Children's Home run by Plus One South West Ltd in Somerset

Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2830603 1 Registered provider: Plus One South West Ltd

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is operated by a private company. It provides care for up to two children who may have social, emotional or learning difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of this inspection, one child was living at the home. The inspector spent time with the child.

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Information about this children’s home

Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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Information about this children’s home

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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Information about this inspection

At these inspections, the inspector evaluated:

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Information about this inspection

 the care of children  the safety of children  the effectiveness of leaders and managers. The inspector has looked closely at the experiences and progress of children, using the social care common inspection framework. This assurance 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’. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2830603 2

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Findings from the inspection

We did not identify any serious or widespread concerns in relation to the care or protection of children at this assurance inspection.

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Findings from the inspection

The child says they are happy living at the home and get on well with staff. The child has made progress, although the manager acknowledges that areas of the child’s care impact further progress they can make.

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Findings from the inspection

There has been some progress in education for the child, who has been out of full- time education for over a year. The child’s education, health and care plan remains out of date. The manager has formally escalated concerns. As a result, the child’s timetable has been slightly increased. The staff do not currently offer the child the opportunity to learn informally in the home. There is also a lack of clear structure to the child’s day to prepare them for a return to school in the future.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff have supported the child to improve their daily routine. The child now has a good sleep pattern, which has had a positive impact on their overall well-being. The manager has completed the relevant external referrals for support around dental health and vaping, and the child has engaged positively with this.

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Findings from the inspection

The child has increased time with family. The child has also spent time with friends both in the home and out on activities. The child has enjoyed some fun activities such as go-karting and a caravan holiday with staff.

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Findings from the inspection

One child has moved out of the home following an escalation in incidents. This was planned and supported to reduce impact on the child. However, the manager and staff have not reflected on the child’s time in the home to identify any key learning from this.

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Findings from the inspection

Physical restraint has been used on three occasions for one child. Records do not contain sufficient detail such as the length of time the child was held and a clear description of the techniques used. The use of restraint has not always been proportionate. For example, when a child was in another child’s bedroom, staff used restraint to remove the child from the room. Records lack a clear rationale as to why this was necessary. Management analysis does not fully evaluate the incident. As a result, follow-up actions or key learning are not identified.

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Findings from the inspection

When children have raised concerns about staff, the manager responds to these appropriately and all relevant professionals are updated and investigations completed. However, poor management oversight of incidents has meant that an allegation during a restraint was not identified and reported. Therefore, the relevant safeguarding processes were not followed.

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Findings from the inspection

Online safety concerns are managed well in the home. The manager has put effective measures in place around internet access to ensure that this has Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2830603 3 reasonable restrictions to help support the child to maintain a healthy sleep routine. Staff responded appropriately to concerns around a child’s mobile phone use and action was taken to safeguard the child and other children.

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Findings from the inspection

Some recording processes are complex and disorganised and this impacts on the manager’s ability to obtain a clear understanding of the care and experiences for children. As a result, the manager has not identified learning opportunities to share with the staff and children. Children’s plans remain lengthy and do not offer clear guidance to staff on appropriate responses or strategies to support children.

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Findings from the inspection

There are sufficient staff to meet the needs of the child living at the home. The staff offer consistency for the child. Agency staff have been used once since the last inspection. There have been improvements to the robustness of this process to determine their suitability.

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Findings from the inspection

The home’s statement of purpose does not accurately reflect the home and the care and support provided for children. The therapeutic support outlined is no longer available and it does not include the age range of children the home supports or correct details for the responsible individual.

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Findings from the inspection

Three requirements made at the previous inspection have been met and two new ones have been made. Two requirements were not met, and additional actions have been added. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2830603 4

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

01/07/2025 Full Requires improvement to be good Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2830603 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

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

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

demonstrate that practice in the home is informed and improved by taking into account and acting on-

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Requirement Due date

feedback and 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 (1)(a)(b) (2)(c)(f)(g)(ii)(h))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person should ensure that they have effective oversight of the home. They should use learning from incidents and children moving on to evaluate the progress and experiences of children, and to identify any additional training staff need to improve their skills and confidence to care for children. 30 December Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2830603 6 They should also review and reflect on all incidents to identify key learning to inform practice.

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Requirement Due date

In addition, develop clear monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements to the quality of care in the home, taking into consideration feedback from children.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person should ensure that they fully review all restraint records and consequences to determine their effectiveness. Records should be signed by the manager.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was stated at the last inspection and is restated.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must compile in relation to the children’s home a statement ("the statement of purpose") which covers the matters listed in Schedule 1.

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Requirement Due date

keep the statement of purpose under review and, where appropriate, revise it. (Regulation 16 (1) (3)(a)

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the manager needs to ensure that the home’s statement of purpose accurately reflects the home and the care and support provided for children. This should include the age range of children the home cares for and the correct details of the responsible individual. The therapeutic support should accurately reflect what is offered. 18 November

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Requirement Due date

The education standard is that children make measurable progress towards achieving their educational potential and are helped to do so.

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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

promote opportunities for each child to learn informally;

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Requirement Due date

raise any need for further assessment or specialist provision in relation to a child with the child’s education or training provider and the child’s placing authority;

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Requirement Due date

help a child who is excluded from school, or who is of compulsory school age but not attending school, to access 16 December Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2830603 7 educational and training support throughout the period of exclusion or non-attendance and to return to school as soon as possible;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to attend education or training in accordance with the expectations in the child’s relevant plans. (Regulation 8 (1) (2)(v)(vii)(viii)(x))

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Requirement Due date

In particular the registered person should ensure that there are clear plans and guidance in place for staff to support the child to learn informally. They should ensure that staff promote and support the child to fully engage in the plans for education and provide clear structure to support them to return to school as soon as possible.

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Requirement Due date

In addition, the registered person should raise the need for further assessment to ensure that plans reflect the child’s current needs.

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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

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

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

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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. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(v)(vii)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the manager should ensure that they identify and understand potential risks for the child and that clear plans are in place to help to reduce risk of harm from mobile phone use, ensuring that they are working in line with statutory guidance around safeguarding of all children.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person should ensure that staff are clear on their roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting 3 September 2025 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2830603 8 children, and record and report concerns in line with safeguarding policy and procedures. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2830603 9

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Plus One South West Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: C/O Milsted Langdon Llp Winchester House, Deane Gate Avenue, Taunton, Somerset TA1 2UH

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Stephen Nicholson

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Children’s home details

Registered manager: Ana de Lamo Galletero

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Inspector

Carly Parry, Social Care Inspector Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2830603 10 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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