Children's Home, Residential special school run by Mayne Enterprises Limited in East Sussex

Unique reference number SC413992 Inspection date 21/03/2013 Inspector Kevin Whatley Type of inspection Interim Provision subtype Residential special school (>295 days/year)

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Date of last inspection 14/06/2012 Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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Brief description of the service

This service is registered with Ofsted to provide education and care to a maximum of 11 young people. It is a small privately owned independent residential school and children's home for young people with emotional and behavioural difficulties, often combined with moderate learning difficulties.

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The inspection judgements and what they mean

Good progress The children’s home has demonstrated continued improvement in quality of care and outcomes for children and young people and where appropriate has addressed all requirements and the large majority of recommendations that were raised at the previous inspection. Satisfactory progress The children’s home has maintained quality of care and outcomes for children and young people and where appropriate has addressed all requirements and the majority of recommendations that were raised at the previous inspection. Inadequate progress The children’s home has failed to address one or more requirements and/or has not met the majority of recommendations and/or the quality of care and outcomes for children and young people have declined since the last full inspection.

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Progress

Since their previous inspection the service is judged to be making satisfactory progress .

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Progress

At the last inspection, carried out in June 2012, the home was judged as good, four recommendations were made. These related to the need to accurately record the stock of homely medicines, to record the views of young people in sanctions and restraint logs and to consider formalising the process of young peoples’ meetings. All recommendations had been largely addressed, although two minor shortfalls in recording protocols were identified.

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Progress

In general medicines are stored and administered safely and accurately, including the keeping of homely medications, however stock records are not always correct for prescribed medicines. All medicines are suitably stored with a vast majority of records being up to date and accurate. A minor error was found in the stock of controlled medication; this shortfall does not impact negatively on the well-being of young people.

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Progress

An informed approach toward behaviour management ensures the number of occasions when staff have to use physical intervention methods remain low. Staff are suitably trained in restraint techniques with a guiding principle of de-escalation being followed in practice. Young people now routinely have their views recorded following each incident. Records are detailed and provide a clear description of events; several records of low level interventions did not confirm the exact time of a restraint. The level of detail in each record meant that it was possible to approximate how long such interventions took place and therefore such a shortfall does not impact significantly on the well-being of young people.

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Progress

A suitable sanctions policy is in place with young people given considerable opportunities to express their views and opinions. Very few types of punitive sanctions are applied with young people predominantly afforded opportunities to take 'time out' to consider the impact of their negative or challenging behaviours or attitudes. Young people said the rules were fair and noted that even when a sanction is given they are constantly engaged in discussion to find the positives from every situation. Records now confirm the views of young people and the effectiveness of the sanction.

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Progress

Young people say they are listened to and stated they have a number of opportunities to contribute to the running of the home. Staff and young people share positive and meaningful relationships with communication observed to be open and relaxed. The process of formally gaining their views now includes the recording of monthly meetings with their outcomes being displayed in the home via posters. Recent decisions influenced by young people include the re-decoration of living areas, newly enquired computer games and choosing activities in the local community.

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Progress

Young people continue to benefit from living in an environment that is comfortable and homely and which offers a very good standard of accommodation.

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Progress

The organisation ensure standards of care are robustly and objectively assessed on a regular basis. Monitoring provides a detailed overview of care standards with both the Regulation 33 and 34 reports providing an excellent critique of the service. Since the last inspection the quality assurance process has been enhanced further to formally capture the views and opinions of parents and placing authorities. The most recent survey concluded that a vast majority of respondents deemed the home to be offering extremely high standards of care. This was most telling in regard young people achieving positive outcomes, improving their independent living skills, the commitment and skills of staff and keeping young people safe.

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Progress

Young people continue to make extremely good progress; in a number of cases they make exceptional progress given their starting points when they moved in. This is most notable in successfully engaging young people in their education and reducing their risky behaviours. Young people with entrenched patterns of refusing to attend their previous schools now routinely attain full attendance and as a result achieve in their learning. Similarly young people with histories of dealing with issues in a negative way, including violence, have been assisted to greatly reduce the occasions when they behave in such a manner. The organisation have placed considerable emphasis in further developing and expanding their therapy team. This has led to the increased availability of focused programmes of therapy, whereby young people can engage in a number of one to one therapeutic interventions such as art and play therapy. Young people feel this

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Progress

helps them to learn about themselves and their feelings. Such a process highlights the holistic approach of the home.

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Progress

Young people commented most positively on the standards of care, support and guidance they receive at the home. Young people said they are, 'really happy and well looked after' by staff and stated that there is, 'always so many choices of what to do'. Indeed comments from young people were most positive and conveyed the open, caring and inclusive atmosphere of the home.

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Statutory Requirements

This section sets out the actions which must be taken so that the registered person/s meets the Care Standards Act 2000, Children's Homes Regulations 2001 and the National Minimum Standards. The registered person(s) must comply with the given timescales.

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) make suitable arrangements for the recording, handling, safekeeping, safe administration and disposal of any medicines received into the children's home; in particular ensure stock records of controlled medication are accurate. (Regulation 21 (1)) 26/04/2013

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further the service should take account of the following recommendation(s):

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Recommendations

 ensure details of restraint are recorded accurately and in line with the homes own documentation including details of the length of time of each hold and the comments of the young person concerned. (NMS 3.18)

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About this inspection

The purpose of this inspection is to assure children and young people, parents, the public, local authorities and government of the quality and standard of the service provided. The inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000 to assess the effectiveness of the service and to consider how well it complies with the relevant regulations and meets the national minimum standards.

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About this inspection

The report details the progress made by the provider since the last full inspection, identifies any further strengths, any areas for improvement and makes judgements as outlined in the Inspection of children’s homes – framework for inspection.

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