Children's Home run by SW Education & Care Ltd in Devon

Inspection report for children's home: 2694804 1 Registered provider: SW Education & Care Ltd

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is operated by a private provider. It is registered to provide care for up to two children. At the time of the inspection, one child was living in the home. They met with the inspectors.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in April 2023. The manager was not present during the inspection.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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inadequate

How well children and young people are helped and protected inadequate

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inadequate

The effectiveness of leaders and managers inadequate

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inadequate

There are serious and/or widespread failures that mean children and young people are not protected or their welfare is not promoted or safeguarded.

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inadequate

Date of last inspection: 12 February 2024

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inadequate

Overall judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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inadequate

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children's home: 2694804 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

12/02/2024 Full Requires improvement to be good 29/11/2022 Full Good Inspection report for children's home: 2694804 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Poor leadership and management of the home have resulted in staff failing to keep the child safe. Managers have not embedded the organisation’s ethos and culture and so do not provide the child with the care and support they need. Staff do not intervene effectively to prevent the child being harmed.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Staff ensure that the child has interesting and varied activities to occupy their time. The child spends time with staff playing card games, doing puzzles and arts and crafts, and playing board games. While the child has structure to their day, there is a lack of planning or routine to include opportunities beyond the home. The child spends most of their time at home. Consequently, this is limiting their opportunities to develop skills for adult life.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Staff support the child. However, this support can at times be too much. By doing too many things for the child, they do not encourage them to take an appropriate level of responsibility or to develop their own skills for independence. Staff work hard to keep the child calm and settled, but, in doing so, often avoid healthy challenge or opportunities for them to develop.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

The child told inspectors that they do not get on with all staff. Managers have not identified this or explored with staff how they can better develop relationships with the child. Staff do not respond to the child in a sufficiently consistent manner and this contributes to the lack of confidence that the child has said they have in their relationships with some staff and in the support they receive. Despite this lack of confidence, the child is confident about articulating their views about their care. Increasingly, managers share this with other professionals such as the child’s advocate and social worker. Managers encourage the child to participate in creating their plans.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

The child has recently suffered a broken arm. Despite encouragement, the child was unable to keep the cast on their arm. The child’s arm is now permanently damaged where the break did not heal properly. Staff do not support the child to consistently complete their physiotherapy exercises, and this risks permanently limiting the arm’s mobility.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

The child receives less than five hours of tuition a week. Although staff ensure tuition takes place in the home, they did not attend the most recent education meeting and so were unable to provide important feedback to ensure the education is tailored to the child’s needs. The child has aspirations to start a college course in the future. However, there is no clear pathway to support the child to achieve their goals, or to understand whether these goals are realistic and attainable.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

The child’s bedroom is personalised and homely. There are photos that are important to the child on the walls, as well as their artwork. The child meets with an occupational Inspection report for children's home: 2694804 4 therapist and staff respond well to their suggestions for equipment. Recommended sensory items are available to the child in their room. The child has targets they have set themselves displayed on a wall in the hallway, highlighting their ambition. However, staff do not provide appropriate support to the child to ensure these are realistic and attainable. This means the chart, despite its positive intentions is not helpful.

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

The child says they do not feel safe living in this home. They say that they lack confidence in the ability of staff to keep them safe when they struggle with their emotions. Serious incidents occur in the home and community. At times, staff actions have contributed to these incidents, by not following the plans in place for the child. The lack of a predictable and stable routine means that the child finds it much more difficult to anticipate staff responses. Staff do not always recognise when they need to intervene to keep the child safe. This has resulted in risks escalating and police being called to the home. Too often, the child is then detained by police. Police have attended nine of the 18 significant incidents since the last inspection. Eight of the calls to police have been made by concerned members of the public. The child has been arrested on four occasions. Even with significant restrictions in place, staff have not been able to keep the

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

child safe. Staff understand the regulations governing the use of restraint, but this does not translate into practice; when the child is in situations when they may be at risk of significant harm, staff do not intervene to keep them safe.

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

A series of significant incidents occurred over a period of three days. During this period, behaviour management techniques were not consistently applied. The level of risk escalated, leading to police involvement. The child sustained a serious injury while in police custody. The manager has made a formal complaint to the relevant police force. However, she did not respond to correspondence quickly enough to allow this investigation to start. Managers have not undertaken a review of the incidents to identify or understand action taken by staff. They have not identified when staff did not follow plans or intervene appropriately. This lack of learning impacts negatively on the ongoing care of the child and risks further reoccurrence of similar concerns.

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

Managers failed to plan for the child’s deprivation of liberty safeguards ending. They also did not share this with the responsible individual in a timely way to allow for proper planning. As a result, the child did not receive support to improve their understanding of the reasons for the restrictions or reassure them of their safety. Restrictions were lifted at a time that the child was unable to make safe choices. Due to this poor planning, a further application was made to court and the restrictions are in place for longer than anticipated. A suitable step-down plan is now in place to reduce the restrictions, including strategies for when the child finds things more difficult. The responsible individual ensures conversations with the child take place to talk about this process.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Concerns about the management of the home were identified at the last inspection. This included concerns about the skill of staff to meet the child’s needs, the quality of Inspection report for children's home: 2694804 5 management oversight following incidents, and the support provided to staff. Since then, the responsible individual has provided close support and oversight of the manager. However, the support plan has not led to change in the day to day running of the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Managers attend regular multi-agency meetings where the child’s needs are explored. However, information from these meetings is not always incorporated into the child’s plans. Managers do not use the meetings to drive planning or to challenge drift.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The child receives support from an increasingly stable staff team. Staff enjoy working with the child and spending time with them. However, staff do not receive regular reflective supervision to explore the significant incidents that occur and to understand how to support the child’s complex needs. Staff receive a range of training, including in therapeutic practice and trauma, in line with the home’s ethos. However, managers do not expand on this training and embed learning in the culture of the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Regular team meetings offer staff the chance to discuss practice, and the child is very present in these discussions, sometimes in person or other times in discussion. Despite these positive discussions, this has not translated into positive improvements in the quality and effectiveness of practice. Inspection report for children's home: 2694804 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

help each child to understand how to keep safe;

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Requirement Due date

have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm;

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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; and

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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)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(v)(vi)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that responses to and management of incidents by staff are appropriate, and that staff follow plans designed to support them to care for children and keep them safe at all times.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the previous inspection and is restated. 28 June 2024 Inspection report for children's home: 2694804 7 The leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that—

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Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and promotes their welfare.

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

lead and manage the home in a way that is consistent with the approach and ethos, and delivers the outcomes, set out in the home’s statement of purpose;

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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;

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Requirement Due date

demonstrate that practice in the home is informed and improved by taking into account and acting on—

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Requirement Due date

research and developments in relation to the ways in which the needs of children are best met; and

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Requirement Due date

feedback on the experiences of children, including complaints received; and

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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)(a)(f)(g)(i)(ii)(h))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that oversight of incidents and carers’ practice is thorough and robust at all times. In addition, the registered person must ensure that following their robust review of staff’s practice, reflective and constructive conversations are held with staff, aiming to improve practice and protect children. They should also ensure that important information shared by other professionals is incorporated into children’s plans. They should ensure that staff are confident and able to deliver care in line with the statement of purpose.

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Requirement Due date

A requirement was made under regulation 13 at the previous inspection but the detail of the action to be taken has changed. 19 July 2024

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Requirement Due date

The quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who— 19 July 2024 Inspection report for children's home: 2694804 8 understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children;

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Requirement Due date

use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential.

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

understand and apply the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

understand and apply the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to develop resilience and skills that prepare the child to return home, to live in a new placement or to live independently as an adult;

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Requirement Due date

make decisions about the day-to-day arrangements for each child, in accordance with the child’s relevant plans, which give the child an appropriate degree of freedom and choice. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(i)(vi)(ix))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure staff understand and implement the home’s ethos, in line with the training received. In addition, ensure the child has opportunities for developmentally appropriate independence. In addition, ensure the child has a positive daily routine, with planned time for activities out of the home in line with the home’s statement of purpose.

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Requirement Due date

The positive relationships standard is that children are helped to develop, and to benefit from, relationships based on—

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Requirement Due date

an understanding about acceptable behaviour; and

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Requirement Due date

positive responses to other children and adults.

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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

that staff— 19 July 2024 Inspection report for children's home: 2694804 9 meet each child’s behavioural and emotional needs, as set out in the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

communicate to each child expectations about the child’s behaviour and ensure that the child understands those expectations in accordance with the child’s age and understanding;

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Requirement Due date

strive to gain each child’s respect and trust;

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Requirement Due date

understand how children’s previous experiences and present emotions can be communicated through behaviour and have the competence and skills to interpret these and develop positive relationships with children;

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Requirement Due date

are provided with supervision and support to enable them to understand and manage their own feelings and responses to the behaviour and emotions of children, and to help children to do the same;

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Requirement Due date

that each child is encouraged to build and maintain positive relationships with others. (Regulation 11 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(i)(v)(viii)(ix)(x)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that the manager understands the quality of relationships between the child and staff, and offers good- quality reflective supervision to support staff to reflect on their relationships with the child. The manager should ensure that support is in place to strengthen relationships when needed. In addition, ensure all staff are familiar with and have the confidence to follow the child’s plans.

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Requirement Due date

The health and well-being standard is that—

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Requirement Due date

the health and well-being needs of children are met;

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Requirement Due date

children receive advice, services and support in relation to their health and well-being; and

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Requirement Due date

children are helped to lead healthy lifestyles.

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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

that staff help each child to— 19 July 2024 Inspection report for children's home: 2694804 10 achieve the health and well-being outcomes that are recorded in the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

understand the child’s health and well-being needs and the options that are available in relation to the child’s health and well-being, in a way that is appropriate to the child’s age and understanding;

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Requirement Due date

take part in activities, and attend any appointments, for the purpose of meeting the child’s health and well-being needs. (Regulation 10 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure the child receives the support and encouragement needed to complete exercises related to their health, and that staff understand the importance of this.

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Requirement Due date

The education standard is that children make measurable progress towards achieving their educational potential and are helped to do so.

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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

help each child to achieve the child’s education and training targets, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

understand the barriers to learning that each child may face and take appropriate action to help the child to overcome any such barriers;

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Requirement Due date

maintain regular contact with each child’s education and training provider, including engaging with the provider and the placing authority to support the child’s education and training and to maximise the child’s achievement. (Regulation 8 (1) (2)(a)(i)(iii)(iv))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that staff participate in meetings about the child’s education to ensure there are clear, achievable plans in place. 19 July 2024 Inspection report for children's home: 2694804 11

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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: 2694804 12

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: SW Education & Care Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Node Cowork, Roundswell Enterprise Park, Barnstaple, Devon EX31 3YB

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Inspectors

Clare Nixson, Social Care Inspector Carla Simkiss, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: 2694804 13 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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