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

 Staff build supportive and trusting relationships with young people. This helps young people to improve their sense of security and gives them the confidence to express their worries.  There is a robust and coordinated response to young people who go missing. Staff work effectively with other agencies to develop strategies for keeping young people safe.  Managers and staff are familiar with the vulnerabilities and associated risks pertaining to each young person. Effective action is taken to minimise the potential for young people to become sexually exploited.  Young people have access to a range of specialist resources, designed to improve their mental health and emotional well-being.  Key-working sessions are clearly focused on the identified needs of young people, and assist young people to meet their goals and targets.  Innovative practice supports young people to re-engage in education.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 Some young people make excellent academic progress, and improve their social skills.  Staff are provided with good opportunities to reflect on their practice, review the needs of young people and consider the effectiveness of strategies in place to support them.  The well-being of young people is central to practice in the home. Young people are consistently treated with dignity and respect.  Managers and staff build positive working relationships with placing authorities and work in partnership to achieve the best outcomes for young people.  The management of allegations made against staff is poor and not in accordance with the procedures laid out in the home’s statement of purpose.  Shortfalls were identified in the effectiveness of leaders and managers, which have had some negative impact on young people.

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions which must be taken so that the registered person(s) meet(s) 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 within the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

In order to meet the protection of children standard, with particular reference to protecting children who are in imminent danger and ensuring that they receive appropriate medical attention, the registered person must ensure that staff: (2)(a)(vi) take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child's welfare. (Regulation 12 (2)(a)(vi)) 14/11/2016

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Requirement Due date

In order to meet the leadership and management standard, with particular reference to ensuring that there are sufficient staff to provide consistency of care and using monitoring systems to improve the quality of care, the registered person must: (2)(d) ensure that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child; (2)(e) ensure that the home's workforce provides continuity of care to each child; (2)(f) understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home; and (2)(h) use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (2)(d)(e)(f) 14/11/2016

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Requirement Due date

Ensure that restraint in relation to a child is necessary and proportionate (Regulation 20(2)). Specifically, ensure that only restraint techniques identified in children's plans are used in practice. 14/11/2016

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must make arrangements for the handling, recording, safekeeping, safe administration and disposal of medicines received into the children's home (Regulation 23(1)). 14/11/2016 Specifically, they must ensure that an accurate record is kept of prescribed medication in the home. The registered person must ensure that a record is kept of the administration of medicine to each child (Regulation 23(2)(c)). Specifically, they must ensure that records are kept of when a child refuses prescribed medication.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must maintain records for each child which include the information and documents listed in Schedule 3 and ensure that these records are kept up to date (Regulation 36(1)(a)(b)). Specifically, they must ensure that there is an up-to-date local authority placement plan, detailing the statutory provision under which each child is provided with accommodation. 14/11/2016

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must supply to HMCI a copy of the quality of care report within 28 days of the date on which the quality of care review is completed (Regulation 45(4)(a)). 14/11/2016

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further, the service should take account of the following recommendations:  Ensure that the specific responsibilities of the home towards supporting the health and well-being of each child are agreed with the placing authority and recorded in the child's placement plan. Specifically, ensure that health plans take into account the need to monitor young people's diets and health issues relating to alcohol and substance misuse. (‘Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 34, paragraph 7.7)  Ensure that staff can access appropriate facilities and resources to support their training needs. In particular, ensure that all staff complete mandatory and specific training relating to young people's individual needs in a timely manner. (‘Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 53, paragraph 10.11)

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Recommendations

 Ensure that all staff in a care role, including external agency or bank staff, have the qualification in regulation 32(4) within the relevant timescale listed in regulation 32(5). (‘Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 53, paragraph 10.12)  Ensure that case records are kept up to date and are signed and dated by the author of each entry. Specifically, ensure that case records are well organised and record all significant events, including discussions held with placing authority social workers. (‘Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.3)

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Information about this children's home

This is a privately owned children's home that is registered to provide care to two young people who have emotional and/or behavioural problems. Education can be provided at the organisation’s school.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

13/02/2015 Interim Improved effectiveness

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Good

Young people make good progress across many aspects of their lives, despite the fact that there are some shortfalls in the effectiveness of leaders and managers that result in inconsistent staffing. Young people develop positive relationships with staff and with their peers. One young person spoke enthusiastically about spending one-to-one time with his favourite member of staff while on holiday during a recent school break. Young people describe their peers as ‘friends’. They are tolerant of one another, and can be supportive during times of distress. The quality of relationships helps young people to build trust and to find the confidence to speak to staff about sensitive issues. Consequently, young people are able to talk about such things as complex family relationships, their health and personal development. Young people who sometimes struggle with verbal communication are encouraged to express themselves through use of alternative

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Good

methods, such as pictorial aids. Staff are reminded that some young people may need an advocate to help them to get their views across. Managers and staff take a proactive approach to supporting young people in education. This includes practical support with transport and ensuring that young people are well prepared for their school day. An innovative approach is being taken to re-integrating a young person into the organisation’s school, following a period of disruption. This includes relationship building between teachers and the young person, and education-based activities away from the school site. Managers have recognised the need for the young person to have some investment in the school before she is able to engage fully in the classroom. This emphasis on the importance of education has had positive results. A teacher for a young person being educated in local authority provision said, ‘The home is

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Good

doing really well with him. Academically, he is flying, and his social skills have really improved.’ Young people engage in a range of stimulating activities, both at home and in the community. They are encouraged to develop their personal interests and hobbies. One young person said he would like to take more exercise. Staff confirmed that they have encouraged this, by buying him a bicycle for example. The staff on duty during this inspection could not say why the young person does not attend a youth group for young people who have special needs, as he did in the past. Key-working sessions are used by staff to promote healthy lifestyles. Young people are given advice on maintaining good sexual health and on the dangers associated with drugs, alcohol and smoking. Young people’s healthcare plans do not reflect this. For example, one healthcare plan reviewed during the inspection makes no reference to a young person’s substance misuse issues. A potential outcome of this

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Good

is that the young person’s need for support in this area will not be prioritised. The organisation supports young people to access a range of mental health support services. A working arrangement with a local consultancy and a specialist youth support service ensure that young people receive high-quality emotional support in a timely manner. Young people have generally engaged positively with mental health practitioners. The home receives general feedback on how young people are progressing in any therapeutic work that they undertake, and this information is used to review and amend the strategies that care staff adopt when supporting the young people. Shortfalls were identified in the recording and administration of medication. Documentation does not consistently record when a young person refuses to complete a course of prescribed medication. Furthermore, examination of the medications cabinet identified that stock levels of prescribed medication are not

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Good

accurately recorded. No young people have come to harm as a result of these errors. Young people who remain at the home for significant periods begin to learn independence skills that will prepare them for adult life. Managers and staff recognise that detailed planning needs to be undertaken in respect of young people who have special needs, so that they can maximise their potential for independence. One young person has made good progress in understanding the value of money and is being encouraged to budget for the items he wishes to purchase. Staff take great care to ensure that the dignity and respect of young people are not compromised. One member of staff was able to describe how he sensitively manages young people who become intoxicated. The well-being of young people is central to the practice of staff, who manage highly challenging situations in a calm and professional manner. Good planning ensures that young people’s contact with their family members is a

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Good

positive experience. Staff recognise the anxieties that some young people may experience when contact is due. They offer sensitive support and ensure that young people know the arrangements for supervision, location and timescales involved. Young people are consistently given opportunities to discuss their feelings after contact meetings have taken place.

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Good

The need to safeguard young people and protect them from harm underpins practice in the home. The particular vulnerabilities of each young person are understood by staff, and, overall, effective action is taken to keep them safe. Managers and staff work in partnership with placing authority social workers to identify risks and develop strategies to reduce these over time. Staff recognise when young people are in danger of becoming sexually exploited and can identify warning signs that indicate that a young person is at risk. Contact is established with local community resources, such as taxi providers, so that staff can establish whether a young person is travelling to an unsafe area or associating with unknown adults. Relevant information is promptly shared with other professionals, and this helps to ensure that effective risk assessments and strategies are developed. A social worker commented, ‘Staff have a full

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Good

understanding of the risks and have bent over backwards to keep her safe.’ Despite this overall standard of good practice, there has been one incident when staff did not take immediate action to protect a young person. When it came to the attention of staff that a young person was at risk in a nearby park, they tried to contact her by mobile phone, rather than immediately go to her aid. The young person was in a vulnerable position at the time. Later, during the same incident, staff did not effectively assess whether the young person had injuries or ensure that she was medically examined. There is a coordinated response to young people who go missing from the home. Local protocols for reporting missing young people are followed, and the strategies recorded in young people’s risk assessments are implemented in practice. Staff take a proactive approach to locating missing young people and communicate with

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Good

family, when appropriate, and all known associates, to establish the young person’s whereabouts. Missing person reports are comprehensive and detail all actions taken to ensure a young person’s safe return. They also include all information gathered following a missing episode. Managers and staff actively seek to ensure that independent return home interviews are undertaken in a timely manner. Some records indicate that these interviews have been undertaken by the police. The practice manager acknowledged that the police undertake ‘safe and well’ checks when a young person returns from a missing episode, and are not responsible for independent return home interviews. She indicated that steps would be taken to ensure that all staff are aware of the differences between these two interviews. Practice relating to young people who go missing from care is one of the strengths in this home. Staff use key-working sessions to advise young people of the risks

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Good

they face when missing, and young people are referred to specialist youth workers to address these behaviours. In some cases, this has had a positive impact. One young person has reduced the frequency of going missing since being admitted, although incidents remain high. The young person expressed the view that this home has done more to help her reduce missing episodes than any other she has been in. Young people said that they feel safe at the home, and all could name a member of staff whom they would speak to if they had any worries. Some young people are able to reflect on the triggers that have led to their engaging in unsafe behaviour and recounted these to staff. As a result, managers and staff are able to adapt strategies for supporting young people. These take into account how much unsupervised time young people can safely manage and their ability to keep themselves safe when accessing the internet and social media sites. Ultimately, this

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Good

results in young people becoming safer. All young people have individual behaviour management plans, with clear guidance for staff on how to manage challenging situations. A restorative approach to promoting positive behaviour is taken. The number of physical restraints of young people is low. However, in a recent incident, an experienced member of staff who was new to the home initiated a physical intervention before having read the associated risk assessment. This resulted in an inappropriate hold being used on a young person. The registered manager quickly addressed this matter in a supervision session with the member of staff involved. Any child protection concerns are immediately shared with the young person’s allocated social worker. However, no written record was made of the conversation that took place with the social worker for the young person who was inappropriately restrained. The social worker confirmed that information was

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Good

shared verbally. This matter is indicative of inconsistencies in the standard of record-keeping, rather than of a failure to report child protection matters. Any concerns about the practice or conduct of staff members is appropriately shared with the designated person in the local authority. The designated person said, ‘I am absolutely happy with how they communicate. They take advice and then put this into practice.’ This helps to ensure that young people do not come to any harm as a result of sustained poor practice from staff working in the home. Recruitment procedures are thorough and fully explore an applicant’s motivation for wanting to work with vulnerable young people. Background checks are undertaken on staff before they commence working in the home, and these include a full exploration of any gaps in their employment histories. Young people are included in the recruitment process, although their views on a candidate’s

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Good

suitability are not always written down. This further illustrates the need to improve the standard of recording. The home is well maintained, and all domestic appliances and safety equipment are regularly checked. In recognition that one young person may not consistently respond to the fire alarm, personalised evacuation plans have been developed. This approach to health and safety matters ensures that young people live in a safe environment where they are protected from physical harm. Judgement grade

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Requires improvement

The registered manager is relatively new in post. She was registered with Ofsted in August 2016. Prior to this, she had gained significant experience in a senior childcare role within the organisation. She is currently studying for the level 5 diploma in leadership and management for residential childcare. The registered manager was not present during this inspection, but the organisation’s practice manager was present throughout. At the interim inspection in March 2016, it was noted that there had been significant changes in the staff team since the full inspection in September 2015. This situation has not improved. In the last year, eight members of staff have left the home. At the time of this inspection, there were two full-time staff vacancies. In the last two months, two new starters have left the home and subsequently left the organisation. Staff shortages are covered by staff from other homes of the

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Requires improvement

organisation, bank staff and agency staff. This has meant that there have been occasions when no permanent staff from the home have been on duty. Although many of the agency staff work regularly at the home, most are not qualified to national vocational qualification level 3 / diploma level 3 standard. Inconsistent staffing is having a negative impact on young people. Staff feel that a recent deterioration in one young person’s behaviour is attributable to this inconsistency. The young person has expressed fears that staff leave because of him. Although young people are generally making good progress in the home, some are not reaching their full potential. Case records do not consistently contain accurate and up-to-date information. One young person’s file has no current signed local authority placement plan, to evidence the statutory basis for which accommodation is provided. Another file examined during the inspection contained a poorly written health plan. The plan

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Requires improvement

does not acknowledge that parental consent has not been given for the administration of some medication, fails to address the young person’s alcohol and substance misuse and does not refer to the young person often refusing to eat meals provided. Generally, case records are disorganised, making it difficult to quickly identify current plans and strategies applicable to the care of the young person. The practice manager recognised this shortfall and took action to address this during the inspection. Although there are established systems for monitoring the quality of care being delivered, these do not always identify areas for improvement. For example, the registered manager’s monitoring comments on one incident report record that staff had effectively safeguarded a young person. This is despite the fact that staff did not go to her aid immediately, when it was known that she was in a dangerous situation. Quality of care monitoring reports are not always submitted to the

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Requires improvement

regulator in a timely manner, and the standard of these is not consistently high. For example, a recent monitoring report records that there has been inconsistent staffing, but provides no analysis of the impact that this has had on young people. Staff have access to a range of training opportunities focused on developing their knowledge and skills and enabling them to meet the needs of the young people. The majority of staff have completed all mandatory training relating to the safety and well-being of young people. However, not all staff have completed training in relation to supporting young people who have special needs, or those who have alcohol and/or substance misuse issues. This is particularly relevant to the young people currently residing at the home. Other aspects of leadership and management are more effective. Staff report that they receive excellent support and guidance from the registered manager. They

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Requires improvement

receive regular supervision, focused on their practice and development needs. Team meetings are used to analyse the needs of young people and to reflect on the effectiveness of strategies in place to support them. Records indicate that staff make good use of these meetings and are genuinely committed to helping young people to improve their life chances. Since the last full inspection, leaders and managers have introduced a more robust procedure for admitting young people to the home. This includes undertaking an impact assessment to determine the likely effect that new admissions may have on young people already settled in placement. Full use of referral information enhances this process. When new admissions are subsequently observed to be having a negative impact on the established group, swift action is taken to address the situation. Managers and staff build positive working relationships with placing authorities.

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Requires improvement

During this inspection, one authority indicated that it would hope to place a young person back at the home after a period of crisis intervention work. Managers effectively engage all relevant professionals when they have concerns that a young person may not be making sufficient progress, or when they assess a young person to be at significant risk of harm. In one case, this resulted in the placing authority agreeing more stringent boundaries, to reduce risks associated with a particularly vulnerable young person.

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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 children looked after 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 that 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 whom 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

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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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