular staff meetings which focus on care practice issues.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

All staff complete the organisation’s mandatory training and undertake relevant refresher training. The staff either hold, or are working towards, a relevant level 3 qualification.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There are clear monitoring systems in place which enable the manager to look at patterns and trends. However, the manager did not swiftly inform Ofsted, or the local authority designated officer for safeguarding, of some concerns about staff practice. This potentially undermined the initial investigation. Furthermore, Inspection report for children's home: SC431804 5 appropriate contingency plans were not immediately put in place. However, the manager has completed a review, with an action plan and lessons learned. This has supported practice improvements and ensured better understanding of the importance of notifying the appropriate agencies. Inspection report for children's home: SC431804 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

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

are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(vii))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that referrals are made to the local authority designated officer without delay. 12 June 2023

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if—

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Requirement Due date

there is any [other] incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40 (4)(e)) 12 June 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: SC431804 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: SWAAY Child & Adolescent Services Ltd

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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

Trish Palmer, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: SC431804 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 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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