Children's home run by Skyline Child Care Ltd

Inspection report children's home: 1265096 1 Registered provider: Skyline Child Care Ltd

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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 operated by a private company. It is registered to provide care for up to two children, who have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

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Information about this children's home

Two children were living at the home at the time of this inspection. The inspector spoke with one child and spent time with and observed both children during the inspection.

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Information about this children's home

The manager registered with Ofsted in May 2020. They are suitably qualified and experienced.

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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

Overall judgement at last inspection: outstanding

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children's home: 1265096 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

06/08/2024 Full Outstanding 31/07/2023 Full Good 04/05/2022 Full Good 10/11/2021 Full Good Inspection report children's home: 1265096 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children receive good, quality, and individualised care from an experienced, child focused, and nurturing staff team. Staff know the children extremely well, including their likes, dislikes, preferences, communication styles, and vulnerabilities. Children have trusting relationships with staff and say that they like the staff, enjoy living in the home and feel happy and safe. One child said that the home was '10 out of 10' and that the best thing about the home is the activities they do with staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Due to the strong relationships with staff and positive day-to-day experiences, children make good progress from their original starting points. For example, in important areas of their lives, including education, health, independence, and relationships. In addition, children become safer and significant incidents have reduced over time.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children's achievements are celebrated very well. Staff are proud of the progress children make and ensure this is recognised meaningfully. Certificates and photographs of children's successes are displayed prominently throughout the home, creating a warm and affirming environment. This approach helps children to feel valued and builds their confidence.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff understand the importance of children's education. Both children attend full-time education that they enjoy. When children experience difficulties, staff advocate strongly and work with education professionals to ensure provision meets their needs. When children are not in school, staff provide educational support to prevent gaps in learning. Subsequently, children are motivated and make progress.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are in good health. Staff ensure that children are registered with local health services and encourage attendance at appointments. They help children to develop a better understanding of their health needs. Both children receive external psychological support. Managers have also sought specialist input from occupational therapy and speech and language services to promote children's emotional and physical well-being.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff place a strong emphasis on valuing children's culture and promoting their individual identity. They understand each child's background and ensure this is reflected in daily life within the home. Cultural traditions are acknowledged and celebrated, helping children to feel respected and understood. This approach supports children's sense of belonging and reinforces their self-esteem.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff work with children's families effectively, recognising the importance of these relationships to support children's progress. Families are invited to visit the home, join celebrations, and remain involved in children's lives. This collaborative approach helps children maintain relationships with those who matter to them. One family member commented that staff have helped their child to be calmer, improving the quality of family time. Inspection report children's home: 1265096 4 Managers and staff work hard to ensure that children's views are sought, understood, and acted on. Staff use a range of methods which are tailored to children's individual communication styles. As a result, children influence decisions about their care and daily life.

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

Managers provide staff with up-to-date, and clear guidance on how to meet children's needs. As a result, staff understand and manage children's risks and vulnerabilities effectively. Incidents in the home are rare, and children are becoming safer.

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

Managers and staff maintain clear and consistent boundaries. This provides predictable care and helps children understand what is expected of them, promoting a sense of security and safety.

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

Physical intervention is used only as a last resort to keep children and staff safe. Managers have good oversight of incidents and ensure that children and staff are spoken to afterwards. This helps to confirm that any intervention is necessary and proportionate and supports further learning.

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

Staff complete meaningful, age-appropriate work with children to address needs and risks. They use restorative approaches and encourage children to apologise when they have hurt others. This supports children to repair relationships and develop an understanding of the impact of their actions.

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

Managers follow safer recruitment practices, ensuring that adults working in the home are suitably vetted. This helps to prevent unsuitable adults working with children.

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

Overall, leaders and managers follow safeguarding procedures when children raise concerns. They inform appropriate professionals and work collaboratively to protect children. However, on one occasion, it was unclear whether managers had fully investigated all aspects of an allegation. Also, the manager's approach lacked impartiality and professional curiosity, and the rationale for their decision-making was not clearly recorded. Although there was no impact on the child's safety on this occasion, these shortfalls have the potential to undermine safeguarding practice and culture in the home. Managers have since completed additional training to strengthen their knowledge of managing allegations to prevent recurrence.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home is well led. A present and involved responsible individual and an experienced staff team support the registered manager. Managers are ambitious and strive for children and staff to succeed. This ethos inspires staff to work hard to help children achieve and make progress. Inspection report children's home: 1265096 5 The manager uses effective monitoring systems to review the quality of care. These include independent visitor reports, audits, and development plans, which drive forward continuous improvement.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff feel well supported by leaders and managers. Managers provide regular, practice- related supervision, annual appraisals, and reflective team meetings. These processes promote staff development, teamwork, and consistency of care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Managers ensure staff have the knowledge and skills to meet children's individual needs. There is a comprehensive training plan in place, which includes child-specific training.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Managers and staff work closely with partner agencies to ensure children receive well- coordinated care. The registered manager is a strong advocate for children and challenges decisions that are not in their best interests. Children are supported to raise complaints when necessary.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Feedback from professionals is positive. Social workers report that children are safe and making progress. One professional said:

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

'Staff are excellent, they know [Name of Child] inside and out. They prepare pictures and scrapbooks to demonstrate what they have been doing. [Name of Child] has started using some words since being placed there and has come on so well.' Inspection report children's home: 1265096 6

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that all allegations and concerns raised by children are investigated thoroughly and impartially and that there is clear rationale to support their decision making. Any allegation of harm or abuse must be addressed in line with the home’s child protection policy. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 44, paragraph 9.17)

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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 children's home: 1265096 7

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Children's home details

Registered provider: Skyline Child Care Ltd

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Children's home details

Registered provider address: 29 Old Farm Drive, Wolverhampton, West Midlands WV8 1GF

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Inspector

Sonia Sullivan, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children's home: 1265096 8 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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Inspector

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