Children's Home run by Lioncare Ltd Operating as The Lioncare Group in Brighton and Hove

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:

 A dedicated and energetic registered manager leads this home. She demonstrates a commitment to achieving high standards of care and good outcomes for young people. Her leadership models practice for staff. A social worker said, ‘You can see the passion and advocacy that staff have for him, they really want the best for him.’  Relationships between young people and staff are excellent. Young people readily share their concerns with staff and receive the help and support that they require. A young person said, ‘The adults are helping me make decisions for my future. They know me and how I’m doing. I listen to their advice.’  Staff support young people to develop and work towards positive future plans. Young people explore their hopes and dreams, investigate possibilities, enrol for training courses, undertake voluntary work and achieve employment.  Young people have abundant opportunities to share their views and ideas,

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The children's home provision is good because:

these influence their day-to-day care. Young people choose and plan international summer holidays, personalise their bedrooms, choose their activities and contribute to staff recruitment.  Young people build positive links in their community and develop a sense of belonging. They learn to understand the needs of others and to ‘give something back’. Young people and staff are undertaking a charity mountain climb of Ben Nevis.  There are minor shortfalls, many staff are unaware of new professional reporting duties in respect of female genital mutilation. Also, some historic staff recruitment, prior to the introduction of improved practice, has not satisfactorily addressed all matters in ‘Schedule 2’.

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further, the service should take account of the following recommendations:

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Recommendations

 Ensure that the home's policies and procedures around the protection of children reflect any requirements of other relevant legislation, in particular the mandatory reporting of female genital mutilation ('Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards', page 44, paragraph 9.22).  Ensure that the registered person maintains good employment practice, in particular that all information in Schedule 2 is obtained and records are kept ('Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards', page 61, paragraph 13.1).

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Information about this children's home

The home is registered for up to five young people. It is owned and operated by a private company that own seven other children’s homes. The home provides care for young people with emotional and behavioural difficulties.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

15 December 15 Interim Sustained effectiveness

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Good

Young people live in a secure and stable environment with consistent staff. They build trusting relationships with the adults who care for them and develop a sense of belonging. A social worker said, ‘Staff know him very well and he has formed good attachments, particularly with his key worker.’ Young people are encouraged to input their views and ideas. They know how to complain. There have been no complaints made. They take part in decision making in the home, including holiday destinations, the decoration of the home, the activities that they undertake and staff recruitment. Young people attend their review meetings and participate in decisions about their lives. The encouragement of advocacy for young people promotes young people’s voice in care planning. A young person said of his experience of advocacy, ‘It made me feel good. It helped. It came from my own heart, not the adults.’ All young people of school age attend school. Older young people undertake

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Good

further education or apprentices according to their interests. Staff support young people’s attendance and learning in whichever context. A social worker said, ‘His key worker has been able to provide additional educational support, this has received positive feedback at personal education plan meetings.’ Staff support young people to work towards their future hopes. One young person, due to complete her apprenticeship, said, ‘The home has helped me, they give me encouragement, the staff believe in me.’ Young people try out new activities and develop new skills, their interests steer the opportunities that they participate in. Some young people and staff are due to climb Ben Nevis for charity. As well as promoting resilience and self-esteem, young people are enabled to think beyond themselves as they raise money for others. The development of independence skills is a key aim for all young people. A ‘learning about me’ programme guides learning and monitors progress. Learning is

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Good

individualised and practical. For example, one young person has learned to put his money into separate envelopes to budget for weekly costs. Staff support is in line with individual need. A young person said, ‘I have been working with staff to learn how to cook food, now I can do this on my own.’ Social worker feedback is positive, one social worker said, ‘It’s refreshing, they are working on life skills straight away. The moment they come in they are getting them ready to move on.’ Another social worker said, ‘It’s been absolutely exceptional. She has made excellent progress. They’ve worked really hard in terms of her independence.’ Young people receive help to manage their emotions. Staff have ample time to spend with young people, talking about feelings is a day-to-day conversation. A social worker said, ‘She has felt supported and listened to, staff take their time with her.’ Daily group meetings enable young people to share their feelings and

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Good

discuss any concerns, this is built on by individual key working sessions that provide one-to-one support. Young people receive the specialised health services that they require. Individual therapeutic support, provided by qualified therapists, is available to all young people as part of the home’s care provision. Staff work in partnership with other health services, including child and adolescent mental health services, sexual health services and specialist medical services, according to young people’s needs. Staff place the well-being of young people at the centre of practice. They respect and value young people and work hard to meet their needs and to help them to progress. Young people’s special occasions and achievements are celebrated by everyone, fostering a warm caring environment that an independent reviewing officer described as ‘quasi family’.

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Good

Effective response to a requirement made at the previous inspection, means that staff now receive training around child sexual exploitation, online safety and radicalisation. Discussion with staff verifies the positive impact that this knowledge has on their practice, they have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm. There have been no issues of child sexual exploitation or radicalisation of young people in this home. All staff undertake regular safeguarding training. New safeguarding training provision by a specialist external agency enhances safeguarding practice within the home. The reporting of all safeguarding issues to appropriate agencies without delay protects young people. Despite safeguarding improvements, many staff are unaware of new professional reporting duties in respect of female genital mutilation. A recommendation advises that the home’s safeguarding procedure

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Good

incorporates this duty. There have been no incidents of young people going missing from the home. Clear missing from home procedures guide staff to take effective action should an incident of going missing arise. Staff are aware of the risks that online use can pose to young people. Young people receive online safety guidance and sign up to a contract of safe internet use. More effective however, is the ongoing open dialogue between staff and young people in respect of online safety. Young people bring their safety concerns to staff and staff respond effectively. Young people learn how to keep themselves safe online with a safety net of staff monitoring and support. Young people’s risk assessments are individualised and provide staff with guidance to respond to and minimise risk. Risk assessments enable young people to take appropriate risks, particularly in respect of their independence skills. A young

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Good

person who needed staff support to attend the gym now goes alone. A financially vulnerable young person is now able to go shopping unsupported. A social worker said, ‘She’s felt supported, that’s allowed her to test the waters, knowing there’s a safety net.’ Staff supervision balances the protection of young people with the need to equip them with skills and experience for a successful independent future. A culture of celebrating positive achievement promotes positive behaviour in the home. Sanction use is appropriate and has a focus upon restorative justice. Restraint use is infrequent. Where restraint is used, it is to regulation, well recorded and includes young people’s comment and management oversight. A stable staff team means that there has been no recent staff recruitment. Historic practice, though mainly thorough, has in some instances failed to explore all gaps in employment in writing and to verify why some work with children and vulnerable

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Good

adults ended. This does not completely address the requirements of ‘Schedule 2’. An improved application form and upgraded recruitment practice means that these shortfalls are unlikely to reoccur. Staff take health and safety seriously in the home. Health and safety checks are regularly undertaken and maintenance is without delay. This provides a safe environment for everyone.

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Good

A dedicated and energetic registered manager leads this home. She demonstrates a commitment to championing each young person in her care. She is currently completing a Masters qualification in therapeutic adolescent care and is enrolled on the level 5 diploma in Leadership and Management for Residential Childcare. A permanent, stable staff team knows young people well and understands their needs. An organisational culture that promotes staff development enables staff to progress within the home and to remain in young people’s lives over many years. Efficient internal monitoring is built upon by regular external monitoring, ensuring effective quality assurance. The registered manager welcomes and positively responds to quality assurance feedback, this results in ongoing positive development in the home. Staff work proactively with young people’s parents and professionals. A social worker said, ‘Staff are just a phone call away, there is good team working with

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Good

everyone in the young person’s life.’ Proactive partnership work with the team around each young person ensures good communication and effective care. Monthly ‘timeline’ monitoring tracks young people’s progress. Where young people are not progressing, their care plans undergo creative review. Staff strive to provide individualised care to maximise young people’s progress. The registered manager evidences professional challenge where there are delays to young people accessing the services that they require. All staff receive regular supervision and feel supported in their roles. External clinical supervision with a qualified psychotherapist provides supplementary support to the registered manager. A culture of therapeutic support equips staff to recognise and manage the emotional impact of their work and fosters staff resilience. A comprehensive training programme equips staff to meet the needs of young

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Good

people. Specialist training enables staff to provide specialised care, including care for young people with autism. There is a strong culture of training within the home, including training in the home’s therapeutic approach, which underpins care provision. Staff meet young people’s needs through trusting relationships. A social worker said, ‘She knows staff and they know her. She gets on with all staff, but has particular staff she can speak to. Staff always have time for her.’ Young people said about staff ‘they know me well’, ‘I can speak to them’, ‘I like them’ and ‘they are helpful’. Excellent relationships between young people and staff results in caring open communication, this enables young people to share their concerns and receive the advice and help that they need. The physical environment of the home is well maintained and homely. Welcoming communal areas provide a pleasant environment for young people to spend time

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Good

together. Bedrooms are well equipped and decorated to young people’s personal tastes. The garden provides opportunities to grow vegetables, undertake do-it- yourself projects and have barbecues.

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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 that 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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