Children's home run by Blue Elephant Childcare Limited

Inspection report for children’s home: 2619357 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 can provide care for up to four children who may have emotional and social difficulties. At the time of the inspection, three children were living in the home.

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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: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2619357 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

02/05/2023 Full Good 22/06/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good 01/03/2022 Full Inadequate Inspection report for children’s home: 2619357 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Three children were present for this inspection, and all were spoken to. The children all enjoy a variety of activities with the team and with each other, including going to watch live football matches and rugby matches, cooking together, St John Ambulance volunteering, swimming, a prom, fairgrounds and farms. Staff all know how to communicate with each child inline with their individual needs, and they know this by spending time with them in and out of the home. They have created an environment that allows the children to express themselves without fear or judgment.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children in this home are loved. Staff adore them and want them to progress and achieve in their individual lives. Staff provide security and safety for the children, which has enabled them to all achieve progress from their starting points. The home is incredibly nurturing, and staff create spaces for the children to feel calm. This has resulted in the children developing skills to manage their own difficult emotions.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children consistently attend education. The manager has appropriately challenged what education one child was offered, resulting in a suitable provision being sourced for them. One child is thriving in their college course. All children’s educational achievements are celebrated. The staff are ambitious and want the children to do well in education.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Individual independence plans are developed for each child. Children have made progress in this area. One child is able to manage their complex health needs, one child is making progress towards transitioning to adulthood and staff continue to promote each child’s independence skills.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Medication management is safe. Children’s health needs are met, and they have access to local health services. There are clear arrangements in place for the management of one child’s complex health needs. This includes effective links to the external professionals involved and regular meetings to ensure all professionals continue to promote the child’s best interests.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

New children are welcomed into the home and there is careful planning in place, which includes the views of the other children. Two children have left the home since the last inspection, and both moves were well planned. The manager has reflected on one child who was in the home for a short period and recognises where questions need to be asked in the future.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported to spend time with significant people in their lives. Recently, one child has been curious about a family member. The manager has supported them to explore their curiosity at their own pace and has advocated for the child’s social worker to also ensure it is managed in line with the child’s wishes and feelings. Inspection report for children’s home: 2619357 4 Parents would like regular and scheduled updates from the home on all aspects of their child’s lives.

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

Children speak openly to the staff about things that are worrying them, and in turn, the staff recognise the children’s feelings and can respond proactively to them, to minimise any possible harm. There are clear plans in place to enable staff to help children manage their emotions and any behaviours which may present.

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

There has been one missing-from-home episode. Staff looked for the child and involved external agencies and family. There was a well-coordinated response that reduced the time of the missing episode. There was management oversight of the record and discussions with the child after the incident happened to enable staff to understand any patterns to reduce the risk of further episodes.

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

When bullying has occurred in the home, incidents have been clearly recorded. Any concerns about behaviour from one child to another have been challenged in the moment and follow-up work has been completed. External support has been brought in to further support children to understand how to treat others with respect, and as a result, incidents have reduced.

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

Restraint has been used once. The restraint used was in line with the child’s care plan, and the record indicates other approaches were used to try to manage the situation before the restraint. The child was spoken to after the incident to gather their views and the incident was reviewed by management.

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

Staff know how to respond to safeguarding concerns and understand how they are managed. There has been one allegation that was dealt with fairly and quickly. The appropriate agencies were notified. Children and staff were supported during the allegation investigation process and after it to understand the outcome.

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

Some children have access to smart phones, and all have access to the internet. Staff have a general understanding of the children’s use. The home does not have a clear understanding of any possible risks to the children through their use. There is no plan or guidance in place on how staff could fully understand and support the children to remain safe online.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager of this home models a high standard of care for her staff. She drives for achievement for all the children and is highly committed to making the children feel happy, safe and loved. The children’s experience of care in the home is having a positive impact on their lives, and that is led by the manager. Staff work as a team with the clear focus on consistent and stable care. Inspection report for children’s home: 2619357 5 The manager of this home is a fierce advocate for the children. She works proactively and tirelessly with external professionals to not only maintain relationships but get positive outcomes for the children in her care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Case records reflect the children’s lives in the home and what work has been carried out. The records are written in a child-focused way and without shame or judgment. The way in which they are written will ensure children can look back and understand the care they received and time they spent in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has ensured there are plans in place for the children in the home. These are updated and reflect the children’s current needs. She responds to the changing needs of the children and ensures the staff team understands how to respond to the children’s needs as they change, leading to a constant adaption of care to meet children’s individual needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Supervisions are regular and effective, and there is a focus on the children and staff development. Staff who require additional support for their well-being are provided with it to minimise the impact on the children in the home. Team meetings are held to develop staff practice and share knowledge. They include an overview of each child, and the staff are given space to explore the impact of the work on their own well-being.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager knows the home very well. She is present in the home and has oversight of what is happening and what the children need. She can talk at length and in detail about the home, the children and the staff. However, it is not always recorded in documents and there has been a gap in supplying Ofsted with regulation 45 reports after they have been completed. Inspection report for children’s home: 2619357 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 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;

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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 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

In particular, the registered person must ensure consistent manager record-keeping and management oversight to understand and evaluate care. 5 June 2025

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must complete a review of the quality care provided for children (“a quality of care review”) at least every 6 months.

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Requirement Due date

After completing a quality of care review, the registered person must produce a written report about the quality of care review and the actions which the registered person intends to take as a result of the quality of care review (“the quality of care review report”).

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Requirement Due date

supply to HMCI a copy of the quality of care review report within 28 days of the date on which the quality of care review is completed. (Regulation 45 (1) (3) (4)(a)) 5 June 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: 2619357 7 In particular, the registered person should ensure the quality of care review report is supplied to HMCI within 28 days of it being completed.

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that robust plans are in place for staff to understand and, if needed, monitor children’s internet, phone and social media use in order to help children learn how to stay safe online and to support healthy usage. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 43, paragraph 9.10)  The registered person should ensure that positive contact between the home and family members is built and maintained. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 58, paragraph 11.14)

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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: 2619357 8

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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 EX31 4AY

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Inspector

Hannah Spencer-Townesend, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2619357 9 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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