Children's Home run by Searchlight Care Services Ltd in Staffordshire

Inspection report for children's home: 2490939 1 Registered provider: Searchlight Care Services Ltd Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

This home is operated by a private company. It is registered to provide care for one child who has had adverse childhood experiences.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

There is a manager in post who registered with Ofsted in August 2023. The manager is experienced and has an appropriate management qualification.

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

p.1

requires improvement to be good

How well children and young people are helped and protected requires improvement to be good

p.1

requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

p.1

requires improvement to be good

The children’s home is not yet delivering good help and care for children and young people. However, there are no serious or widespread failures that result in their welfare not being safeguarded or promoted.

p.1

requires improvement to be good

Date of last inspection: 7 February 2023

p.1

requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

p.1

requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children's home: 2490939 2

p.1

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

07/02/2023 Full Good 09/11/2021 Full Good 21/01/2020 Full Good Inspection report for children's home: 2490939 3

p.2

improvement to be good

One child has lived in the home for 10 months. The child is settled and is making some progress. However, behaviour management and leadership and management systems in the home require improvement. Consequently, this has had some negative impact on the child’s overall experiences of living in the home.

p.3

improvement to be good

Since the last inspection, two children have come to live in the home and one child has left. Despite having a well-planned move, one child did not always engage positively with the home’s routines and with staff. During incidents, staff received injuries requiring medical treatment. Police were called to manage the child’s behaviours and the child was criminalised. Managers ended the child’s placement after 10 days because they were concerned about the safety of people.

p.3

improvement to be good

Staff are enthusiastic in building and sustaining relationships with the child who currently lives at the home. Staff help the child to enjoy activities of their choice such as arts and crafts and trampolining. Staff are warm and humorous with the child, and the child has pet names for all staff. Staff spend time with the child reading and watching TV. As a result of this attuned care, the child is invested in the home and in their relationship with staff.

p.3

improvement to be good

Managers and staff have advocated for the child to attend a school that meets the child’s needs. They have worked with teachers and the virtual school to support the child to move to a specialist setting. This has been a positive move for the child, who likes their new school and has settled well. A teacher said communication with staff is good, and the child arrives at school well prepared and ready to learn.

p.3

improvement to be good

Staff support the child to maintain relationships with people who are important to them. A family member praised staff and said: ‘They are doing a superb job. He’s a different boy now… he’s a lot calmer.’ Ensuring that the child maintains relationships with family and friends helps the child to keep a positive cultural identity and a sense of belonging.

p.3

improvement to be good

Staff work hard to ensure that they respond to the child’s views and feelings effectively. This is done through structured key-work sessions and regular children’s meetings. Staff talk sensitively with the child about their life story. The child’s memories are captured through photographs and are stored in beautiful and personalised books. These books provide the child with a valuable record of time spent in the home.

p.3

improvement to be good

The home is a homely place for the child to spend time. There is evidence of the child’s interests and hobbies around the home and the child’s bedroom is highly personalised. However, fittings from a previous window covering have not been Inspection report for children's home: 2490939 4 removed and are clearly visible from the landing window. The garden is untidy and unkempt. This detracts from the homely feel of the home.

p.3

improvement to be good

Staff have frequently restrained the child to manage their complex behaviours. Although the child’s social worker is satisfied that restraints are proportionate and necessary, the local authority has commissioned an independent therapist to work with the child and to guide staff in a more therapeutic response. The child’s social worker, overall, is happy with the way staff have worked with the therapist to improve practice. As a result, instances when staff physically intervene to keep the child and others safe are reducing.

p.4

improvement to be good

Risk management plans, overseen by a clinician, guide staff to manage a range of behaviours that the child may display. However, on some occasions, the behaviour management policy has not been followed. For example, staff held a door closed to restrict a child’s movements. Staff have spoken unkindly to the child and threatened to phone the police to de-escalate the child’s behaviours. Managers do not always identify these shortfalls or identify strategies to improve staff practice.

p.4

improvement to be good

More positively, strong routines and boundaries help the child to feel safe and contained. The child’s positive behaviours are promoted through rewards and incentives, which are discussed with the child. The child frequently receives verbal praise for having a good day and for turning their behaviour around.

p.4

improvement to be good

Managers ensure that a range of health and safety checks are carried out to assess whether there are any hazards which could pose a risk to the child. However, water temperatures are not checked and a fire exit in the integrated garage is obstructed by furniture. This compromises the safety of the child and staff.

p.4

good

A suitably qualified and experienced manager leads the home. The manager places the child at the centre of their practice and is keen for the child to achieve and make progress.

p.4

good

Managers have not used monitoring systems to evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of the home. Additionally, managers have not identified the negative impact on the child of restraining the child in their bedroom and moving the child between rooms. The child’s social worker said that although relationships between the child and staff are ‘excellent’, they would like to see managers be more reflective with staff following incidents, and to be more proactive in improving staff practice.

p.4

good

The staff and registered manager have established positive working relationships with a range of agencies and external professionals who are involved in the child’s Inspection report for children's home: 2490939 5 care. This ensures that appropriate support is in place to encourage the child’s progress and help them achieve their potential.

p.4

good

The child is cared for by a core team of staff. Most staff are qualified or are working towards the required qualification within the regulatory timescale. The staff are dedicated to ensuring that the child receives consistent care. Shortfalls in staffing are covered by core staff and a small number of staff from other homes in the company who are known to the child. As a result, the child has developed good relationships with known adults who care for them.

p.5

good

Managers ensure that staff are supported through regular, good-quality supervision and an annual appraisal. New staff receive a well-planned induction. Additionally, a range of training is available to support staff to keep the child safe, including additional training to meet the child’s specific needs. There are significant shortfalls in the number of staff who have completed this additional training. Inspection report for children's home: 2490939 6

p.5

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.

p.6

Requirement Due date

The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

p.6

Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

p.6

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;

p.6

Requirement Due date

have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(iii))

p.6

Requirement Due date

This relates to managers ensuring that staff are familiar with children’s risk management plans and that they use approved strategies to de-escalate the child’s complex behaviours.

p.6

Requirement Due date

This relates to managers ensuring that staff are familiar with children’s risk management plans and that they use approved strategies to de-escalate the child’s complex behaviours. 3 March 2024

p.6

Requirement Due date

The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

p.6

Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

p.6

Requirement Due date

that the home’s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(b)) 3 March 2024 Inspection report for children's home: 2490939 7 This relates to managers ensuring that staff undertake checks on the water temperature and ensure that all fire exits are kept clear and free from obstructions.

p.6

Requirement Due date

The leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that—

p.7

Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

p.7

Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to— ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child;

p.7

Requirement Due date

understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home;

p.7

Requirement Due date

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(c)(f)(h)

p.7

Requirement Due date

This relates to managers ensuring that they monitor incidents effectively and identify and challenge poor staff practice. Additionally, that they ensure that staff complete training specific to the child’s needs. 3 March 2024

p.7

Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that the children’s home is a nurturing and supportive environment that meet the needs of their children and is a homely, domestic environment. The home must comply with relevant health and safety legislations (alarms, food hygiene etc.); however, in doing so, it should seek, as far as possible, to maintain a domestic rather than ‘institutional’ impression. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 13.9)

p.7

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 Inspection report for children's home: 2490939 8 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: 2490939 9

p.7

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Searchlight Care Services Ltd

p.9

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Marcus House, Parkhall Road, Longton, Stoke on Trent ST3 5XA

p.9

Inspector

Karen Gillingwater, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: 2490939 10 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.9

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 .

p.10

Inspector

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.10

Inspector

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

p.10

Inspector

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

p.10