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

Inspection report for children’s home: 2698124 1 Registered provider: SWAAY Child & Adolescent Services 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

This home is registered to provide care for up to 5 children who require specialist support and therapeutic intervention. It is owned and run by a private organisation. The service offers an integrated education and therapeutic programme. At the time of the inspection, there were 3 children living in the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in October 2025.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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outstanding

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

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outstanding

The effectiveness of leaders and managers outstanding

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outstanding

The children’s home provides highly effective services that consistently exceed the standards of good. The actions of the children’s home contribute to significantly improved outcomes and positive experiences for children and young people who need help, protection and care.

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outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2698124 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

12/03/2025 Full Good 27/09/2023 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2698124 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children at this home thrive and make excellent progress from their starting points. Relationships between staff and children are exceptionally strong. Children experience caring interactions and positive role modelling from staff. This provides them with a sense of belonging and helps to build secure attachments.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff acknowledge the importance of education for children. The dedication and creativity demonstrated by staff to ensure that children nearing independence continue to access learning are admirable. Children have a clear sense of direction and speak confidently about their future goals. Their progress is actively promoted because staff and leaders hold an unwavering view that the children will achieve in life.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff understand the home’s statement of purpose and work diligently alongside the therapy team. Advocacy for children is a significant strength. Meticulous and effective communication with professionals promotes a collective approach to achieve the best outcomes for children.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff prioritise children’s health and wellbeing. Children experience a variety of activities, both inside and outside of the home. They learn about cultures and faith and deepen their understanding of one another. Celebrating milestone birthdays and exam results makes children feel valued as individuals and improves their confidence and self-esteem.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children are provided with frequent and meaningful opportunities to express their views and they are routinely consulted about the care that they receive in the home. Inclusive, child-led gatherings ensure that the children feel that their views are listened to and heard.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Older children are supported through comprehensive, age-appropriate planning that enables successful transitions to independence. Celebrations provide positive endings for children, who often remain in contact after they have left the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

When children move into the home, careful consideration is given to the needs of the children already living there. Planned, thoughtful introductions support children to settle well and contribute to successful transitions.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Dedicated and organised staff support children to spend time with those people who are important to them. Children are helped to understand their histories in a sensitive and resourceful way. Staff fully acknowledge the importance of children understanding their lived and care experiences.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The home is maintained to a high standard and reflects a nurturing family environment. The children excitedly shared a memory book and showed pride in their home, their photographs on the walls and their bedrooms. Inspection report for children’s home: 2698124 4

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

Staff and leaders know the children extremely well. Children have a trusted adult whom they would speak to if they were worried or concerned about anything. When children do raise concerns, staff prioritise their wellbeing to ensure that they continue to feel secure and reassured.

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

Children know how to make a complaint and they are encouraged and supported to do so if they are unhappy. Reparation is prioritised when a complaint is concluded. This enables friendships to rebuild and lessons to be learned.

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

Staff confidently manage any negative behaviour. Positive engagement and nurturing relationships mean that staff understand and recognise children’s emotional triggers and respond accordingly. As a result, incidents of aggression have reduced and children better understand their own responses.

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

Staff proactively assess and review children’s risks and the measures in place to manage these. Risk assessments reflect when risks have reduced or have been resolved. Staff support children to take age-appropriate informed risks, which helps the children to recognise risk and to know what to do if they feel in an unsafe situation.

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

Children benefit from regular planned and ad hoc key-work sessions. These are comprehensively written up and recorded in a timely way. Children are able to explore their sexual identity or religion, supported by sensitive and caring staff.

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

When children have left the home without permission or do not return at an agreed time, staff actively follow procedures to ensure children’s safe return at the earliest opportunity. Timely conversations help to identify any concerns that place children at increased risk in the community.

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

Experienced staff recognise when children are affected by substance misuse, and medical advice is routinely sought. However, despite verbal reassurances given to the registered manager, staff have not recorded observations of children through the night when they may have been subject to substance misuse. This limits the registered manager’s oversight of safeguarding practice and means that there is no evidence of children being monitored appropriately at night when necessary.

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

Timely and comprehensive notifications to Ofsted enable the regulator to have an informed oversight of the safeguarding culture in the home and of the actions taken to ensure the safety and wellbeing of children living in the home.

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

Regular health and safety checks, including of fire safety, are conducted and meticulously recorded. In addition, maintenance requests are swiftly responded to. As a result, the children and staff live and work in a safe environment. Inspection report for children’s home: 2698124 5

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The home is led by a dedicated, inspirational, newly registered manager. The manager was previously the deputy manager, and she leads by example. A comprehensive support plan, provided by senior leaders and another experienced registered manager, has enabled stability and consistency in the home during the transition period.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The nurturing and proactive staff team shares the home’s vision and holds high aspirations for the children. Staff morale is high because of the culture of openness, support and respect towards one another. Staff said they are well supported and enjoy working in a highly efficient and well-managed environment.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered manager and staff have highly effective working relationships with partner agencies. Professionals report that the communication is excellent and that staff advocate effectively for the children, consistently going above and beyond expectations. As a result, outcomes for the children are, in most cases, exceptionally positive.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Monitoring systems are highly effective. Strong quality assurance processes influence the home’s development plan and day-to-day operations. The registered manager’s own quality of care review, together with regular meetings with the leadership team, ensures a comprehensive understanding of the home’s strengths and development needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Leaders and managers recognise that developing staff skills is essential to meeting the children’s needs. Staff have access to suitable training and resources and hold the necessary qualifications. The induction of new staff is comprehensive and equips them with the knowledge and confidence required for their role.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Allegations against staff are meticulously investigated and learning is firmly embedded into practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

All staff receive regular, practice-focused supervision, and their performance and suitability for the role are formally appraised once a year. Regular and purposeful team meetings support staff to safely and informatively care for children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The independent person visits the home once a month, providing an additional layer of scrutiny. Reports are thorough and offer valued insight into the home’s functions, as well as checking that children are being safeguarded effectively. Inspection report for children’s home: 2698124 6

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that staff continually and actively assess the risks to each child and the arrangements in place to protect them. This must include details of the steps the home will take to manage any assessed risks on a day-to-day basis. In particular, staff should monitor a child’s health and wellbeing when assessed as being under the influence of substances, and ensure there is sufficient recording of regular checks throughout the day and night. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 42, paragraph 9.5)

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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: 2698124 7

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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: SWAAY Child & Adolescent Services Ltd, 591 London Road, Cheam, Sutton, Surrey SM3 9AG

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Inspector

Jill Sephton-Wright, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2698124 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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