Children's home run by Blue Elephant Childcare Limited

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1278020 1 SENSITIVE-RECIPIENTS ONLY

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Registered provider: Blue Elephant Childcare 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 is owned and managed by an independent organisation. It provides short- and medium-term care for up to three children.

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Information about this children’s home

Since the previous inspection, one child has moved out of the home. At the time of this visit, two children were living at the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in July 2018 and was present throughout the visit.

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This monitoring visit

At the inspection on 27 and 28 May 2025, the inspector identified serious and widespread shortfalls in safeguarding practices. The home was judged inadequate, and a compliance notice was issued to address the concerns around the safety of children at the home.

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This monitoring visit

This visit took place to review the action taken by the provider in response to the compliance notice.

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This monitoring visit

Since the full inspection, one child has left the home. The two children who remain at the home are happy and relaxed. There has been a decrease in incidents of bullying, and the children are spending more time together.

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This monitoring visit

The inspector spent time with both children and observed positive interactions between them and staff. Staff say that the home is calmer and they have more time to spend with the children. This is evident in an overall reduction in incidents. Staff and the manager have made multiple cosmetic improvements to the environment. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1278020 2 SENSITIVE-RECIPIENTS ONLY

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This monitoring visit

New furniture has been purchased, and bright colours have been added to each room, which has resulted in a more ‘loved’ and homey feel.

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This monitoring visit

Senior leaders have carried out a full review of previous incidents and are in the process of embedding clearer and more robust safeguarding processes in the home. Staff have received additional training to enhance their understanding of physical interventions and when to use them. Multiple staff meetings have been held to reflect on the lessons learned from the concerns highlighted during the inspection that resulted in an outcome of inadequate.

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This monitoring visit

Changes to the staff team, combined with increased scrutiny by senior leaders of the home’s day-to-day operations, have begun to address concerns about the formation of a closed culture.

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This monitoring visit

Senior leaders have improved their oversight of the quality of care being provided in the home, alongside providing additional support to the manager. Plans for the children have been updated to include clear strategies to reduce risk, and staff have been provided with targeted supervision sessions to discuss specific learning from previous incidents and to enhance their understanding around deprivation of liberty.

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This monitoring visit

Sufficient action has been taken to address the compliance notice; however, improvements require time to embed. Ofsted will continue to monitor the home. In addition, a second full inspection will be carried out, during which the requirements raised at the first inspection will be reviewed in full. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1278020 3 SENSITIVE-RECIPIENTS ONLY

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

27/05/2025 Full Inadequate 04/02/2025 Full Good 14/11/2023 Full Good 13/10/2022 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1278020 4 SENSITIVE-RECIPIENTS ONLY

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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

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

help each child to understand, in a way that is appropriate according to the child’s age and understanding, personal, sexual and social relationships, and how those relationships can be supportive or harmful;

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Requirement Due date

understand how children’s previous experiences and present emotions can be communicated through behaviour and have the competence and skills to interpret these and develop positive relationships with children;

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Requirement Due date

de-escalate confrontations with or between children, or potentially violent behaviour by children;

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Requirement Due date

understand and communicate to children that bullying is unacceptable. (Regulation 11 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(i)(iv)(vi)(ix)(xi)(xii)) 1 June 2025 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1278020 5 SENSITIVE-RECIPIENTS ONLY

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that in assessing whether children should live together, this considers the ability of staff to effectively manage competing needs.

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Requirement Due date

In addition the registered person must ensure that In addition, the registered person must ensure that staff effectively challenge any bullying.

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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

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

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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

are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies;

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the provider must ensure that staff fully understand the risks to children and that they are provided with clear and appropriate strategies to reduce these risks. Staff must work in line with these plans to ensure that risks to children are effectively managed.

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Requirement Due date

In addition, the provider must also ensure that staff have a clear understanding of what are interventions can be used to support children and keep them safe, and that they do not use methods which inappropriately restrict children of their 1 June 2025 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1278020 6 SENSITIVE-RECIPIENTS ONLY

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Requirement Due date

liberty. The provider must ensure clear managerial oversight of all incidents of physical intervention to ensure that these are appropriate and proportionate.

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Requirement Due date

The provider must also ensure there are clear and effective processes to manage allegations against staff to ensure that children are kept safe. The provider must also review how effective the current safeguarding procedures in the home are. 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 have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of 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

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided by the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(c)(f)(h))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that the culture of the home is addressed to prevent children from continuing to be exposed to punitive care practices.

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Requirement Due date

In addition, the registered person must ensure that they have oversight of all work carried out in the home and that this oversight is clearly recorded. This should be reflective and provide carers with clear actions and direction. 13 July 2025 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1278020 7 SENSITIVE-RECIPIENTS ONLY

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Requirement Due date

In addition, senior leaders must ensure that their oversight of the home is robust and considers any patterns and trends of staff practice.

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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: 1278020 8 SENSITIVE-RECIPIENTS ONLY

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Blue Elephant Childcare Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Unit 30 Chivenor Business Park, Barnstaple EX31 4AY

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Inspector

Helen Cushnie, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1278020 9 SENSITIVE-RECIPIENTS ONLY

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Inspector

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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