Children's Home run by Central and Southern Homes Limited in Devon

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2799237 1 Registered provider: Central and Southern Homes Limited

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home provides long-term care for up to two children who experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

One child has moved out since the full inspection on 11 and 12 March 2025. One child remains living in the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager was registered with Ofsted in August 2024.

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This monitoring visit

At the inspection on 11 and 12 March 2025, the inspector found serious and widespread shortfalls in safeguarding practices, care planning, and in leadership and management. The home was judged inadequate.

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This monitoring visit

Three compliance notices were issued following this inspection to address the concerns around the safety of children, poor care planning, and the significant failures in leadership and management. This monitoring visit was to review the action taken by the provider to meet the compliance notices.

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This monitoring visit

Since the full inspection, one child has left the home. The child who has remained in the home reported that they feel more settled and is relaxed and engaged with the staff team.

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This monitoring visit

The inspector spent time with the child on their own, and the child articulated their views clearly that the home is now a much calmer place to live. Staff spend more time with the child and make steps to build positive relationships. There has been a significant improvement in the overall environment of the home, with repairs having been completed and steps taken to create a more homely atmosphere. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2799237 2 Leaders and managers have taken steps to provide more oversight of the quality of care being provided, which has included more regular supervisions and team meetings. A senior leader has also provided an increase in support for the manager and undertaken some reflective work around the previous shortfalls.

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This monitoring visit

Staff have been provided with additional training, with a particular focus around enhancing their knowledge of the risks related to social media and internet use. Staff have begun to undertake work with the child to help them understand the risks. Leaders and managers have scheduled further training in the coming months for the staff team to enhance its understanding of the differing needs of children.

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This monitoring visit

The manager has updated the child’s plan to ensure that it includes important historical information and provides sufficient information to support staff to meet the child’s needs appropriately. This is yet to be shared with the staff team.

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This monitoring visit

Sufficient action has been taken to address the points raised in the three compliance notices. However, improvements require time to embed. Ofsted will continue to monitor this home. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2799237 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

11/03/2025 Full Inadequate Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2799237 4

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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 with the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

In meeting the quality standards, the registered person must, and must ensure that staff—

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Requirement Due date

seek to involve each child’s placing authority effectively in the child’s care, in accordance with the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

seek to secure the input and services required to meet each child’s needs. (Regulation 5 (a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person should ensure that communication with the child’s placing authority and other external professionals remains consistent, even in their absence. 4 April 2025

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Requirement Due date

The quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

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

protect and promote each child’s welfare; 4 April 2025 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2799237 5 provide personalised care that meets each child’s needs, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans, taking account of the child’s background;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand and manage the impact of any experience of abuse or neglect;

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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

provide to children living in the home the physical necessities they need in order to live there comfortably. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(i)(ii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii))

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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

meet each child’s behavioural and emotional needs, as set out in the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to develop and practise skills to resolve conflicts positively and without harm to anyone;

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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

help each child to develop the understanding and skills to recognise or withdraw from a damaging, exploitative or harmful relationship;

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Requirement Due date

understand how children’s previous experiences and present emotions can be communicated through behaviour and have 4 April 2025 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2799237 6 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. (Regulation 11 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(i)(iv)(v)(vii)(ix)(x))

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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

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;

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person should ensure that both they are the staff understand the current and future potential risks and vulnerabilities for children. The registered person should also ensure that this is extended to risks around social media and mobile phone use. 4 April 2025 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2799237 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

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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

ensure that staff work as a team where appropriate;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child;

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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 (a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(c)(e)(f)(d)(i)(ii)(h))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person should ensure that there is effective oversight of the home at all times, including providing regular support and supervision for the staff. 4 April 2025 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2799237 8

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Information about this inspection

The purpose of this visit was to monitor the action taken and the progress made by the children’s home since its last Ofsted inspection.

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Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2799237 9

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Central and Southern Homes Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Pitmaston House, Malvern Road, Worcester WR2 4LL

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Inspector

Helen Cushnie, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2799237 10 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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