Children's home run by Blue Elephant Childcare Limited

Inspection report for children’s home: 1278020 1 SENSITIVE-OFSTED USE ONLY

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Registered provider: Blue Elephant Childcare 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 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, two children have moved out of the home. At the time of the inspection, one child was living in 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 inspection.

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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 requires improvement to be 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: inadequate

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: One compliance notice under regulation 12 following the last inspection, where the overall judgement was inadequate. This compliance notice was found to have been met at the monitoring visit on 16 July 2025. Inspection report for children’s home: 1278020 2 SENSITIVE-OFSTED USE 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: 1278020 3 SENSITIVE-OFSTED USE ONLY

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

One child is currently living in the home and the inspector spent some time with them. The inspector observed positive interactions between staff and the child.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff seek children’s wishes and feelings regularly and the care provided is based around this and their individual needs. Children make progress in the home, both regarding education and emotional development. Staff have important conversations with children about their lived experiences and wishes and feelings. Children have positive daily experiences in the home. Staff focus on providing fun and engaging activities for the children such as day trips out to the safari park or the seaside.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff promote and support children’s education. The child currently living in the home attends school full time. Staff understand the importance of continuity and stability for children to help them make progress at school.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

One parent stated that the communication from the home is good, and that they are kept informed of any incidents and on the progress of their child. Family time is promoted and facilitated by staff and the manager on a regular basis. One social worker said that they are always able to get hold of the manager and feel well informed about the progress of the child.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

When children move out of the home, it is managed in a planned way, with a timescale which works for the specific needs of the child.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff recording of children’s daily experiences varies in quality and contains some institutional language. There have been significant improvements made to the home environment, which has resulted in it feeling more ‘loved’ and homely.

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

Staff understand the risks related to the children in the home and are provided with training to support this understanding. The manager understands the skills and experience of the staff team, including possible limitations, and is considering these alongside potential referrals for new children moving into the home. The relationships between the staff team and the children are positive. Staff confidence in managing children’s behaviour using therapeutic approaches has increased significantly and has been enhanced by training they have received. When incidents occur, staff manage these using consistent boundaries and a nurturing approach.

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

There has been a significant decrease in the use of physical interventions with children. Staff have received additional training in physical interventions, however staff are not always confident in using a physical intervention in emergency situations. Inspection report for children’s home: 1278020 4 SENSITIVE-OFSTED USE ONLY

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

Staff have stopped using punitive or lengthy consequences. The manager is working towards using more reparative approaches to manage behaviour.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The manager confidently advocates on behalf of the children in the home and focuses on supporting them to achieve their future goals. The manager understands the children and their experiences prior to coming to the home and spends time with them.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

When new staff are recruited into the home, full reference checks are not always completed, and there is a lack of persistence in seeking evidence of prospective workers’ previous experiences. The gaps in these checks could impact on the safety of children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Staff feel supported by the manager and the senior leadership team. Staff supervisions vary in quality and do not contain time specific goals. When there are concerns about staff, the manager is confident in addressing these. However, further plans to manage these concerns are not always accurately or robustly recorded. Management oversight is not always present on records, particularly regarding one-to-one conversations between staff and the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Staff have received training to enhance their practice and confidence in caring for the children in the home. This is evident in how they are managing and approaching incidents. The manager understands the home’s strengths and weaknesses, and there are plans in place to address these areas for development.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The manager and staff have positive relationships and clear communication with external professionals. Children are encouraged to share their views and to participate in decision-making about their lives; and when they raise concerns, they are listened to. Inspection report for children’s home: 1278020 5 SENSITIVE-OFSTED USE 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 within the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety.

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Requirement Due date

employ an individual to work at the children’s home; or

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Requirement Due date

if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3).

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Requirement Due date

full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that every possible step is taken to gain references for potential employees, particularly when these references relate to roles working with vulnerable children. 1 June 2025

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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; 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

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home.

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Requirement Due date

(13) (1)(a)(b) (2)(h)) 1 September 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: 1278020 6 SENSITIVE-OFSTED USE ONLY

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that they provide clear oversight on records related to children to ensure continuity of care and practice in the home.

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Recommendations

 The registered person must ensure that staff record information in a way which will be helpful to the child, and in a way which is clear, careful and objective and avoids institutionalised language. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4)

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Information about this inspection

The inspector has 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: 1278020 7 SENSITIVE-OFSTED USE 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: 1278020 8 SENSITIVE-OFSTED USE ONLY

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Inspector

regulates 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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