Children's home run by SWAAY Child & Adolescent Services Ltd in Sutton

Inspection report for children’s home: SC431807 1 OFSTED USE ONLY

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SC431807 Registered provider: SWAAY Child & Adolescent Services Ltd Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is run by a private organisation that operates several registered children’s homes. It provides care for up to five children who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of this inspection, five children were living at the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in November 2023.

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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: 18 February 2025

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC431807 2 OFSTED USE ONLY

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

18/02/2025 Full Good 30/08/2023 Full Outstanding 18/10/2022 Full Good 28/06/2022 Full Inadequate Inspection report for children’s home: SC431807 3 OFSTED USE ONLY

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children continue to make progress because of the long-standing and stable relationships with staff. Staff know the children well. They have developed positive relationships with the children, based on trust and humour.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Most children are in education and are making progress, in particular one child who was not in education for two years before moving to the home. The child now attends education daily, and their attainment is improving.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff actively support children to prepare to live independently when they reach the age of 18. This includes support in budgeting and promoting emotional resilience and self- care. When children are reluctant to engage, staff are proactive in their attempts to encourage the child to reconnect, and they continue to prioritise the child’s needs and development, such as helping with job searches.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

There is carefully considered matching of children coming to live at the home. These decisions also consider the views of the children already living there. This well-thought- out and child-centred approach means that children have a positive experience when moving into the home and begin to build constructive relationships from the outset.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children feel able to speak openly to staff about their views and feelings. Regular key- work sessions cover a range of topics, helping children to understand their lived experiences, their emotions and their behaviour. This means that children feel heard, and their wishes are acted on. The sessions are well recorded.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have plentiful opportunities to explore their thoughts and wishes. These include weekly meetings, which they enjoy. They provide a positive platform for children to collectively suggest ideas and hold staff to account.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff understand the importance of healthy living. Children are supported to make healthy choices through a varied diet.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Health and well-being are prioritised, including mental health. Staff actively promote discussions on these matters and ensure that children receive the support that they need.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children benefit from a range of activities, both inside the home and in the wider community. The recent addition of a large games room in the garden has increased the availability of activities in the home. Inspection report for children’s home: SC431807 4 OFSTED USE ONLY

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

A culture of safeguarding is embedded throughout the home, underpinned by the home’s statement of purpose.

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

Children are kept safe, and staff understand their roles and responsibilities when safeguarding children.

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

Risk assessments are thorough and detailed and ensure that staff are familiar with all risks associated with the children in their care. Regular and effective communication with external professionals supports the ongoing management of risk.

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

The leadership team responds proactively to complaints and allegations. This provides a positive experience for children and ensures that they feel heard and listened to.

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

Staff make positive attempts to dissuade children from going missing from the home. When these are not successful, staff actively follow the child’s missing-from-care plan. Effective working relationships with the police ensure that children return at the earliest opportunity.

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

There is methodical oversight of medication management. All staff have completed necessary training to ensure the safe administration of medication.

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

Health and safety arrangements, including fire risk management, are effective. Maintenance repairs are remedied at the earliest opportunity. This ensures that children live in a safe environment.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager knows the staff and children well. She is supported by an experienced and knowledgeable deputy.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The responsible individual maintains effective oversight of the home. This includes regular visits to the home and attending activities with the children. He is well regarded by the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Monitoring and quality assurance processes are effective. In addition, the workforce development plan is regularly reviewed. This means that the leadership team knows the strengths of the home and areas for improvement. However, not all staff have completed the relevant training and qualifications to inform and support their practice. This includes the Level 3 diploma.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Not all staff have been trained in the practice models used at the home, and some have not had refresher training for some years. Few have completed the introductory training to therapeutic interventions, resulting in knowledge gaps in their practice when working with the children in their care. Inspection report for children’s home: SC431807 5 OFSTED USE ONLY

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

All staff receive regular, practice-related supervision, and their practice is appraised annually. This provides staff with an opportunity to reflect on their practice and discuss their professional development and well-being. The independent person provides an additional layer of scrutiny.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager completes her own quality of care review, which enables reflection and the opportunity to identify areas to improve further. Whilst the most recent review did not address the issues surrounding staff qualifications and training, the registered manager now has a plan to address the shortfalls. Inspection report for children’s home: SC431807 6 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 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. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(c)) 30 April 2026

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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 an individual is employed by a person other than the registered person to work at the home in a position in which the individual may have regular contact with children, allow that individual to work at the home,

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

the individual has the appropriate experience, qualification and skills for the work that the individual is to perform. 30 April 2026 Inspection report for children’s home: SC431807 7 OFSTED USE ONLY

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Requirement Due date

For the purposes of paragraph (3)(b), an individual who works in the home in a care role has the appropriate qualification if, by the relevant date, the individual has attained—

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Requirement Due date

the Level 3 Diploma for Residential Childcare (England) (“the Level 3 Diploma”); or

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Requirement Due date

a qualification which the registered person considers to be equivalent to the Level 3 Diploma. (Regulation 32 (1) (2)(a)(b) (3)(b) (4)(a)(b))

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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: SC431807 8 OFSTED USE ONLY

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: SWAAY Child & Adolescent Services Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 591 London Road, Cheam, Sutton, Surrey SM3 9AG

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Inspectors

Maria Calway-Kennedy, Social Care Inspector Jill Sephton-Wright, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC431807 9 OFSTED USE ONLY

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Inspectors

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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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