Children's Home run by Lighthouse Southwest Ltd in Torbay

Inspection report for children’s home: 2534589 1 Registered provider: Lighthouse Southwest 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 with Ofsted in 2019. It is owned and managed by a private provider. The home is registered to care for up to three children.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted at the time of the home’s registration.

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Information about this children’s home

The home’s statement of purpose sets out that the home may provide care for children aged between 11 and 17 years old. The home includes a one-bedroom training flat to help children to develop their independence skills before transitioning on to independent living.

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Information about this children’s home

The inspectors met with the one child who was living in the home at the time of the inspection, and with one young person who has moved on from the home recently.

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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

Date of last inspection: 4 February 2025

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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: 2534589 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

04/02/2025 Full Requires improvement to be good 13/02/2024 Full Good 05/07/2022 Full Good 07/09/2021 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2534589 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

One young person has moved on from the home with careful planning. They visited the home during the inspection. This is testament to the positive relationships developed between them and the staff over the time that they lived in the home. The young person told inspectors that the staff had really helped them and that they had loved living in the home. They recalled happy memories of holidays abroad.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The young person was supported exceptionally well to grow and to develop their independence. They accomplished passing their driving test and enjoyed 18 th birthday garden party celebrations arranged by managers and staff before they moved on. The care and stability that the young person has experienced in the home have helped them to move on to adulthood successfully.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The one child living in the home has made continual progress in some areas. Staff encourage and support the child to reach planned targets. They have achieved an academic qualification, and they aspire to continue their learning. Staff have invested time with the child to help them to learn how to travel on public transport independently. This has increased the child’s ability to access community activity clubs that they enjoy. Their achievements are celebrated. The child told inspectors that they are happy living in the home and that staff help and support them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

However, some strategies used to help the child to develop healthy routines have not achieved the desired outcome. Despite staff using sensitive, and at times creative, care approaches to reduce self-neglect concerns, the child has not developed the skills needed to manage their own healthy routines. For another young person, care approaches to help them to cease vaping were not effective.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff spend time creating monthly photo books for each child. The young person told inspectors that they often refer to the books that were created for them. This indicates the importance of these books for the child’s life story. Children are actively involved in decisions about their life and their views are shared. This provides professionals with a greater understanding about the child’s wishes to directly inform their care planning.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is very well presented and provides a warm and welcoming home environment. The child’s friends are welcomed into the home.

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

There have been no safeguarding concerns or incidents since the previous inspection.

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

The child’s risk assessment is detailed. However, it contains some historic risks that are no longer relevant detracting from the current risks. This has not yet had an impact and staff provide care in line with the child’s agreed plans. Inspection report for children’s home: 2534589 4 The child has access to specialist help when this is needed. In addition, staff speak to children about a range of issues that impact their life. This includes discussions that promote children’s safety and well-being, including staying safe in the community. Staff use visual aids, such as theme boards and daily planners, in line with the child’s specific needs.

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

All staff receive continual training to understand how to safeguard children. Staff feel that the training they receive improves their knowledge and practice to keep children safe, including when children are missing and when there are contextual safeguarding concerns.

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

The home has safe medication arrangements in place in the home. There have been no medication errors.

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

The home’s external CCTV is reflected in the home’s policies, including how data is stored. However, there has not been sufficient review of its use, or that of window restrictors, to ensure that these measures are still necessary and proportionate for the purpose of safeguarding and promoting the welfare of the child.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Management and staffing arrangements at the home are stable. Staff speak with enthusiasm about their roles. Staff said that they feel proud and privileged to work in the home. There is a focus on continuous professional development in the home. The culture of the home promotes aspirations for children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager has completed a learning review to reflect on one child’s care arrangements ending in an unplanned way. This has led to measures being implemented that aim to identify and reduce risk at an earlier stage. Decisions about children moving into the home are child focused.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Records are well written and detailed. They provide an overview of the child’s experiences and the care that is provided to them. The manager’s oversight is evident across records. They continually consider the quality of care. Care approaches are discussed at team meetings regularly to promote consistent care strategies.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive regular supervision sessions. While strategies used to help the child to improve their self-care skills are discussed, they are not always reviewed in subsequent supervision sessions to understand their effectiveness. This reduces opportunities to consider alternative strategies that are needed when desired outcomes are not achieved.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The requirements and recommendations made at the previous inspection are met. Inspection report for children’s home: 2534589 5

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that care approaches help each child to develop skills to lead a healthy lifestyle, and to change negative behaviours. When strategies are not effective, these should be reviewed and alternative approaches considered that lead to the desired outcome. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 35, paragraph 7.18)  The registered person should ensure that external CCTV surveillance is reviewed regularly to ensure that it is still necessary and proportionate for the purpose of safeguarding and promoting the welfare of the child. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 16, paragraph 3.16)

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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: 2534589 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Lighthouse Southwest Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 5 Providence Court, Pynes Hill, Exeter, Devon EX2 5JL

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Inspectors

Louise Bacon, Social Care Inspector Carly Parry, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2534589 7 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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