Children's Home run by City Care Southwest Ltd in Plymouth

Inspection report for children’s home: 2818155 1 Registered provider: City Care Southwest Ltd Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home registered with Ofsted on 7 February 2025. It provides care for up to 2 children who experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of this inspection, 2 children were living at the home. Both children were seen and spoken to as part of the inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager is registered with Ofsted and was present throughout the inspection.

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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: requires improvement to be good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2818155 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

23/04/2025 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children’s home: 2818155 3

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Summary of findings

Children who live in this home are helped to build positive relationships and feel safe. Leaders, managers and staff are focused on achieving the best possible outcomes for children. The time staff spend with children provides them with the learning, support and guidance they need to reduce risks and make progress. Leaders and managers identify and reflect effectively on the home’s strengths and weaknesses, demonstrating their commitment to ongoing improvements.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff spend time building open and trusting relationships with children. They put the needs of the children first, making them feel valued and included. Children approach staff for company and advice, and they receive kindness, care, reassurance and guidance. This has helped them feel safe and make progress. For example, one child has developed their sense of self and autonomy and is better able to make positive decisions and form safe relationships. Another child has made good progress in building positive relationships and responding positively to boundaries.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff recognise the importance of meeting children’s educational needs. The development of positive relationships with educational professionals has enabled staff to share and receive important information about children’s education and behaviour. Concerns raised by a child about their experiences in school have been addressed effectively. Staff understand that children can have mixed feelings about and experiences of education and encourage them to discuss their anxieties. They support children’s learning and homework in the home. This has improved children’s engagement with and attendance in education.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff help children develop independence skills. They have open conversations with children about their needs and targets, and they encourage them to carry out tasks such as cooking, cleaning and finance management. One child engages in regular and open conversations about their plans for when they reach adulthood. However, action has not been taken to ensure that this essential work is well planned, timely and monitored. The child said that they would like more guidance and support from staff. This raises concern that the child may not have the skills they will need when they move out of the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff engage children in conversations and direct work to help them learn about their health needs. They talk to children about their mental health and ensure that they receive additional supervision and support when needed. Through educational conversations and direct work, staff educate children on healthy friendships and relationships, sexual health and consent. This ensures that children have a well-rounded understanding of staying safe and healthy. Inspection report for children’s home: 2818155 4 Children are encouraged to spend time with their family. Staff understand that family dynamics and relationships can be difficult and emotive for children. They seek children’s views on family time and respect their wishes. This helps children feel valued and heard.

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

Staff understand how vulnerable children can be and the risks that they can face. The care and advice that children receive from staff have contributed to a reduction in risks for one child. This includes being missing from home and self-harming behaviours. Overall, documents designed to help staff reduce risks and keep children safe are informative and provide staff with clear guidance. However, some fail to reflect the current context around risks, meaning staff may lack up-to-date information on how to respond.

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

Incidents in the home are rare. When they occur, they are low level and resolved promptly by responsive staff. A child has been missing from care on one occasion. This incident was managed effectively. Staff follow informative planning, which highlights children’s triggers, possible behaviours and support needs. Managers monitor the different behaviours that children demonstrate with helpful chronologies. This allows for reflection and analysis of children’s experiences and how they may relate to behaviours and the need for additional support and intervention.

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

Staff approach sensitive topics and discuss risks and life events in a child-centred manner. This work occurs during both planned conversations and spontaneous interactions. Following incidents, staff engage children in good-quality, reflective conversations. These conversations encourage children to explore their actions, the reasons behind them, their support needs and what could be done differently in the future. This has contributed to a calmer home where children feel safe and supported.

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

Restrictions are currently in place with the aim of protecting children. However, there is no planning in place to reduce these restrictions and no mechanism to review whether they are still required or what impact they may have on the children. This does not provide assurance that children are not subject to unnecessary restrictions or monitoring.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home is led by a committed and reflective leadership and management team. Its open communication and positive relationships set a good example for staff and children. Leaders and managers are responsive to children’s and staff’s needs. This has allowed them to build positive relationships in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers know what is going on in the home. They have good oversight of children’s lives and staff practice. Regular monthly reviews identify the home’s strengths and areas for development. Following incidents, they analyse and reflect on staff practices, which leads to the formation of clear action planning to provide children with the support they need. Inspection report for children’s home: 2818155 5 Staff feel supported by leaders and managers. They receive regular, reflective and child- focused supervision sessions that also focus on their wellbeing and development. Regular and inclusive team meetings also take place. The open culture in the home allows staff to raise concerns with leaders and managers and know they will be heard. There is a clear focus on developing staff’s knowledge and skills. The introduction of a more trauma-informed approach to practice aims to benefit the children who live at the

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

External professionals speak positively about the quality of care provided to children. They identify good-quality communication, information-sharing and staff advocacy for children as some of the home’s strengths.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Before allowing children to move into the home, leaders and managers thoroughly assess their needs. They gather information, carry out risk assessments, analyse data and plan accordingly. However, managers did not liaise with a primary professional to share information and gather their views before making the decision for a child to move into the home. This process was carried out in hindsight, and fortunately, no concerns were raised about the decision-making. Inspection report for children’s home: 2818155 6

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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 protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

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Requirement Due date

assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the child’s relevant plans, and, if necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand how to keep safe. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that the use of restrictions is regularly reviewed and that planning is in place to reduce the need for them. 2 June 2026

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Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children—

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Requirement Due date

receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home;

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Requirement Due date

have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

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Requirement Due date

that children are admitted to the home only if their needs are within the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the home is to provide care and accommodation, as set out in the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

that arrangements are in place to— 2 June 2026 Inspection report for children’s home: 2818155 7 manage and review the placement of each child in the home;

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Requirement Due date

plan for, and help, each child to prepare to leave the home or to move to adult care in a way that is consistent with arrangements agreed with the child’s placing authority. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(ii)(iii)

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that they consult all relevant professionals before a decision is made for a child to move into the home.

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Requirement Due date

In addition, the registered person must ensure that children are provided with guidance and support to learn all skills necessary for independence and moving out of the home.

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that all staff have a thorough awareness of the risks that children face. They should ensure that staff have the guidance they need to support children and manage and mitigate these risks. (‘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: 2818155 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: City Care Southwest Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Plumer House, Tailyour Road, Plymouth PL6 5DH

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Inspector

Carla Simkiss, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2818155 9 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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