Children's Home run by South West Childcare Services in Plymouth

Inspection report for children’s home: 1277304 1 Registered provider: South West Childcare Services Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home provides care and accommodation for up to two children with social and emotional needs. At the time of the inspection, two children were living in the home and were both present at the inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

The home is led by a suitably qualified manager.

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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: 1277304 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

30/08/2023 Full Requires improvement to be good 16/08/2022 Full Good 21/12/2021 Interim Improved effectiveness 21/04/2021 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children’s home: 1277304 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Both of the children living in the home are making progress and are valued by the adults who look after them. Staff talk passionately about their roles and take time to understand the unique needs of each child. Staff are clear on the importance of building long-lasting and meaningful relationships with the children. Secure relationships with staff help the children to explore their feelings, which helps them to better understand their emotions and behaviours.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff understand the importance of education and support children to attend school. Leaders and managers strongly advocate for children to receive their educational entitlement, and they challenge the wider network when there are gaps. Staff provide a range of recreational opportunities for children to complement their education. Children are encouraged to pursue their interests and explore new hobbies.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support children to maintain healthy routines and take responsibility for age- appropriate tasks . Shopping and cooking are shared tasks, and the children are supported with learning how to shop and cook healthy meals. Staff understand the importance of sleep and personal hygiene, and children are appropriately supported with these routines.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support children to speak about a range of sensitive issues. In addition to ad hoc conversations, leaders and managers carefully consider the needs of the children and ensure there is a focus on targeted and meaningful topics for each child. The in-house therapies team provides further support on holistic goals for each child. Records are clearly written using child-focused language and include management oversight and learning.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home environment is warm and homely with shared spaces for eating together, relaxing and games. The children’s bedrooms are personalised to their tastes. Staff ensure that special occasions like birthdays are cherished events for the children, and the home is decorated with balloons and cards. Memory books are created for each child, and photos of special occasions, events and people are kept for them to look back on.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff take the time to listen to how the children wish to see and spend time with their relatives and friends. Staff work with the children’s family members to ensure that they maintain regular, meaningful and safe contact with their loved ones. Children are supported to make their own decisions about seeing family.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff use a range of strategies to help children express themselves and reduce the risk of self-harm. When children have harmed themselves, staff follow clear procedures in order to ensure that children are safe. Staff work with external services to understand when Inspection report for children’s home: 1277304 4 children may self-harm and how to support children to develop alternative ways to self- soothe.

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

Safeguarding concerns are well managed with robust and timely action taken to address issues. Plans to support staff to minimise risk for the children are clear and concise. Incident reports are clearly recorded with management oversight and some learning from practice.

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

When children go missing from home, staff are persistent in their attempts to locate them and ensure that family and relevant professionals are kept up to date. When children return home, they are warmly welcomed back and offered food and nurture.

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

Staff use a variety of de-escalation techniques to support children who are experiencing distress. Staff use the positive relationships they have with the children effectively to intervene and minimise risk during periods of conflict. Restraint is not used. Children are supported by skilled staff to have positive relationships with one another and resolve conflicts restoratively.

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

An age-proportionate approach is taken in relation to monitoring mobile phones and internet use. Staff use parental controls and monitoring systems on an individual basis to ensure that the children are not exposed to unnecessary risks online. Staff have open conversations with the children about any concerns, and there is an educative approach taken.

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

Staff support children to take age-appropriate risks as part of their development and to learn skills to help keep themselves safe. Children enjoy spending meaningful time with their friends and family in the community without any unnecessary restrictions.

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

Allegations and complaints are responded to in a timely manner and thoroughly investigated. The children and individuals involved are supported throughout, and the outcome is clearly communicated.

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

The safeguarding needs of one child are not fully met, and more could be done to address their individual risk factors.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home is led by a dedicated and passionate manager who has a good understanding of the children’s needs. The manager is a strong advocate for the children and provides good challenge to the wider network when there are gaps in planning or services.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers ensure that there are enough staff to care for the children, and agency staff are not used. There are well-thought-out plans to cover any vacancies and Inspection report for children’s home: 1277304 5 to minimise change for the children. Staff know the children well and demonstrate commitment and compassion in their roles.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers respond to children’s views in a number of ways, and children are involved in decision-making in the home. Children know who to speak to if they are unhappy or wish to make a complaint. The child has an independent advocate.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff speak positively about the support of leaders and managers. Leaders and managers ensure that staff are up to date with mandatory training, and they organise bespoke training to support staff to respond to the individual needs of the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers have begun to make changes to recording systems so that they are more child-focused and meaningful. Records are written to the child, using trauma- informed language, and there is clear management oversight with actions and learning. These positive changes are beginning to embed across recording systems, but there are still some examples of negative and blaming language being used.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers ensure that they work closely with the multi-agency network around each child. Professional feedback is positive about staff, the care of the children and the progress they are making. Leaders and managers understand the importance of building relationships with children’s families, but more could be done when communication breaks down.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Supervision and team meetings take place regularly but lack challenge or reflection on practice. There is a lack of critical challenge to accurately understand the home’s performance and areas for further development. Inspection report for children’s home: 1277304 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: 1277304 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: South West Childcare Services

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Maybrook House, Third Floor, Queensway, Halesowen, West Midlands B63 4AH

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Inspector

Stacey Pellow, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 1277304 8 regulates and inspects 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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