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

Inspection report for children’s home: 2717528 1 Registered provider: Central and Southern homes limited

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Full inspection 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 four children who experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

One child has moved out of the home since the last inspection, and one child has moved in. Two children live in the home and were present during the inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted on 28 October 2024.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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requires improvement to be good

How well children and young people are helped and protected requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers inadequate

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requires improvement to be good

The children’s home is not yet delivering good help and care for children and young people. However, there are no serious or widespread failures that result in their welfare not being safeguarded or promoted.

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requires improvement to be good

Date of last inspection: 17 December 2024

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2717528 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

17/12/2024 Full Requires improvement to be good 02/09/2024 Full Inadequate 29/08/2023 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2717528 3

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improvement to be good

The inspector saw both children who were living in the home and spent an extended period with one of them due to their school having finished for the summer holidays. The children both have positive relationships with the staff. It was evident from observations and conversations with the children that the staff know them well.

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improvement to be good

One child has made good progress since they moved into the home. Staff supported a positive move for them from their previous home. However, there is no record of any assessments completed to consider the compatibility of this child with the other two children in the home as they moved in. One child’s progress has been limited because some of the support they need has not been provided. Both children attend school regularly. Staff support children to participate in activities that are based around their own interests. Staff have begun to support children to develop some practical independence skills.

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improvement to be good

Staff listen to the children’s wishes and feelings and adapt plans to meet their changing needs. Staff and the manager listen to children’s views in respect of practical issues in the home, such as food choices and activities. However, one child’s repeated requests for support with their emotional and mental wellbeing have not been addressed. This has had a detrimental impact on their overall emotional well-being. Staff have also been requesting this from senior leaders, but there has been limited action.

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improvement to be good

One social worker stated that a child had done well since moving into the home and that communication from staff and the manager is good. Staff regularly support the children to speak with and see their families, which is often supervised by the staff.

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improvement to be good

Staff understand the risks related to the children and respond appropriately when there are concerns, for example, in relation to self-harm. Staff are concerned that the lack of therapeutic support for one child has led to an increase in self-harm incidents for them.

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improvement to be good

When the manager was informed that a concern had been raised about a member of staff from a child, this was not responded to appropriately. While the manager addressed the concerns about staff practice, they did not follow the organisation’s allegations policy, nor did they inform the child’s social worker. The child was not spoken to by someone independent of the concerns, limiting the impact of their voice.

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improvement to be good

Staff have positive relationships with the children. However, there is a lack of consistency in their approaches to behaviour management, which has impacted these relationships. There is a distinct divide between the team, which is leading to conflict in the Inspection report for children’s home: 2717528 4 approaches used by different members of staff. Leaders and managers have not responded to this in a timely manner. However, there is now a plan in place to address this.

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improvement to be good

Staff understand the importance of internet safety for children and there are regular checks of their devices. When these checks identified concerns, these were dealt with and addressed by the provider in a timely manner. Staff and the manager have attended specialist training around internet safety, which has improved their understanding and confidence.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The manager cares for the children in the home and has advocated on their behalf to external agencies. However, this is not always done in a timely way or not soon enough to make any meaningful change. The manager does not effectively escalate concerns when an appropriate response is not received from external agencies.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The manager can identify some of the strengths and weaknesses of the home, and there are some plans in place to address these. However, there are concerns about the understanding and approach to managing safeguarding matters. The manager does not always take decisive and effective action, particularly in relation to the concerns around the mental health of one of the children in the home and this is not recognised by senior leaders.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Senior leaders have failed to provide robust or measured support for the manager in the home, despite this having been identified and raised during previous inspections. There have been some recent changes to the management structure within the home. A new head of care has been appointed and has begun to provide targeted support for the manager, but this is not yet embedded.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The communication from leaders and managers to staff is poor, which has led to confusion around behaviour and incident management in the home. Staff do not feel adequately supported in their roles and are struggling with low morale, which is being picked up on by the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Supervision is not always regular or effective; some supervisions include reflection and specific goals, others do not. Staff say that they are not always provided with training to support them in their role in a timely enough fashion. For example, they were provided with training around supporting a child with autism. However, this took place several months after the child it was related to had moved in. Inspection report for children’s home: 2717528 5

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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

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

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Requirement Due date

seek to secure the input and services required to meet each child’s needs;

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Requirement Due date

if the registered person considers, or staff consider, a placing authority’s or a relevant person’s performance or response to be inadequate in relation to their role, challenge the placing authority or the relevant person to seek to ensure that each child’s needs are met in accordance with the child’s relevant plans. (Regulation 5 (b)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that they effectively and promptly escalate concerns in relation to the placing authority. The registered person must also ensure that they appropriately advocate on behalf of children to gain access to specialist services when required. 1 August 2025

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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

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)(vii)(e)) 1 August 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: 2717528 6 In particular, the registered person must ensure that, alongside the staff team, they have an adequate understanding of safeguarding processes, and following the home’s policies to ensure that children are kept safe from harm.

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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

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

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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 (1)(b) (2)(a)(b)(e)(h))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must be provided with the appropriate support and guidance from senior managers to ensure that they are able to effectively undertake their role as the registered manager.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must take immediate steps to address the inconsistency of care being provided by the current staff team, and effectively monitor the progress of this. 1 August 2025

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Recommendations

 Senior managers should be visible and accessible within the home and should have sufficient oversight of the management of the home to ensure the quality standards are being met. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 52, paragraph 10.7) Inspection report for children’s home: 2717528 7

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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: 2717528 8

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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: 2717528 9 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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