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

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged Good at the full inspection. At this interim inspection Ofsted judge that it has Improved effectiveness .

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

At the last inspection in December 2015 two requirements were made. Improved and thorough risk assessments ensure all young people are able to take appropriate risks that are within the young person’s capabilities and not limited by staffs perceptions. This ensures all young people are assessed as individuals with distinct capabilities and that there needs do not impact negatively or pose a risk to other young people. In addition, the Registered Manager has an increased understanding of how to manage information, as either a complaint or safeguarding issue. In particular this relates to identifying if incidents meet the threshold to notify the regulator without delay.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The service has also addressed the two recommendations made; improvements to individual risk assessments at referral stage have been extended to include impact assessments on all young people. This ensures placements are only accepted after fully considering the impact that the placement will have on the existing group.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Further avenues have been sought for young people to be able to take up issues or make a complaint. Advocates from both local authority and a national charity visit the service regularly and provide a good service for young people. Advocates attend the service twice a week and provide written reports that feed into placement reviews. This is in addition to the regular young people’s meetings where they are encouraged to express their views and opinions. No serious issues have been raised through these avenues since the last inspection. The Registered Manager continues to seek further ways for young people to communicate in meetings. She seeks feedback from young people about the staff team prior to staff appraisals.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The Registered Manager currently manages two services, however, this will change over the next few months and she will solely manage this service. She has suitable qualifications and experience and provides a good quality service.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The Registered Manager has made improvements since the last inspection such as a review of the quality of staff supervision. A consultation is in progress and any actions resulting from it will be looked at during future inspections. Currently there is a range of recording formats for supervisions and the manager is considering introducing a standardised format and agenda.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Care plans now include the legal status of each individual young person. This ensures correct information is readily available to staff. Risk assessments have improved and are written more from a young person’s perspective; i.e. how staff can support the young person in what makes them happy and managing challenging behaviours. There have been no physical interventions since the last inspection; staff are trained to do so if required.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Young people continue to make good progress and all maintain excellent school/college attendance. Staff work closely with a wide range of professionals, including the local authority transition team, for those young people approaching 18 years of age. Good planning and communication ensures young people move onto suitable adult provision. Staff support young people in preparing them for adult life by guiding them with independent skills.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Although staff are up to date with mandatory training they have not yet received Prevent training to ensure they can recognise and manage concerns around extremism and radicalisation. In addition, newly re-deployed domestic staff require training on control of substances hazardous to health and safeguarding.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The Registered Manager needs to ensure the missing person’s policy makes reference to local procedures such as the runway and missing for home and care procedures. In practice there have been no incidents of missing due to the high levels of support provided, however this needs to be in place.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

New furniture has improved the look of the property and it presents as more homely. Damp in the entrance hall is being addressed by the maintenance team.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Overall the service continues to be well managed with happy young people who enjoy their experience at the setting. Staff maintain very good relationships with families and professionals. The Registered Manager continues to move the service forward ensuring the quality of care is of a high standard.

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Information about this children's home

This children's home is operated by the local authority. The service is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to seven young people with learning disabilities and physical disabilities.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

05/02/2015 Interim Sustained effectiveness

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Recent inspection history

12/03/2014 Interim Good progress What does the children's home need to do to improve? 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

Ensure that all employees undertake appropriate continuing professional development; specifically Prevent training for all staff and mandatory training for re-deployed domestic staff to include COSHH and safeguarding. (Regulation 33(4)(a)) 30/07/2106

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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 the home’s procedures take into account the views of appropriate local services and have regard to police and local authority protocols for responding to missing person’s incidents in the area where the home is located. (The Guide to the Quality Standards, page 45, paragraph 9.29)

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What the inspection judgements mean

At the interim inspection 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

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 focused on the effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of children and young people since the most recent full inspection.

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Information about this inspection

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 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

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Information about this inspection

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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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