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 between the ages of 11 and 18 years. It is run by a private company that has five other homes in the local area. The company specialises in providing care and therapeutic intervention for boys with a history of specific behaviours. Four children were living at the home at the time of the inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager post has been vacant since April 2023.

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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: good

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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

22/03/2023 Full Good 11/05/2021 Full Outstanding 11/03/2020 Full Good 12/02/2019 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: SC431804 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are provided with a good level of individualised care and support. Staff work in a personalised way that enables children to safely make steps towards independence. There is consistency in the approach to children’s care. One professional said, ‘The child has built very stable and secure positive relationships with staff, and he has always reported to me that he feels safe, listened to and respected.’ Relationships between staff, parents, schools and therapy teams are strong and built on good communication. Parents and professionals said that communication is good. Children can speak to their key workers and have regular opportunities to be heard. Children make good progress with their education, health and social needs. Children attend regular health appointments to help ensure that they are healthy. Children are in full-time education and make steady progress towards their targets. Children

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

are supported to recognise their emotions and verbalise these. Professionals said that children’s development had been positively impacted by effective therapy programmes and interventions. Children’s views and feelings are understood by staff attuned to their needs. Children are listened to, and their thoughts and feelings acted on. The voice of children is embedded in practice and well documented in key working and therapy sessions. Children enjoy access to a wide range of enriching social activities. Children said that they like all the fun things they get to do at the home. For instance, children have been on holiday and engage in sport and leisure activities, such as kayaking and go- karting. An active programme of therapy helps children to prepare for their futures. Children are successfully supported by staff to manage transitions, such as going to bed and ending the day, which some children find difficult. Staff work consistently to provide

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

children with the support they need to complete routines. Staff work with partner agencies to provide good support to children who live far from their home area. Family visits are well managed, and any associated risks are understood and reduced prior to any visit taking place. Staff show sensitivity when managing the arrival of new children into the home and provide good support to families. For instance, one parent said, ‘I don’t go to bed worrying about if my child is alright there, as I know he is safe.’

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

Risks to children are understood by staff and are reduced by implementing dynamic risk assessments. Staff knowledge about the specific risks children could face is reflected in care plans. Children’s plans for independence take a positive approach Inspection report for children’s home: SC431804 4 to risk that allows children to develop, while also keeping them as safe as possible from potential harm. There have been no missing-from-home episodes since the previous inspection. Where incidents have identified the possibility of exploitation risks, the response from staff, leaders and managers has ensured that children have been kept safe. Children’s anxieties and challenges are understood well by staff. Children are involved in writing their behavioural support plans and these are effective in helping staff to manage incidents. There have been no physical restraints since the last inspection and staff are committed to supporting children in a nurturing way.

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

Safeguarding processes are in place to protect children from risks and include safeguarding around unsafe behaviours. Staff are confident in their role and how they would act to keep children safe. Leaders and managers understand their statutory requirements in relation to keeping children safe from abuse. Where safeguarding referrals are made, these are monitored and any identified learning from these is shared with staff. Safe recruitment of staff is effective and ensures that o nly appropriately vetted individuals work at the home and provide care for children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The previous registered manager left the home in April 2023. A new manager was appointed, and applied to register with Ofsted. However, this manager withdrew their application and is due to leave the home shortly. A new manager is being recruited with the current deputy manager and senior support worker covering day- to-day management of the home, supported by the responsible individual. Leaders and managers have a vision for the service that provides a loving and caring home for children who have experienced trauma. This vision is shared by attentive staff who talk about their role providing comfort to children. The manager and staff team promote equality and diversity well. Staff are supported to learn about differences, cultures and equality in internal reflection days. This helps staff to support children to better understand inclusion and equality. Leaders and managers have a good understanding of the home’s statement of purpose and

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

have successfully challenged responses from other services. Staff meet with managers regularly to discuss performance and any concerns in supervision. This helps to provide each member of staff with the necessary support and guidance to fulfil their role. M anagers have taken effective action to ensure that there are sufficient staff on duty to meet children’s individual needs. This is despite the challenges of maintaining a full complement of staff. Safe care of children is maintained when changes in staffing happen. Inspection report for children’s home: SC431804 5

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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 6

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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: SWAAY Child & Adolescent Services Ltd, 591 London Road, Sutton, Surrey SM3 9AG

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Inspector

Stephen Challis, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC431804 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 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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