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

Inspection report for children's home: 2698124 1 Registered provider: SWAAY Child & Adolescent Services Ltd Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

This is the first inspection of the home, which is registered to provide care for up to five children. It is operated by a private company which runs similar homes. The home provides integrated education and therapeutic intervention for children who may have emotional, social or behavioural difficulties and who may present harmful behaviours.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

There were four children living at the home at the time of the inspection.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The manager has been registered with Ofsted since January 2023.

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

p.1

good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

p.1

good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

p.1

good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

p.1

good

Overall judgement at last inspection: not applicable

p.1

good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children's home: 2698124 2

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff provide the children with nurturing care, tailored to their specific needs. Children receive child-centred care and support which has a positive influence on their lives. Relationships between the staff and the children are respectful and accepting. As a result, the children develop trust in the staff.

p.2

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Progress made by all the children is good. Staff show genuine interest in the children’s achievements at school and college. Regular attendance is an expected part of daily life. Children attend a school run by the organisation. They benefit from smaller class sizes and focused support. Staff understand that achievement at school enhances the children’s life chances.

p.2

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff encourage the children to express their feelings and wishes. Children are active participants in the home’s day-to-day planning. This includes planning menus and choosing activities but also extends far wider. For example, the children contribute to the staff recruitment process. Consequently, children learn that they can positively influence the world around them.

p.2

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home’s open and inclusive culture helps remove stigma and supports the development of children’s relationships with family and other important people, in line with their plans. This helps the children to maintain relationships with their families and other people who are significant to them, when it is safe to do so.

p.2

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff coordinate the children’s care between home, school and the community. Children benefit from a staged process of therapeutic support. This enables the children to reflect and develop insight into their earlier experiences and behaviours. As a result, the children learn new strategies to manage difficult feelings and impulses.

p.2

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff encourage the children and support them to have a range of positive experiences in the home and the local community. Staff promote independent living skills well. Children help with day-to-day household tasks, with a focus on becoming more independent. This helps prepare the children well for adult life.

p.2

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

Children said they feel safe living at the home. Interactions between staff and children are open and warm. Staff and managers promote an inclusive culture which supports the children to explore their individuality and develop a positive self-view.

p.2

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

Staff are confident to stick to clear and consistent boundaries with the children. This contributes to children’s feelings of stability and security. The team favours an approach of positive reinforcement, praise and natural consequences. Inspection report for children's home: 2698124 3 The staff’s direct work with the children is reflective, honest and open. The children are learning alternative ways to manage their emotions and behaviour, along with developing a greater understanding of how to deal with their frustration and anxiety.

p.2

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

Leaders and managers use weekly meetings with education and clinical teams to share information about the most vulnerable children, safeguarding concerns or any incidents that have occurred. This ensures that follow-up work is actioned quickly.

p.3

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

Risk assessments and care plans are high quality and detailed. These could be further strengthened by reflecting the children’s views around risk. Nevertheless, the children’s plans and assessments ensure that the staff have a solid understanding of the children’s individual strengths, vulnerabilities and risks. Consequently, there is no staff complacency about the needs and susceptibilities of the children.

p.3

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home is managed by a suitably experienced and recently appointed registered manager. The manager is currently undertaking the required level 5 childcare management qualification. The registered manager shows enthusiasm and determination to provide a high-quality service to improve the lives of the children.

p.3

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager is supported well by the responsible individual and the senior leadership team, who are developing the newly formed team’s skills and knowledge. This strong leadership oversight means that when mistakes are made, they are addressed quickly and effectively.

p.3

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff recruitment is robust and in line with safer recruitment practices, which safeguards children. Training for the staff is presented in a variety of formats, to ensure that the staff are competent in providing a nurturing and therapeutic approach to the children that they care for.

p.3

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager is developing a nurturing and reflective culture where learning is encouraged. However, staff supervision has not always taken place in line with the organisation’s time frames. This shortfall has the potential to increase the risk of unsafe cultures developing in what is a relatively new staff team.

p.3

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager works well with the wider professional network. Feedback from a social worker was extremely positive about the communication between them and the home. However, a ‘home alone’ risk assessment for two children did not include agreement or oversight of the plan from the children’s placing authority.

p.3

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders have invested extensively in the home, which has been refurbished throughout to a high standard. This gives children a strong message that they are valued and that their well-being is important to the staff who care for them. Inspection report for children's home: 2698124 4

p.3

Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure systems are in place so that all staff receive regular supervision of their practice, which allows them to reflect on their practice and the needs of the children assigned to their care. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.2)  The registered person should ensure that they engage proactively with the placing authority to contribute fully to the relevant plans and assessments for children’s care on an ongoing basis. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 56, paragraph 11.3)  The registered person should ensure that the children view and contribute to their records and assessments in a way that reflects their voice on a regular basis. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 58, paragraph 11.19)

p.4

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: 2698124 5

p.4

Children’s home details

Registered provider: SWAAY Child & Adolescent Services Ltd

p.5

Children’s home details

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

p.5

Inspector

Anne-Marie Davies, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: 2698124 6 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.

p.5

Inspector

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.6

Inspector

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.6

Inspector

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.6