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

Unique reference number SC037454 Inspector Keith Riley Type of inspection Full 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 Julian Conrad Skeates Date of last inspection 16/12/2014 2 of 9 Inspection date 27/03/2015

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Previous inspection sustained effectiveness Enforcement action since last inspection none

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Overall effectiveness outstanding

Outcomes for children and young people outstanding Quality of care outstanding Keeping children and young people safe outstanding Leadership and management outstanding

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Overall effectiveness

Staff have extremely high aspirations for all young people in their care. Outcomes for young people who live in this home are excellent. Young people have extremely positive relationships with a stable and consistent staff team. Strong attachments are formed that continue into adult life. Young people, who previously lived in the home, are role models to the young people currently residing there.

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Overall effectiveness

Safeguarding young people is at the heart of the service delivery. Young people have a strong sense of safety and well-being. They feel listened to and that their individual needs are met. Comprehensive, personalised placement plans guide staff on how to provide the best possible support.

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Overall effectiveness

The Registered Manager is continually striving to improve the service. His leadership inspires the staff team to secure the most positive outcomes for young people, some of whom have a history of placing themselves at high risk.

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Overall effectiveness

One minor shortfall was found at inspection; not all formal supervisions are recorded and signed. There is no negative impact on young people. 3 of 9

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Information about this children’s home

This service is a mixed gender children's home for up to five young people who have emotional and behavioural difficulties. The home is operated by a local authority.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

16/12/2014 Interim sustained effectiveness 11/03/2014 Interim good progress 03/10/2013 Full outstanding 27/03/2013 Interim good progress

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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

 keep a written or electronic record of each supervision for each member of staff and ensure the record is signed by the supervisor and member of staff at the end of the supervision. (NMS 19.5) 4 of 9

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Outcomes for children and young people outstanding

Young people make exceptional progress in this home; those who have experienced multiple placement breakdowns or engaged in high risk activities and refused education, are able to modify their behaviour. An example is young people being selected to be school prefects. There are excellent predicted grades for the general certificate of school education examinations. An education professional said, 'it is absolutely brilliant, there is very good work done by the home.' A parent said, 'the home is fantastic in regard to all that has happened.'

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Outcomes for children and young people outstanding

Young people are encouraged and supported in adopting healthy lifestyles, through the physical activities they choose and a nutritious diet. They have a thorough awareness of the importance of good health and are able to make decisions on how to follow a healthy lifestyle. Young people are generally very healthy and there is limited use of prescribed medication. Young people are fully supported to access additional health services should the need arise.

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Outcomes for children and young people outstanding

There is excellent engagement in the wider community. Young people not only participate in a wide range of activities but are also successful in gaining voluntary work. This means that young people develop a sense of responsibility and care for the wider society. Examples are: some young people caring for children younger than themselves; and others planting trees in the community. Young people receive recognition such as the EPIC (exceptional person in care) award by the local authority. Young people participate in groups, such as providing feedback to the children's commissioner on the experience of children living in care.

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Outcomes for children and young people outstanding

Young people respond incredibly well to being treated as developing adults. They take their role in the recruitment of staff extremely seriously. Young people speak very positively about their preparation for independence. As well as practical skills, such as cooking or independent travel, they learn how to relate appropriately to others and acquire coping strategies for everyday life.

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Outcomes for children and young people outstanding

Young people enjoy first-class relationships with staff. They are able to form secure attachments, knowing that their emotional needs are important to those caring for them. Young people are able to work from a secure base to develop other relationships, often for the first time. Staff go to extraordinary lengths to fully promote these relationships. An example is arranging overseas trips for young people to see extended members of the family. Young people who have lived at the home and are now adults, stay in touch. They provide role models for young people currently living in the home. 5 of 9

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Quality of care outstanding

The culture of the home is cemented in the development of relationships, with young people firmly at the centre of practice. Relationships between young people and staff are purposeful and trusting. Specific shifts are planned around the individual needs of young people. Young people are able to have their choice of staff member to go with them to appointments that concern them. A young person said, 'we are like a family'. Interactions between young people and staff are relaxed, open and extremely caring.

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Quality of care outstanding

Young people’s views are promoted and valued. Young people say are listened to, that they can raise concerns easily and understand how to make a complaint. The staff team ensures that each young person has numerous opportunities to voice their feelings and opinions. A key aspect is the one-to-one key work meetings. These are meaningful and young people are able to reflect on their thoughts and feelings. This helps them to understand their own decision making process and make better future choices. A young person said, 'staff listen to us'. Another young person commented how much he likes his key worker.

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Quality of care outstanding

Care planning is of the highest standard ensuring that young people’s specific needs are met. Young people's physical, emotional and behavioural needs are highlighted through the comprehensive placement plans. Young people are involved in all aspects of care planning and contribute fully to their development. This ensures their cultural and personal identities and wishes are taken fully into account.

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Quality of care outstanding

A strength of this home is the close and collaborative working with other agencies, particularly child and adolescent mental health services. A psychologist is a frequent professional visitor to the home. Presenting behaviours can be discussed and assessed for the underlying psychological reasons. This means that effective strategies and support are put into place. The psychologist works with the key worker to present such strategies to the staff team. This provides for a consistent approach and extremely positive outcomes. A professional said that staff have fully adopted the strategies very well and are 'pretty impressive in their working with (name of young person)'.

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Quality of care outstanding

The ethos of this home is that young people will attend school. Strategies of sanctions and rewards promote good attendance. There is exceptional partnership working with educational professionals who are fully involved in key strategy meetings. The holistic approach means that attendance is exceptional in relation to starting points. An education professional said, 'the home is very, very good educationally for these young people'.

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Quality of care outstanding

Young people participate in a wide range of stimulating and healthy activities, such as mountain biking, aqua aerobics and football. Young people use their interests and enthusiasm to contribute to the wider society. An example is participating in a physical assaults challenge to raise money for charity. 6 of 9 Young people live in a home that offers them an excellent standard of accommodation. Young people are encouraged to personalise their rooms and do so with posters and pictures. The home is well maintained and homely in character. Young people take a pride in their home, such as participating in a recycling and reclamation project in the rear garden.

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Keeping children and young people safe outstanding

Young people present as exceptionally comfortable and relaxed in this home. Staff have worked hard to successfully achieve a safe and accepting atmosphere. Young people are clearly confident about approaching staff and having any concerns or worries met. Young people say there is no bullying and staff keep them safe.

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Keeping children and young people safe outstanding

There is an extremely robust approach to managing risk. Safety plans are given meticulous attention and kept extremely up to date. There is a multi-agency approach to developing risk assessments for high risk behaviours, such as risk of overdose. Young people's immediate and emerging risks are comprehensively addressed. Risk reduction measures are put into place, such as providing alternate ways for young people to express and cope with their difficult and painful emotions.

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Keeping children and young people safe outstanding

There is an outstanding approach to protecting young people as much as possible, for example those at risk of going missing from care. Detailed and intricate individual risk assessments inform staff of the risks and what to do in the event of an incident. Staff work closely with others to identify emerging risks and update protocols as necessary. A professional said, 'it is fantastic, it's concise, they've identified the risk, it's very clear.' A placing social worker said, 'they manage the risk very well.' There is a substantial reduction, for young people with a prolific history of going missing from care, in the frequency of missing person episodes.

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Keeping children and young people safe outstanding

Staff are very knowledgeable about the home’s procedures and take action to identify and address any signs of abuse or neglect; they have experience in responding to allegations and disclosures from young people. Young people receive extremely sensitive support and professional assistance to aid them in addressing current and historical issues. This means that risk taking behaviour and coping mechanisms, such as self-harm, are significantly reduced.

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Keeping children and young people safe outstanding

Young people respond well to the tight boundaries put in place by staff and the rewards and consequence system adopted by the home. This bodes for a peaceful environment. The use of physical intervention to manage behaviour is extremely rare. A member of staff said, 'it's the calmest place I've ever been.' A young person said, 'I can't remember the last time there was a restraint in this home.'

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Keeping children and young people safe outstanding

Young people’s safety within the home is ensured through the regular testing of key equipment, certified by external contractors as necessary. Young people know how to evacuate the home in an emergency, such as a fire. Staff ensure that all visitors 7 of 9 are subject to appropriate checks and supervision to ensure on-going safety for all parties.

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Leadership and management outstanding

Leadership and management of the service are exceptional. The Registered Manager is suitably qualified and has extensive experience. Staff say they receive excellent guidance through the day-to-day role modelling by the management. Morale is high and there is a positive atmosphere in the home. Staff retention is exceptional. Young people are able to form relationships with adults who are in their lives for a long time. Staff say how much they enjoy working at the home and seeing the young people grow and develop over time. A placing social worker said, 'I have a lot of confidence in them as a staff team, they think creatively.' Another professional stated, 'I am impressed by the staff team.'

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Leadership and management outstanding

A comprehensive training programme ensures all staff receive excellent training and development opportunities. Courses provide general and specialist training, with staff able to make requests to aid their own personal development needs. Staff are positive about the support they receive themselves. This includes formal supervision when staff are able to discuss their needs so they can provide the best possible care. Although the frequency of supervision exceeds minimum standards, not all formal supervisions are written down and signed.

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Leadership and management outstanding

There is an excellent approach to the recruitment process. Young people engage enthusiastically. They form an interview panel and create their own questions for candidates. The Registered Manager ensures the views of young people are taken extremely seriously. He makes sure they contribute to the final scoring and selection process. The culture provides the best possible opportunity for successful recruitment and the development of positive relationships. Staff turnover is extremely low. There is a diverse staff team. Young people are able to form solid, secure attachments with a range of different adults.

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Leadership and management outstanding

There is excellent management monitoring and oversight. As well as statutory reporting and assessment by an independent visitor, the management team uses a comprehensive audit tool to provide excellent oversight and analysis of events. There are realistic development plans in place, such as the conversion of one bathroom into a shower room.

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Leadership and management outstanding

Record-keeping is excellent. Staff are diligent collating the necessary information without spending large amounts of time away from the young people to do administration. Comprehensive reports are produced easily from the information available, for example for statutory reviews or monitoring purposes 8 of 9 Significant events are notified promptly to the appropriate authority. This means that incidents are dealt with appropriately and in consultation with other professionals. Young people benefit from living in a culture where the desire to adjust practice to improve outcomes is the norm. Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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Leadership and management outstanding

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Judgement Description

Outstanding A service of exceptional quality that significantly exceeds minimum requirements.

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Judgement Description

Good A service of high quality that exceeds minimum requirements.

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Judgement Description

Adequate A service that only meets minimum requirements.

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Judgement Description

Inadequate A service that does not meet minimum requirements.

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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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