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

Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 1235576 1 Registered provider: South West Childcare Services

p.1

Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The home is owned and managed by a private provider and registered to provide care for up to two children who may have social and emotional difficulties or a learning disability. At the time of this assurance inspection, there were two children living in the home.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

There is a suitably qualified manager in post.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

p.1

Information about this children’s home

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

p.1

Information about this inspection

At this inspection, the inspector evaluated:

p.1

Information about this inspection

 the care of children  the safety of children  the effectiveness of leaders and managers. The inspector has looked closely at the experiences and progress of children, using the social care common inspection framework. This assurance 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’. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 1235576 2

p.1

Findings from the inspection

We did not identify any serious or widespread concerns in relation to the care or protection of children at this assurance inspection.

p.2

Findings from the inspection

Since the last inspection, a new child has moved into the home. Before they moved in, their needs were considered alongside the needs of the current child and the skills of the staff team. Staff take time to understand the children’s individual needs and supported them to build positive relationships with one another.

p.2

Findings from the inspection

The children say that they like living at the home and that they feel safe. Staff respond calmly to children’s distress and use the trusting relationships they have to explore the children’s feelings and emotions. There are very few incidents and restraint is not used.

p.2

Findings from the inspection

Children’s support plans are up to date and there has been a renewed focus by managers on improving the standard of information and guidance for staff on how best to support children. Since the previous inspection, systems for management oversight have been reviewed and strengthened and more recent records have shown some improvement in this area.

p.2

Findings from the inspection

Allegations and complaints are responded to in a timely manner and thoroughly investigated. Leaders and managers have taken action to address poor practice and this has had a positive impact on the staff team and its ability to support the children.

p.2

Findings from the inspection

Staff say that morale is good and speak positively about the support of leaders and managers. Supervision and team meetings take place regularly, but there is a lack of critical challenge to accurately understand the home’s performance and areas for further development.

p.2

Findings from the inspection

Leaders and managers ensure that the wider network is involved in the planning for the children. There are some good examples of challenge when there are gaps in services, not enough is currently done to address the shortfalls in education for the children.

p.2

Findings from the inspection

Staff support children to take age-appropriate risks and have unsupervised time away from the home. However, staff have not always been curious enough about children’s whereabouts or activities to ensure that they are safe in the community. More action needs to be taken by leaders and managers to ensure that staff are confident in their contextual safeguarding knowledge. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 1235576 3

p.2

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

21/08/2024 Full Requires improvement to be good 22/11/2023 Full Good 07/02/2023 Full Good 18/11/2021 Full Good Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 1235576 4

p.3

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.4

Requirement Due date

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

p.4

Requirement Due date

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

p.4

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.4

Requirement Due date

help each child to understand how to keep safe;

p.4

Requirement Due date

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

p.4

Requirement Due date

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

p.4

Requirement Due date

that the homes day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to effectively protect each child from harm;

p.4

Requirement Due date

that the effectiveness of the home’s child protection policies is monitored regularly. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(v)(vii)(b)(e))

p.4

Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that safeguarding procedures are fully understood and followed by staff.

p.4

Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the previous inspection and is restated. 31 March 2025 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 1235576 5

p.4

Children’s home details

Registered provider: South West Childcare Services

p.5

Children’s home details

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

p.5

Inspector

Stacey Pellow, Social Care Inspector Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 1235576 6 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

p.5

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.6

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.6

Inspector

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

p.6

Inspector

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

p.6