Children's home run by Swan Children’s Homes

Inspection report for children’s home: 2852831 1 Registered provider: Swan Children’s Homes

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Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is privately run and provides care for up to 3 children with learning disabilities.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted when the home opened in August 2025

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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: Not applicable

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2852831 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

Inspection report for children’s home: 2852831 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The one child living at the home at the time of the inspection was involved in the inspection. The manager ensured that the child’s move into the home was gradual and carefully planned. The child visited the home and local area before moving in. This helped the child to settle into their new home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff are attuned to the child and understand the child’s preferred method of communication. Staff use a ‘total’ communication approach to understand the child’s wishes and feelings. They use varied methods, such as Makaton, social stories, short sentences and observation of non-verbal cues. Staff work collaboratively with the school to implement communication targets set by the speech and language therapist. As a result, the child has developed improved communication skills and is better able to share their needs, views and preferences, in turn staff are responsive. This helps the child to feel safe, heard and valued.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff have high aspirations for the child and support their school attendance. Staff raised concerns when the child struggled using a taxi provided by the local authority as it did not offer them consistency. Staff have been proactive and act like a caring parent. They now take the child to and from school. Staff work closely with the school and the child’s teacher said the child ’is doing well and meeting progress against set targets’.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff know the child and help them to pursue their interests. They actively consult the child about activities they would like to take part in. The child enjoys a range of activities, including seaside holidays, local walks and visits to trampoline parks. Staff provide opportunities for the child to participate in structured community activities, such as IT and pottery club. These opportunities help the child to feel included.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support the child to develop age-appropriate independency skills. The child is building an understanding of money and learning practical skills, such as the use of cutlery, personal care and toileting. The child is making progress that is meaningful and personal for them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff help the child to maintain relationships with important people in their lives. Staff facilitate regular family time and welcome the child’s family into the home. The manager has advocated on behalf of the child to spend more time with their family. Staff capture memorable experiences between the child and their family, enabling the child to look back on positive memories and develop a positive identity.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child lives in a warm and cosy home. The house is well maintained and decorated to create a homely atmosphere. The child’s bedroom includes books, toys and the child’s artwork to reflect a sense of the child and their preferences. ’

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

Inspection report for children’s home: 2852831 4 Staff provide the child with therapeutically informed care and support. Staff understand the child’s needs and risks and how this is impacted by their early childhood experiences. Staff are confident in the home’s model of care and reflect this in practice.

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

The home’s therapist undertakes direct work with the child. Staff and the therapist jointly analyse behaviour incidents and develop support plans. As a result, staff have a better understanding of how to support the child and help them feel safe. In turn, the frequency of incidents in which the child has becomes distressed and needed intensive staff support has decreased since they moved into the home. This indicates that the child feels more settled.

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

Staff work effectively with other professionals, including the school, to help the child to understand socially acceptable behaviour. Consistent strategies are used across settings the child attends. For example, staff have implemented at home the same social stories used at school, to help the child build an understanding in this area. The child’s teacher said, ‘The child’s behaviour has improved due to collaborative working.’

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

Staff provide the child with clear routines and boundaries. Staff use visual aids, including the ‘now and next board’, to help the child to understand their routine. This structure supports the child to manage changes, reduce their anxiety and settle.

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

Staff help the child to manage feelings positively through therapeutically informed approaches, such as distraction and reassurance. Staff rarely use restraint. When restraint has been used, this has been necessary and proportionate to keep the child safe. Managers speak to staff to identify learning and staff speak to the child to check on their feelings. However, these incidents have not always been appropriately recorded as restraint.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There have been leadership changes since the home was registered. The previous registered manager has recently been appointed as the new responsible individual. A new manager has been appointed and has applied to register with Ofsted. The positive culture and ethos of the home under the previous manager is reflected in practice, from the physical environment to the good-quality care the child experiences.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff say they are well supported and have not been impacted by leadership changes. The manager ensures that they are provided with regular supervision that is focused on their wellbeing and personal development. Staff benefit from regular team meetings in which the child’s progress is discussed in detail. Staff complete training that is in line with the needs of children. Staff say they value supervision, team meetings and training and find these to be supportive and reflective. Inspection report for children’s home: 2852831 5 The home is sufficiently staffed by a permanent workforce. Managers retain staff and there is no use of agency staff. Consequently, the child receives consistent care from people who know them well. This helps provide the child with a sense of stability.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Management oversight and monitoring is effective. The manager completes routine audits of incidents ensuring necessary action and reflection take place. The manager works closely with the home’s therapist to foster a culture of reflection to drive continuing improvement of practice. The manager uses external feedback form the independent visitor to improve practice. However, since the home was registered, the reports of the independent visitors finding have not been submitted to Ofsted sufficiently quickly. This has the potential to undermine Ofsted’s ability to maintain suitable regulatory oversight. Inspection report for children’s home: 2852831 6

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure all restrictions of liberty of movement are recorded as restraint. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards,’ page 47, paragraph 9.42).  The registered person should actively seek independent scrutiny of the home and make best use of information from independent and internal monitoring (including under regulations 44 and 45) to ensure continuous improvement. In particular, the registered person should ensure that the independent person’s report is submitted to Ofsted within the required timeframe. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards,’ page 55, paragraph 10.24).

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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: 2852831 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Swan Children’s Homes

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 27a Green Lane, Northwood HA6 2PX

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Inspector

Priscilla Koroka, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2852831 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 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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Inspector

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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