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

Good

The children's home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 The home provides a very good standard of respite care for children and young people with learning disabilities. Children and young people enjoy the time they spend at the service. Staff make their stays fun.  The respite care provides children and young people with the opportunity to experience activities they may not otherwise access. They have the opportunity to develop friendships with their peers. They are supported to gain social and life skills.  The Registered Manager works effectively in partnership with other professionals and her staff team. There is good communication between the home, families and school.  The voice of the child is a priority at the service. Children and young people have numerous avenues to voice their views and opinions, including attending Child in Care Council event days.  Children and young people are kept safe. Their welfare safeguarded and promoted. The staff are well informed of the increased vulnerabilities and risks

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The children's home provision is good because:

associated with individual children and young people. Risks are identified and managed well.  The service provides very good health support with safe and highly organised medication administration procedures. Emergency protocols for all health issues are in place, known to staff and implemented.  Staff are available in sufficient numbers to provide good levels of children and young people. Staff know the children and young people well.

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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 (England) Regulations 2015 and the Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards. The registered person(s) must comply with the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees undertake appropriate continuing professional development; in particular regular refresher training including medication administration and first aid. (Regulation 33 (4) (a)) 30/09/2015

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that the records are kept up to date; in particular that they are organised, that language used to record detail of events is specific and detailed, and that there is a clear audit trail in response to health and safety checks. ( Regulation 37 (2)(b)) 30/09/2015

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must compile in relation to the children’s home a statement (“the statement of purpose”) which covers the matters listed in Schedule 1. (Regulation 16 (1)) 30/09/2015

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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

Invest in play equipment for the children and young people to access; seriously consider purchasing a `nest` swing for the garden, as identified by staff for children and young people to enjoy (The Guide to the Quality Standards, page 32, paragraph 6.10)

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Information about this children's home

The home is registered to accommodate five children and young people of mixed gender, aged between 6 and 17 years old who have a moderate or severe learning disability. The service mainly provides short stay respite care. It can also provide full- time or shared care accommodation whilst a permanent placement is sought. The home is managed by the local authority.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

24/03/2015 CH - Interim sustained effectiveness

p.5

good

Children and young people make very good progress at this service. They receive respite care in a safe environment. The staff know the children, young people and their families well and can meet their individual needs. Children and young people develop new social skills and make new friends. The service also focuses on developing individual communication skills. This they successfully achieve in the safe environment.

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good

Children and young people enjoy opportunities they may not otherwise be able to access. The home is located in an area with numerous sporting clubs and parks. They enjoy participating in planned activities with their peers. Activities arranged, on site or in the wider community, include swimming, cinema, visits to the beach and golf courses. Activities successfully reflect their creative, intellectual, physical and social interests. In addition children and young people are supported to achieve life skills such as sharing, negotiating and looking after each other.

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good

All achievements are celebrated. Many photographs around the home capture the children and young people having fun. Relationships between children and young people and the staff are sensitive and caring. Staff respond very well to individual personalities and characters to ensure they are happy.

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good

Communication between the respite service and education establishments is good. Staff have built very good relationships with schools, families and carers and keep them informed of changes. The staff support children and young people to successfully engage in education.

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good

Children and young people are supported to make choices and express their views. For example, they make choices in what activity they wish to do and what games they want to play. They can also voice their views and opinions during individual consultation with a staff member and the young peoples’ meetings.

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good

Children and young people receive good health care. Staff are aware of the increased vulnerabilities in regards to meeting individual health needs. Intimate care needs are sensitively applied supported by risk assessments where required. Management of medication is safe. Staff are vigilant in ensuring children and young people are well and able to participate in activities and attend school. Staff are trained to deliver emergency treatment if needed. The sharing of information between the home, school and families is good. All children and young people are placed from within the local authority in which the home is located. Procedures for referrals to transition are well organised and result in positive experience for children, young people and their families.

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good

Safeguarding policies and procedures are clear and robust. Staff are aware of the increased vulnerabilities of children and young people and of the need for heightened protection. As a result children and young people are kept safe by a team of staff who demonstrate good knowledge of safeguarding practices.

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good

Staff are trained in recognising actual or potential harm or abuse. The staff work in accordance with the local safeguarding authority’s child protection and safeguarding procedures. The Registered Manager consults with the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) with appropriate concerns. She has developed good working relationships with the LADO. The Registered Manager regularly reviews the records of any safeguarding concerns and takes appropriate action where necessary. Records are not as well organised as they could be, in some cases. However, this does not have an impact on safeguarding practice. Overall, children and young people are well protected.

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good

Behaviour management systems ensure staff care for children and young people safely. Staff practice is calm and skilled in diffusing incidents. Individual behaviour management plans are developed and implemented in consultation with families and other relevant professionals. Plans outline the potential behaviour and the strategies staff should apply to manage the particular behaviour. This includes proactive strategies such as avoidance, distraction and diffusion, as well as any physical intervention that may be necessary. Staff are trained in the safe deployment of physical intervention. This ensures that risk of its use is minimised and that children and young people are safe during such incidents.

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good

No incident of a child or young person going missing has occurred. A procedure is available for staff in the event of such an occurrence. These procedures work in line with local police procedures. Staff are aware of the procedures and of their responsibilities to keep children safe.

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good

Children and young people do not bully with intent. Staff are alert to any relationships or actions that may upset a child and intervene appropriately. Staff supervision levels are high so no child or young person is left alone.

p.7

good

Staff have good knowledge of e-safety and child sexual exploitation. Children and young people’s use of the internet is supervised at all times due to their ages and increased vulnerabilities. Staff use one to one opportunities to guide children and young people to learn safe use of social media.

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good

The maintenance of the home is good. All health and safety checks are completed, although records do not show action taken in response to areas identified in the last fire inspection. The Registered Manager stated they had been addressed however the lack of written recording prevents effective monitoring and evaluation.

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good

The garden has play equipment that children and young people enjoy. Staff are currently fundraising for a nest swing, although this is slow. Staff know what children and young people enjoy, and say they would benefit greatly from this addition.

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good

Recruitment arrangements are robust. All the necessary checks have been undertaken. Only adults assessed as suitable to work with children are appointed.

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good

The manager has been registered since 2012. She has relevant experienced of working with children and young people with learning disabilities. She holds the national vocational qualification (NVQ) at Levels 3 and 4 in Health and Social Care and is currently completing the Level 5 Diploma in Leadership and Management for Residential Childcare

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good

Children and young people respond positively to the care and professional relationships staff build with them. Staff members are suitably trained with relevant experience to care for children and young people with learning difficulties. Records show a few gaps in staff undertaking refresher courses which the Registered Manager is currently addressing. The Registered Manager constantly reviews the adequacy of staff numbers so adjustments can be made to ensure the changing needs of the children and young people are continually met. Staff morale is good. Staff are fully supportive and praising of the management of the home. They receive regular, good quality, reflective supervision in addition to daily on-going support.

p.8

good

Records are, in general well maintained although some are not as well organised as they could be, for example safeguarding records. Also, staff members use of language is not, at times specific enough when recording the detail of an event.

p.8

good

Careful consideration is given to matching respite care so children and young people can make friends and enjoy the same activities together.

p.8

good

Monitoring of the service is good. Auditing systems in place address any areas that require improvement and inform future planning. An independent visitor provides an objective view with recommendations that the Registered Manager actions.

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good

Although the home’s statement of purpose provides information about the home, it does not provide sufficient detail. For example, there is a lack of information regarding the home’s approach to monitoring and surveillance of children and young people, including depravation of liberty practices. In addition, it does not state how a staff member’s competence is assessed with regard to restraint practices.

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What the inspection judgements mean

The experiences and progress of children and young people are at the centre of the inspection. Inspectors will use their professional judgement to determine the weight and significance of their findings in this respect. The judgements included in the report are made against Inspection of children's homes: framework for inspection.

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What the inspection judgements mean

An outstanding children's home provides highly effective services that contribute to significantly improved outcomes for children and young people who need help and protection and care. Their progress exceeds expectations and is sustained over time. A good children's home provides effective services that help, protect and care for children and young people and have their welfare safeguarded and promoted. In a children's home that requires improvement , there are no widespread or serious failures that create or leave children being harmed or at risk of harm. The welfare of looked after children is safeguarded and promoted. Minimum requirements are in place, however, the children's home is not yet delivering good protection, help and care for children and young people. A children's home that is inadequate is providing services where there are widespread or serious failures that create or leave children and young people being

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What the inspection judgements mean

harmed or at risk of harm or result in children looked after not having their welfare safeguarded and promoted.

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people living in the children's home. Inspectors considered the quality of work and the difference adults make to the lives of children and young people. They read case files, watched how professional staff work with children, young people and each other and discussed the effectiveness of help and care given to children and young people. Wherever possible, they talked to children, young people and their families. In addition the inspectors have tried to understand what the children's home knows about how well it is performing, how well it is doing and what difference it is making for the children and young people who it is trying to help, protect and look after. This 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 Children's

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Information about this inspection

Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards. the guidance raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted, which is available from Ofsted's website: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted . If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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Information about this inspection

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, workbased learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It inspects services for looked after children and child protection. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team,

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Information about this inspection

The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

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Information about this inspection

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

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Information about this inspection

Store Street Manchester M1 2WD T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted

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