Children's home run by Searchlight Care Services Ltd

Inspection report for children’s home: 1249034 1 Registered provider: Searchlight Care Services Ltd Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The home is run by a private organisation. At the time of the inspection, one child was living at the home.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in May 2024 and is suitably qualified to run the home.

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

p.1

good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

p.1

good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

p.1

good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

p.1

good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

p.1

good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 1249034 2

p.1

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

18/03/2025 Full Good 19/12/2023 Full Good 10/01/2023 Full Good 18/01/2022 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 1249034 3

p.2

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

At the time of the inspection, one child was living at the home. No children have moved in or out of the home since the last inspection. The child was spoken with during the inspection.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home provides a warm and welcoming environment. There are photos proudly displayed alongside artwork produced by the child, promoting a sense of belonging and celebrating their creativity. The child’s bedroom is personalised to reflect their individual identity and interests.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Having lived at the home for several years, the child has developed strong, trusting relationships with a consistent staff team whose members understand the child’s individual needs, vulnerabilities and strengths. Staff demonstrate a clear understanding of the child’s past experiences, responding sensitively and consistently to their needs. This supports the child to feel safe, secure and valued.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff promote the importance of education, supporting the child to engage positively with school and celebrating their achievements. There is good communication with the child’s school, sharing relevant information and working collaboratively to address any barriers to learning. As a result, the child receives consistent and coordinated support and is making good progress from their starting point.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Equality and diversity are promoted through a wide range of well-planned resources and learning opportunities for the child. Events and learning are thoughtfully put together to reflect and celebrate different cultures, backgrounds and perspectives.

p.3

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

The child is protected from harm. Staff demonstrate a clear understanding of the child’s risks and behaviour and confidently implement agreed strategies to ensure safeguarding and support.

p.3

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

Staff provide consistent and sensitive support to the child in relation to past experiences they have shared. They respond calmly and reassuringly, ensuring that the child feels heard, believed and understood. The child is given space to express their thoughts and feelings at their own pace and without pressure.

p.3

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

The use of physical intervention is low, and proportionate. Since the last inspection, there has only been one incident involving physical intervention. Physical intervention is used as a last resort, and the low number of incidents reflects the strong and trusting relationships the staff have developed with the child. Inspection report for children’s home: 1249034 4 Staff have a good understanding of early warning signs and triggers for the child. They consistently use effective strategies, using calm communication, humour and reassurance to prevent difficult situations from escalating. As a result, the child feels safe, respected and understood in the home.

p.3

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

The use of consequences is proportionate and is used alongside a strong emphasis on positive reinforcement. Staff apply boundaries consistently and have meaningful conversations with the child to support their understanding of expectations and the reasons behind any consequences.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager knows the home and the child well. She has good oversight of what is happening in the home and is child-centred, with high expectations for the care the child receives.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff say they enjoy working at the home and feel well supported by leaders and managers. There have been minimal vacancies since the last inspection, with a stable staff team supporting the child and safer recruitment practices in place. This promotes continuity of care and stability for the child.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager demonstrates a strong focus on continuous development, proactively identifying areas where the child may need support, and planning collaboratively with the team to address these needs. For example, plans were put in place ahead of time to ensure the child received thoughtful and personalised support to help them understand their own development and any physical and emotional changes in an age-appropriate way.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The way in which the team supports the child is enhanced by therapeutic input, shared during some of the team meetings. This helps staff to better understand behaviours and underlying needs.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Effective monitoring systems are in place that enable leaders and managers to have good oversight of the home. These systems ensure that the quality of care is regularly reviewed and identify areas of development appropriately.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Feedback from professionals is positive. They say that staff provide high-quality care that has ensured long-term stability for the child. There is good liaison with education professionals to ensure consistency for the child across settings. Inspection report for children’s home: 1249034 5

p.4

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: 1249034 6

p.5

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Searchlight Care Services Ltd

p.6

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Marcus House, Parkhall Road, Longton, Stoke on Trent ST3 5XA

p.6

Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Denver Underwood

p.6

Inspector

Sophie Coogan, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 1249034 7 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.

p.6

Inspector

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.7

Inspector

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.7

Inspector

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

p.7