Children's Home run by Brighton and Hove City Council in Brighton and Hove

Unique reference number SC044880 Inspector Lucy Chapman Type of inspection Interim Provision subtype Children's home

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Registered person Brighton & Hove City Council Registered person address Kings House Grand Avenue HOVE East Sussex BN3 2LS Responsible individual Jenny Brickell

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Registered manager

Lisa Anne Willemse / Karen Sarah Louise Rusbridge Date of last inspection 29/05/2014 2 of 6 Inspection date 16/02/2015

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Registered manager

Previous inspection good Enforcement action since last inspection none

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This inspection

This home was judged good at the last full inspection. At this interim inspection Ofsted judge that it has sustained effectiveness .

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This inspection

The requirement made at the last inspection regarding the Statement of Purpose has not been fully met and has been remade. The recommendation regarding gathering children’s views has been met. The recommendation regarding the homely environment has not yet been met, although there are robust plans in place to do so very soon.

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This inspection

Young people receive good care in this home and benefit from a well-trained core staff team. All staff undertake comprehensive training and induction, ensuring they are competent in meeting each young person’s individual needs. One senior staff member has recently completed an MA in autism studies.

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This inspection

Staff are committed to young people. One staff member said ‘young people have staff working with them who have their best interests at heart and want them to do well and achieve’. Staff strengths are used for the good of young people. On the day of inspection two staff members with creative skills were running an art workshop with a young person.

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This inspection

There has been staff change recently with three new members of staff being employed and a further three positions currently advertised. Shortfalls in staff have been offset with the use of regular trained bank staff. To minimise disruption to young people shift planning has included a balance of permanent and bank staff.

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This inspection

Staff enable young people to engage with new experiences and tailor activities to young people’s particular interests. One young person with an interest in transport is regularly taken to London by train. Young people develop lifeskills according to their abilities. Some young people are involved in weekly meal planning, shopping and cooking; others are working towards personal care lifeskills. Consequently, young people are making progress towards achieving their maximum potential. Young 3 of 6 people have opportunities to contribute their ideas; the Youth Advocacy Project visits this home regularly to listen to and represent young people’s wishes and feelings.

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This inspection

All young people have a care plan in place, however, these lack information regarding young people’s identity. Young people’s progress is tracked electronically, allowing staff to identify and explore behaviour trends. For one young person this allowed staff to link a rise in challenging behaviour with a young person’s medication change, resulting in their medication being effectively reviewed. The representation of young people is a strength of this home. A social worker comments ‘one of the good things about Drove Road is that they advocate for young people, they speak up for young people and how they are feeling in meetings’.

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This inspection

Staff work in partnership with young people’s parents and parents are invited to attend all meetings in respect of their children. This ensures that staff have current and relevant information to improve the care of young people. All young people are engaged in education and good partnership working is in place with schools. For one young person home staff have visited the school and school staff have visited the home to develop a consistent approach to the young person's care. Where young people are due to transition to adult care strong partnership working with adult services is in place to support this transition. A social worker praised the partnership working of this home ‘they invited CAMHS to the team meeting to discuss the young person’s needs as a network and to think together about the young person’s behaviour’.

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This inspection

Safeguarding issues are addressed quickly and effectively by the management of this home. The building’s fire and security systems have been recently updated to improve the safety of young people. However, fire safety records highlight a lack of recent fire drills which undermines the safety of young people and staff. Staff work to a model of positive behaviour support, using reward rather than sanctions to help young people to develop their positive behaviour. Young people work towards reward systems tailored to their individual needs. All staff are trained in restraint, although restraint is rarely used within this home. Incidents of physical intervention are well recorded but do not include young people’s response to the intervention.

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This inspection

The setting is in the process of change and this inspection was undertaken as building renovation and decoration were about to begin and some areas currently lack a homely feel. There is no written development plan in place identifying these changes and plans for the future development of the service. The statement of purpose is in place but does not fully meet the requirements of Schedule 1. 4 of 6

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Information about this children’s home

Children with a learning difficulty stay at this home that is operated by a local authority. Up to eight children can be accommodated for respite or permanent care placements.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

29/05/2014 Full good 12/02/2014 Interim good progress 14/11/2013 Full good 15/03/2013 Interim good progress

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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

4 (2001) compile in relation to the children's home a written statement (in these Regulations referred to as the statement of purpose)which shall consist of a statement as to the matters listed in Schedule 1 (regulation 4 (1)) 03/04/2015

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) ensure, by means of fire drills and practices at suitable intervals, that the persons working at the home and children accommodated there, are aware of the procedure to be followed in case of fire (regulation 32 (e)) 20/03/2015

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further the service should take 5 of 6 account of the following recommendation(s):

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Recommendations

 ensure the home provides a comfortable and homely environment and is well maintained and decorated. (NMS 10.3)  compile a written development plan, reviewed annually, for the future of the home, either identifying any planned changes in the operation or resources of the service, or confirming the continuation of the home's current operation and resource (NMS 15.2)  meet children's individual needs as set out in the placement plan - specifically that identity is included within the placement plan (NMS 2.3)  ensure that where any sanction, disciplinary measures or restraint are used, children are encouraged to have their views recorded in records kept by the home (NMS 3.18) Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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Recommendations

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What inspection judgements mean

At the interim inspections we make a judgement on whether the home has improved in effectiveness, sustained effectiveness, or declined in effectiveness since the previous full inspection. This is in line with the Inspection of children’s homes: framework for inspection.

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Information 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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Information about this inspection

The report details the main strengths, any areas for improvement, including any breaches of regulation, and any failure to meet national minimum standards. The judgements included in the report are made against the framework of inspection for children's homes.

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