Children's Home run by Blue Elephant Childcare Limited in Devon

Inspection report for children’s home: 2715196 1 Registered provider: Blue Elephant Childcare Ltd

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Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home was registered in February 2023 and provides care for up to three children. It is owned and managed by a local, privately run organisation that also operates several other homes in the area.

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Information about this children’s home

Two children were living in the home at the time of this inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has submitted his application to be registered with Ofsted.

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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: requires improvement to be good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2715196 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

11/07/2023 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children’s home: 2715196 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is well decorated and furnished. Artwork created by the children is displayed throughout communal areas. Children have a say in the decoration of their bedrooms, which are filled with their personal belongings. The outside areas are maintained and provide space for children to engage in activities such as football and basketball.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Both children living in the home attend education and have made progress in their attendance and are they achieving Work to secure an appropriate provision begins before children move into the home. Carers identify barriers that may impact negatively on a child’s ability to access education. When one of the children was not in education, robust planning took place with a psychologist, to not only reintroduce the child to education but provide more routine and boundaries in all areas of their life. When children are not attending formal education, carers complete informal activities with them. This provides them with structure and stimulation.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Carers understand the importance of meeting children’s health needs. Children are encouraged to be aware of and understand their emotional and physical health and the value of attending health appointments. Advice and guidance are gained from the child and adolescent mental health service and the commissioned psychologist, which inform care planning. One child has made good progress in recognising and naming their feelings. They are further aided by having access to appropriate information books within the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children talk to carers about their thoughts, feelings and experiences. Carers respond sensitively and promote reflection while helping children to express their experiences and emotions. They help children to explore and understand relationships and their identity. Children spend quality time with their family, supported by carers who recognise the need for this to be positive and safe. One child said that carers understand the importance of their valued possessions, linked to their family. Carers have made a complaint to the child’s previous home due to carers causing damage to one irreplaceable item.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The quality of planning for children to move into the home is mixed. Carers gain information about children, and introductions are well planned. The skillset of the team in relation to meeting children’s needs is considered. However, analysis of how children’s individual needs and behaviours may impact on other children has not always been completed. This is likely to have contributed to several high-risk incidents. Learning from this has resulted in the development of an additional assessment, which was completed before another child moved into the home. Extensive preparation work has been completed with a child before another child has moved in.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Three children have moved out of the home. Two of these moves took place with little notice but were well planned and managed sensitively. Carers provided children with a Inspection report for children’s home: 2715196 4 clear narrative and essential information. Reviews of the children’s time in the home have been completed and learning implemented.

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

Children have positive relationships with carers. One child said that carers have spent time getting to know them. This has allowed the child to feel settled and safe. Children want to spend time with carers, and seek out interaction with them. Carers make time for them, prioritising meeting their needs over other aspects of their role. This allows carers to monitor children’s behaviours and forward plan care and activities with the aim of making children feel valued and reducing the likelihood of incidents.

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

Carers have a good knowledge and understanding of risk. They are committed to keeping children safe. They talk openly and honestly to children about their concerns, and support children to reflect on their actions and the impact of them. This has resulted in one child building their emotional intelligence and led to a change in their thinking and behaviours.

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

There have been some long and serious incidents in the home. During these, carers have followed informative and detailed risk management and support plans. The use of chronologies within plans provides a clear overview of concerns. When restraint has been used it has been appropriate. After incidents, carers have conversations with children to assure them that they are still loved and wanted within the home. The depth of these conversations aid children’s understanding of why restrictive measures have been used.

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

When children have been missing, carers have taken timely action. One recording does not detail what actions carers took to look for a child. However, since that recording was made, the quality has improved, with the actions of carers being clearly detailed.

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

Carers are proactive in working with other agencies. One professional said that the strengths of the home include care planning and ensuring that the ratio of carers is appropriate for the level of safeguarding required for children. When necessary, carers request meetings with other professionals. This has allowed them to share essential information and promotes a multi-agency approach to managing and reducing risk. Concerns about the practice of another professional were appropriately escalated.

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

Carers have promoted positive relationships within the home. Difficulties within children’s relationships are monitored. Extensive work is completed with the aim of improving relationships. Children are supported to understand the complexity of relationships and why others may behave in certain ways. This has resulted in children being able to complete activities together.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Since the last inspection, a new manager is in place. He has submitted his application to be registered with Ofsted. The home is led by a robust and experienced management Inspection report for children’s home: 2715196 5 team who are committed and passionate about achieving good outcomes for children. They hold regular meetings to review all aspects of the home. The manager is keen to develop the team and has a clear focus on learning, development, and carers having autonomy when decision-making. This is reflected in detailed home and staff development plans.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Carers like working in the home. With the arrival of a new manager, carers have experienced significant changes in the running of the home. They speak positively about the changes and the high level of support that they receive from leaders and managers. The culture in the home is one where carers feel able to raise any concerns that they may have with managers and know that they will be dealt with. Carers receive good- quality, child- and practice-focused supervision. Relationships between carers and their supervisors are open and honest. This allows for concerns to be discussed and acted on.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Management oversight is present in documents that record details of children’s lives. This informs care planning and monitors the progress made by children. Learning is filtered through to carers, who are confident in the work they complete with children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Carers receive training that is essential for their roles. The team is a mix of experienced and new carers. Between them, they have wealth of experience and transferable skills. Carers are encouraged to complete research, which is presented during team meetings. Where the need for additional, more-specialist training has been identified, this has been communicated with the senior leadership team and commissioned. This strengthens the learning culture within the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Team meetings are held regularly. Written records of these meetings highlight a whole- team approach to the running of the home. The team share and reflect on their experiences, with a clear focus on the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home practices in safer recruitment. Inspection report for children’s home: 2715196 6

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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: 2715196 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, Devon EX31 4AY

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Inspector

Carla Simkiss, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2715196 8 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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