Children's Home run by West Sussex County Council in West Sussex

Unique reference number SC399222 Inspector Angus Mackay Type of inspection Interim Provision subtype Children's home

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Registered person West Sussex County Council Registered person address West Sussex County Council, Director of Social Services County Hall, Tower Street CHICHESTER West Sussex PO19 1QT Responsible individual Annie MacIver Registered manager Sharlene Kerry Vallance Date of last inspection 06/11/2014 2 of 6 Inspection date 12/03/2015

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Previous inspection outstanding Enforcement action since last inspection none

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This inspection

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

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This inspection

The manager has extensive experience of working with children and managing staff. She has been the Registered Manager of this setting for two years and has an outstanding inspection record. She is respected by her staff team and displays an excellent understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the home. The manager has developed a strong team ethic in the staff group. They demonstrate a shared understanding of the ethos and planned outcomes of the home, as detailed in the statement of purpose.

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This inspection

Since the last inspection there has been a significant improvement in the décor, of the home, internally and externally. Maintenance of damage and general wear and tear has been rigorous and the home is bright, clean and welcoming. Changes to bedrooms and other decoration are done involving young people and allowing their preferences to be identified and met. The changes are highly personalised and take account of the young people’s reactions to change and stimulation. Staff plan these changes carefully engaging young people at all stages. The improvement of the home is ongoing and monitored through the development plan and in the manager’s monitoring of the home.

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This inspection

External monitoring visits by the independent person are regular and provide helpful challenges to the staff team. The manager incorporates responses to these into her quarterly monitoring reports and directly into the development plan for the home. The manager’s quarterly monitoring reports are detailed and provide an excellent précis of extensive tracking and graphing of activity in the home. The reports demonstrate the manager’s excellent understanding of the conduct of the home and in particular the identification and response to trends and patterns in young people’s behaviours. However the reports have not been regularly received at Ofsted limiting their effectiveness as an additional safeguard for young people. 3 of 6 The staff work highly effectively as a team supporting colleagues and accepting delegated responsibilities to enhance the efficiency of the home. They work closely with other agencies and in particular with their teacher, occupational therapist,

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This inspection

clinical psychologist and speech and language therapist. Close working with these partners, schools and parents ensures a coordinated response to the development of the young people, enhancing their outcomes and progress. Staff make excellent use of the training programme which is designed to provide them with the skills and aptitudes to provide the service as described in the statement of purpose. When new needs are identified, in the young people or to meet the needs of a new referral, additional training is provided. For example, further training in the use of Makaton was arranged to enhance the communication with new referrals.

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This inspection

Staff ensure admissions and departures from the home are successful by their application of detailed planning in advance. The multi-disciplinary team undertake observational visits to gather information on prospective new admissions. This detailed planning occurs even when emergency admissions are made and provides highly detailed information to aid in the construction of care plans, risk assessments and where required positive handling plans. Young people make rapid progress in the home improving: communication; diet; physical health; engagement in education; and social and behavioural skills. Exits from the home are expertly managed engaging all parties to ensure the young person is appropriately prepared and supported. The staff are appropriately assertive in ensuring new settings use the detailed assessment information built up during the placement. This ensures that information from the staff team including the teacher, speech and language

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This inspection

therapist, clinical psychologist and occupational therapist is effectively transmitted. The managers ensure that transitions out of the home are supported by experienced staff who physically accompany the young person and are available for several days to support if required. Due to the excellent preparation of young people this is often not required. The effectiveness of these transitions is improved by this excellent planning by the whole team.

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This inspection

There have been no complaints or child protection issues since the last inspection. Young people are relaxed and happy with staff engaging positively with them. They are skilfully involved in decisions in the home by the staff group and their excellent use of a variety of effective forms of communication. Consequently all young people regardless of their communication difficulties are involved in commenting on their care.

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This inspection

All staff are trained in managing difficult behaviour and employ this effectively in their work with the young people. Staff are skilled in managing extreme behaviour. When difficult behaviour escalates, to requiring physical intervention, they work through a range of interventions ensuring that the minimum physical engagement necessary is used. On occasions to contain severe behaviours staff will encourage young people to remain in a safe, but not closed, area. The use of this intervention is rare and agreed with parents and social workers. When used there is a case review to ensure the young person, other young people and staff remain safe in the 4 of 6 home. The manager makes excellent use of the clinical psychologist, physical intervention trainer, and speech and language therapist, to adjust interventions with young people in these situations. Young people make significant progress in learning how to manage their own behaviour with this carefully controlled support from staff.

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This inspection

The manager has completed a review of the appropriateness and suitability of the location of the home. The assessment is detailed and clearly identifies protective measures for any local risks. The manager keeps this under review to ensure it accurately reflects the current known local risks. 5 of 6

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Information about this children’s home

This service is run by the local authority, which is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to three children with severe learning disabilities. The home particularly accommodates children on the autistic spectrum and can provide shared care.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

06/11/2014 Full outstanding 13/01/2014 Interim good progress 25/04/2013 Full outstanding 09/01/2013 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

(2001) supply to HMCI a report in respect of any review conducted in relation to monitoring the matters set out in Schedule 6 improving the quality of care provided in the children's home.( Regulation 34(2)) 30/04/2015 Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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Reg. Requirement Due date

This document may be reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial educational purposes, provided that the information quoted is reproduced without adaptation and the source and date of publication are stated.

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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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