Children's home run by My Choice Children’s Homes Limited in Mid Sussex

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged Requires improvement at the full inspection. At this interim inspection Ofsted judge that it has sustained effectiveness .

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The Registered Manager has addressed the requirement set at the last inspection. Staff are receiving regular supervision allowing them to reflect on their practice, discuss dynamics within the staff team and address issues affecting the young people.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Retention and recruitment of staff has been problematic. During the inspection two agency staff and one regular bank member of staff were on duty. Records show that the Registered Manager relies on a high number of agency staff. Young people report that the home’s regular staff are re-deployed to other homes whilst unfamiliar agency staff care for them, resulting in differences in responses. One young person said ‘I wake up to people that I don’t know’ and ‘the staff treat us differently’. The Registered Manager recognises the high use of agency staff results in inconsistent care and difficulties in maintaining relationships with young people. Plans are in place to recruit permanent staff to address this issue.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The environment is well decorated and homely; maintenance issues are reported immediately. However, some staff visibly carry around large bunches of keys, which creates an institutionalised atmosphere. Staff were observed to smoke on the premises. This means that they are not acting as good role models for young people.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff undertake effective key working sessions with young people, recording of sessions has improved reflecting more accurately the positive discussions held. Young people’s meetings are effective when led by them. However, this does not happen consistently, young people do not have opportunities to meet together to share their views. They are unable to develop an understanding of each other’s issues as a result.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

There has been a reduction in missing from home episodes; intervention with one young person has effectively reduced absences from home. Staff are aware of the missing from home policy; however, there was an occasion when a young person was not reported missing in a timely manner. Return interviews are completed by external agencies. The Registered Manager does not consistently seek feedback to inform strategies for young people.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The Registered Manager works well with some professionals. One Social Worker reported ‘the children’s home is very family orientated, the manager is quick to organise contact, my young person has increased in confidence and progressed well’. The Registered Manager consults effectively with the local police officer who works closely with one young person to reduce anti-social behaviour.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Ofsted is not being informed of updates in relation to notifications. The Registered Manager does not follow up safeguarding investigation outcomes efficiently, this leads to uncertainty around safety measures and relevant bodies not being kept up to date.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff facilitate contact and ensure that it is a positive experience for all. Young people are able to retain important relationships. One parent who was visiting his child said ‘my child is very happy here, I haven’t seen my child so happy’.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Specialist services assess young people with complex needs and offer consultations to staff. Young people benefit from this focus on therapeutic interventions as staff develop strategies and insight into young people’s needs. Young people are showing improvement through reductions in verbal and physical aggression. There have been no positive handling incidents during the inspection period.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff have received safeguarding training, including child sexual exploitation. Staff are aware of policies and procedures to protect young people. One staff member said ‘the child sexual exploitation training was really useful; I would be able to recognise this better now’. The Registered Manager and staff are able to safeguard young people in practice. This was demonstrated when a young person was at risk of being removed from care, the Registered Manager acted to safeguard the young person. The Registered Manager responds to safeguarding incidents quickly reporting them to the appropriate agencies and attending professional meetings.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Risk assessments and care plans are extremely detailed providing guidance to ensure all staff implement well thought out strategies to manage young people’s behaviour and keep them safe. Staff lock away cutlery to reduce the risk of damage to property; further work is needed to ensure that the young people’s behaviour can be managed without the need to use such measures. A young person asked to be able to self-administer medication, a risk assessment to consider this has not been carried out.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Access to full time education, further education or employment remains poor for some. This reduces the life opportunities for those young people. One young person had hundred per cent attendance but this has reduced. However, another young person has very good attendance and the teacher reported that the young person ‘had a good week at school, I am very pleased with the progress made’.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The Registered Manager and staff work effectively with the college by attending meetings, arranging transport and rewarding achievement.

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Information about this children's home

This home is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to four young people with emotional and behavioural difficulties. The home is privately owned

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 06/07/2015 CH - Full Requires improvement 13/02/2015 CH - Interim declined in effectiveness 11/11/2014 CH - Full Adequate 27/03/2014 CH - Interim Satisfactory 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 (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

5: Engaging with the wider system to ensure children's needs are met

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Requirement Due date

In order to meet the engaging with the wider system standard the registered person must, and must ensure that staff-

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Requirement Due date

(d) seek to develop and maintain effective professional relationships with such bodies and organisations as the registered person considers appropriate having regard to the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the children's home is to provide care and accommodation. 11/03/2016

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that the employment of any person on a temporary basis at the children's home does not prevent children from receiving such continuity of care as is reasonable to meet their needs (Regulation 31 (1)) 31/03/2016

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Requirement Due date

In order to complete a quality of care review the registered person must establish and maintain a system for monitoring, reviewing and evaluating-

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Requirement Due date

the feedback and opinions of the children about the children's home, its facilities and the quality of care they receive in it (Regulation 2 (a)) 11/03/2016

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further the service should take account of the following recommendation(s):  When a child returns to the home after being missing from care or away from the home without permission, the responsible local authority must provide an opportunity for the child to have an independent return home interview. Homes should take account of information provided by such interviews when assessing risks and putting arrangements in place to protect each child (The Guide to the Quality Standards, page 45 paragraph 9.30)

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Recommendations

Expectations of standards of behaviour should be high for all staff and children in the home, staff should act as good role models (The Guide to the Quality Standards, page 39, paragraph 8.11)

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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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