Children's home run by Blue Elephant Childcare Limited

Inspection report for children’s home: 2546960 1 Registered provider: Blue Elephant Childcare 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 care and support for up to two children with emotional and social difficulties. It is part of a local organisation that owns several homes.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, two children were living in the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager as been registered with Ofsted since May 2022.

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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: 2546960 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

29/06/2022 Full Good 08/02/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good 18/02/2020 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children’s home: 2546960 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is cosy and well decorated. Photos and personal items of the children have pride of place throughout the property. Children’s rooms are personalised and well furnished. The office space is inviting and accessible to children. The games room provides a space for children to do activities or homework away from the main home. Animals living at the home are well cared for, and children assist in their daily care, which gives children opportunities for learning and responsibility.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Carers build positive relationships with other professionals. Professionals reported that communication and joint working are strengths of the team. When required, appropriate challenges are made, with the aim of achieving the best outcomes for children. Two parents were positive about the care their children receive. One parent would like better communication from the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Carers prioritise children’s education. An example of this is carers driving a child to and from school for over an hour each way, enabling them to continue to attend their school. School places are researched before a child arrives. When there is doubt about the viability of a school place, alternatives are researched. Children help to organise and hold regular theme nights. This supports their learning of the world and different cultures.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Carers have good awareness of children’s physical and emotional health needs. They work with the commissioned clinical psychologist and therapist to evaluate and determine children’s emotional needs and devise ways to support children. A current focus is the need for children to have a healthy and varied diet. Planning is in place to educate children about the benefits of a healthier lifestyle.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Carers regularly listen to children and seek their views. Children’s individual personalities and needs are recognised and valued. One child has been involved in making a creative and informative video children’s guide for the home. Children are consulted in relation to the home, activities and menus. They are provided with a wide array of positive experiences, such as trips away and horse-riding lessons.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

There is a clear focus on recording children’s memories and the benefits of this for them. Collections of photos, keepsakes and memories are comprehensive. Children are involved in collecting special items that will aide them in remembering their experiences. Photo and descriptive memory books are developed online and regularly updated.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Planning for children to move into the home is robust. The needs of children already living in the home and the skill set of carers are clearly evaluated alongside information about the child who may move in. Carers training needs are identified and training is secured that aims to support carers to develop their practice and meet children’s needs. Inspection report for children’s home: 2546960 4

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

Children like living in the home and feel safe. Both children currently living in the home identified adults who they can look to to meet their overall needs. Children regularly express their thoughts and feelings to carers, who respond appropriately. Carers are supporting the children to maintain positive relationships with each other. While doing this, they keep the children’s individual needs and experiences in mind. This work is done collaboratively with the clinical team.

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

Risks are identified and understood by carers. Documents designed to support carers to manage risk and care for children are well written and relevant to the child. In planning for a holiday abroad, the risk assessment was written in the local language, showing the importance of safety. Carers work with other professionals to manage and investigate risk, and they provide children with the support and guidance that they need during difficult times.

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

Carers are aware of how to support children. This is demonstrated by the interactions they have. Carers provide children with consistency of care and boundaries. Conversations with children are adapted to suit the situation and can be sensitive, loving, authoritative or a mixture. Daily logs and other recordings provide precious insight into children’s lives.

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

Children are supported to spend time with their families regularly. Carers attend family times to provide support to children when required. When risks have been identified, these have been promptly reported to other professionals. However, following a concern being raised and reported, carers did not seek assurances that safeguards are in place to prevent similar situations from occurring in the future.

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

The children living in the home are settled. Incidents are rare, but when they do take place, the safety and well-being of children are prioritised. Incidents are usually well recorded and managed. However, one incident was poorly managed. Appropriate action was taken by the leadership and management team to evaluate the incident, taking on board and sharing their learning. When children are given a consequence for their unwanted behaviour, it has been appropriate.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Carers are overwhelmingly positive about the leadership and management team. They feel supported to carry out their roles, particularly new staff, who feel that they are part of a secure team. Carers are provided with a training and support package that fully meets their needs. Leaders, managers and carers clearly love the children that they care for. They go out of their way to provide them with a good level of care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers have good oversight of the home. They are proactive in devising targets and reflecting on day-to-day events. They practise safer recruitment. The registered manager and deputy manager have a positive working Inspection report for children’s home: 2546960 5 relationship, complementing each other’s strengths. Reviews of practice, either in relation to an incident or an allegation against a carer, are undertaken to ensure that children are cared for by safe and appropriate adults.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Team meetings focus on practice and the care of children. Carers attend these meetings, as do other professionals, who provide the team with the benefit of their expertise. Agendas are clear and actions are set, as are monthly targets for the home. Managers challenge carers to reflect on and develop their learning, based on practice examples and experiences.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Carers receive regular reflective supervision. Recordings provide an insight into discussions, particularly reflection of practice. Notable from these recordings are the encouragement and support that carers receive from leaders and managers. In addition, carers have individualised development plans, which they develop alongside their managers. These plans are regularly reviewed and updated. Inspection report for children’s home: 2546960 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, The 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

assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the child’s relevant plans, and, if necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child;

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Requirement Due date

understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person;

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Requirement Due date

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare. (Regulation 12 (1)(2)(a)(i)(v)(vi))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that the time children spend with their family and friends is positive and as safe as possible. Following the reporting of concerns in relation to the safety of children during these times, the registered person must ensure that the concerns have been fully addressed by other professionals and gain evidence to show that safeguards have been put in place. 23 January 2024

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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: 2546960 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Blue Elephant Childcare Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Unit 30, Chivenor Business Park, Barnstaple EX31 4FT

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Inspector

Carla Simkiss, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2546960 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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