Children's Home run by PJL Healthcare Limited in East 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:

 An experienced Registered Manager leads this home. He demonstrates a commitment to providing quality care and achieving good outcomes for young people.  The home provides young people with high quality accommodation. On site facilities include a multi-sensory activity centre, swimming pool and two well-equipped gardens.  Young people make good progress. They identify the goals that they wish to achieve and receive support from staff to achieve them. One young person has learnt to tie his shoelaces another has learnt to make cakes.  Young people take part in activities according to their interests; their special needs are not a barrier. For example, staff have sourced a trampoline coach with Makaton training to provide trampoline lessons to some young people.  Strong partnership working with the team around the child results in good information sharing and consistent care for young people.  Young people develop trusting relationships with staff. The inspector

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The children's home provision is good because:

observed warm and caring interactions between staff and young people.  There are some shortfalls. New online safety training for young people awaits implementation. Some staff lack training in child sexual exploitation and not all staff have taken part in fire drills. The use of agency staff has resulted in inconsistent care for some young people. Agency staff are not supervised in house leading to diminished oversight of their working practice.

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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

25 Ensure, by means of fire drills and practices at suitable intervals, that persons working at the home and, so far as reasonably practicable, children are aware of the procedure to be followed in case of fire (Regulation 25(1)(d)) 20/11/2015

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further the service should take account of the following recommendation(s): Ensure that all staff receive supervision of their practice from an appropriately qualified and experienced professional, which allows them to reflect on their practice and the needs of children assigned to their care. (The Guide to the Quality Standards, page 61, paragraph 13.2)

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Recommendations

Ensure that staffing meets the needs of children and promotes continuity of care. (The Guide to the Quality Standards, page 54, paragraph 10.15)

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Recommendations

Ensure staff support children to be aware of and manage their safety both inside and outside of the home, particularly in relation to online safety. (The Guide to the Quality Standards, page 43, paragraph 9.9)

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Recommendations

Ensure that staff have the knowledge and skills to recognise and be alert for signs that might indicate a child is in any way at risk of harm, particularly in relation to child sexual exploitation. (The Guide to the Quality Standards, page 43, paragraph 9.12)

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

25/02/2015 Interim Sustained effectiveness

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Good

Young people’s accommodation is across five houses, each housing up to three young people; these are well maintained and homely. The home offers young people excellent opportunities including a multi-sensory activity centre, swimming pool and two spacious well-equipped gardens.

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Good

Young people build secure relationships with staff and develop a sense of belonging; they develop trust and share their feelings. One parent says ‘he’s talking more about his problems; he used to bottle them up. He’s talking about things more and staff encourage him to speak about what’s going on for him’. The inspector observed that staff treat young people with respect and speak warmly and kindly. Staff knock on doors before entering, giving young people ownership of their home environment. A parent says ‘he’s doing great; staff are great with him, he’s always happy to go there’.

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Good

Decision-making is in young people’s best interests. There is strong challenge made where decisions are not in the best interests of young people or do not represent their wishes and feelings. The home supports young people to access an advocate where required. This means that young people, including those with non- verbal communication, are listened to and represented.

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Good

Excellent community links enable young people to take part in activities they enjoy; young people’s special needs are not a barrier. Staff with a ‘can do’ attitude seek out suitable opportunities for young people according to their interests. For example, a specialist trampolining coach uses Makaton to communicate with young people and a hairdresser offers appointments after hours for anxious young people who require a quiet environment. Young people engage with and are part of their local community; they develop a sense of belonging.

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Good

All young people are in full time education that meets their needs. Staff liaise daily with schools; they share information and behaviour management strategies. A head teacher says ‘we’ve developed a really positive relationship. There’s daily communication and staff attend all meetings. In terms of behaviour, we share positive behaviour plans’. The close working relationship between the home and school supports young people’s attendance and progress.

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Good

Specialist help is available according to young people’s needs. For example, a specialist dentist and optician understand and sensitively provide care to young people. The home use specialist sexual health services that give tailored advice for young people with learning disabilities. Young people’s health and wellbeing improves through receiving specialist care delivered by trained staff.

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Good

Young people make good progress and develop their life skills. Every young person works towards goals; they are encouraged to select their own goals. One young person elected to learn to tie his shoelaces another chose to learn baking skills. Weekly goal reviews enables achieved goals to be acknowledged and new ones set, supporting young people to make ongoing progress. A social worker says ‘he was sensitive about food and staff have helped him to try a wider range of food. They are small steps but for the young person they are significant’. Young people have individualised goal folders that contain photos and memories of their goal achievements; they take pride in their achievements and develop self-esteem.

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Good

The home works proactively with parents and supports contact. Parents value their communication with staff and say that staff are accessible and helpful. One parent says ‘the staff are great I can speak to them whenever I need to’. Good partnership working between the home and parents underpins care and enables young people to feel settled in the home.

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Good

Young people develop trusted relationships with staff; staff know and understand young people. Some staff have worked with young people for many years. One member of staff says ‘some young people have lived here for all of the years I have worked here; it means I have seen them grow up and care about them’. A social worker says ‘he has developed trusting relationships with staff and this is a young man who struggles to trust anyone’.

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Good

The recruitment of staff is robust and meets regulatory requirements. This protects vulnerable young people from adults who could potentially harm them. Comprehensive induction is in place for new staff. Twice yearly appraisals review staff practice and sets development goals, thus building their experience and ability.

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Good

A thorough staff-training programme means that staff are equipped with the skills to meet young people’s needs. New online safety and child sexual exploitation training improves training provision. Some staff are yet to undertake the new child sexual exploitation training, meaning that they may lack knowledge in this key area of safeguarding. Staff supervise and monitor the internet use of young people and ‘safe search’ filters are in place. A newly developed programme of e-safety training for young people will improve their ability to stay safe online; this awaits implementation.

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Good

Clear and up to date risk assessments are known by staff and guide the care of young people. Risk assessments enable young people to take age appropriate risks. One young person wanted to go to the shops unattended. A risk assessment guided the withdrawal of staff supervision as the young person’s confidence and ability increased; she achieved her goal.

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Good

Behaviour plans are regularly updated and provide a strong focus on de-escalation. Where physical intervention is used it is always within regulation, well recorded and includes analysis of effectiveness. All staff, including agency staff, receive accredited physical intervention training before working with young people. A social worker says ‘staff work with young people’s challenging behaviour and manage this well, his challenging behaviour has decreased, he is really safe and happy there’.

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Good

Proactive links with the local police missing coordinator has provided consultation and training about missing young people. All young people have an up to date information-sharing document, providing key information immediately should they go missing. There have been no incidents of young people missing from this home.

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Good

The home has well established links with the area designated safeguarding officer and Local Safeguarding Children Board (LSCB) who provide safeguarding advice and training. The home’s recently reviewed safeguarding policy includes consultation with the LSCB to provide quality assurance. Safeguarding concerns are well recorded and are reported to the relevant authorities without delay. Staff understand safeguarding procedures and demonstrate a working knowledge of the whistleblowing policy. Safeguarding awareness and response is a strength of this home and protects young people.

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Good

All health and safety checks are up to date, however not all staff have taken part in a fire drill, meaning that they are not practiced in evacuating the vulnerable young people accommodated in the home.

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Good

A registered and suitably qualified manager leads this home. He has over ten years of relevant experience and is currently completing his Level 5 Diploma in Leadership and Management for Residential Childcare. His registration as manager commenced in 2014. The Registered Manager demonstrates a child centred approach and a commitment to high standards of childcare.

p.8

Good

Staff changes during recent months mean that the home is re-building a full permanent staff team; agency staff are supplementing care whilst recruitment is in process. Staffing levels are always in line with young people’s needs; however, some young people do not have a consistent staff team caring for them. The external supervision of agency staff means the Registered Manager does not have direct oversight of their work; this lessens his ability to monitor care and challenge poor practice.

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Good

New staff have an induction period and are currently completing their training. The statement of purpose says staff will receive fortnightly supervision during their probationary period; in practice, their supervision is monthly. Despite this, new staff say they feel supported in their roles through both supervision and mentoring by experienced staff. Supervision is thorough and includes refection on young people and a focus upon safeguarding.

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Good

The management team undertakes comprehensive monitoring of the functioning of the home that includes the evaluation of young people’s progress. Regular independent monitoring complements internal monitoring and provides additional quality assurance in all aspects of the functioning of the home. Effective monitoring highlights any decline in young people’s progress, which triggers a care plan review.

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Good

Improved care plans are up to date and comprehensively address young people’s needs; young people are included in care planning wherever possible. Newly introduced communication passports complement care plans and provide a succinct guide to young people’s key information. Staff work with a small number of young people, enabling them to get to know them and their care plans well.

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Good

Strong transition planning means that young people receive good support through periods of change. A head teacher comments ‘their support of transition is excellent; staff come into school with the young person and withdraw their support at the young person’s pace’.

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Good

Active partnership working with external agencies ensures that young people receive the services that they require. There is regular communication with the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS), schools, specialist health services, social workers and parents. A commitment to working with the team around the child ensures effective information sharing and means that professionals work constructively in partnership to meet young people’s needs. As a result, young people make good progress.

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Good

A clinical psychologist provides training to staff to support their work with one young person. A newly employed Behaviour and Communication Co-ordinator reviews young people’s behaviour and guides staff in providing high quality behaviour management planning and strategies.

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Good

The Registered Manager demonstrates a commitment to using research and training to underpin the practice and development of the home. This feeds into a robust development plan providing clear timescales for development and accountability for completion.

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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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