Children's home run by Plus One South West Ltd in Somerset

Inspection report for children’s home: SC477040 1 SC477040 Registered provider: Plus One South West 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 which is based in the south-west of England. It provides care for up to three children who may experience social and/or emotional difficulties. At the time of this inspection, two children were living at the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in January 2020 and is suitably qualified.

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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: SC477040 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

01/03/2023 Full Good 22/03/2022 Interim Improved effectiveness 30/11/2021 Full Requires improvement to be good 09/10/2019 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: SC477040 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Both children living in the home have made good progress from their starting points. One child has recently moved into the home and has been promptly supported by staff to attend school full time. The other child is now attending college full time with other students and is learning to drive. A child who recently moved out of the home was supported to find accommodation so they could attend university.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff ensure that children are at the heart of their practice and both children have formed trusted relationships with staff. Staff invest time in children, promote their welfare and help them to experience positive outcomes. Both children enjoy living in the home and have staff who they can trust.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff respect children’s privacy as they support each child’s daily routine. Children’s achievements are celebrated and rewarded. Children are encouraged to prepare and cook their own meals and experience enjoyable mealtimes.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff work closely with families to ensure that children enjoy regular meaningful time with their loved ones. This helps to ensure that positive relationships are maintained.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff understand the children’s differing needs and work with them sensitively to help them experience a range of social and recreational activities they enjoy. Activities include driving lessons, boxing, trips to the beach, go karting and the gym.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are treated with dignity and respect. Staff provide good support to encourage children to explore their identity and family history. . The psychotherapist supports staff to gain a better understanding children’s needs and to be responsive to supporting children to develop a sense of their own identity.

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

Both children feel safe living in their home. Staff put in clear boundaries to promote safety and encourage acceptable behaviours. If incidents occur, staff respond promptly and effectively to protect children and help them manage their own behaviour safely. There has been no use of restraint to manage children’s behaviour.

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

Children are supported by staff who take a positive approach to risk. Staff enable children to take age-appropriate risks so that they can develop. Children are taught important skills needed to be able to live independently and keep themselves safe. Children’s independent free time without staff support is reviewed regularly and increased to reflect and reward the progress they are making. Children enjoy spending time with their friends in the community. Inspection report for children’s home: SC477040 4 Staff understand each child’s risks. Individual risk assessments reflect children’s vulnerabilities and give staff clear guidance on exactly what action to take to address known risks. When children go missing, staff follow clear protocols and respond immediately to try and locate the child and minimise the risk of harm. Risk assessments are updated following the learning from incidents. This informs future

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

staff practice, reduces risk and helps to keep children safe.

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

Staff are aware of each child’s health needs and support them to access local services when required. However, administration of medicines to one child was not safe or effective and management oversight failed to identify where errors had been made.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home is well manged by a dedicated and passionate manager. All staff share the same vision and work hard to ensure that children experience positive outcomes and make progress in all aspects of their lives.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager has good working relationships with schools and partner agencies. The manager and staff have successfully advocated for both children to attend full-time education with their peers. This ensures that children have an opportunity to learn, meet new friends and sit important exams that will enhance their future development and opportunities.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff express a love for working at the home. They speak with compassion about caring for children, helping them to progress and protecting them from harm. Staff receive regular supervision from the manager, who listens to them and is flexible to meet their needs. The manager and staff are well trained and benefit from having access to a psychotherapist to support their development and enhance their well- being.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has ensured that individual plans for each child robustly identify their needs. Plans reflect the local authority placement plan and inform staff comprehensively of everything they need to know to support each child’s needs, keep them safe and help them make progress. However, the support plans that are in place for each child are not child centred and do not include the child’s voice. Inspection report for children’s home: SC477040 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 registered person must make arrangements for the handling, recording, safekeeping, safe administration and disposal of medicines received into the children’s home.

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Requirement Due date

In particular the registered person must ensure that—

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Requirement Due date

medicine which is prescribed for a child is administered as prescribed to the child for whom it is prescribed and to no other child. (Regulation 23 (1) (2)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the registered manager ensuring that staff follow safe medication administration practice and that managerial oversight is effective. 17 October 2023

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that information about the child is recorded in a way that will be helpful to the child. In particular, children’s placement plans should be child focused. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4)

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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: SC477040 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Plus One South West Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: The Mount, 21 High Street, Wellington, Somerset TA21 8QT

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Inspector

Gary Turney, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC477040 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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