Children's Home run by West Sussex County Council in West 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 judges that it has sustained effectiveness.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

At the full inspection carried out in October 2016 three requirements and two recommendations were made. Written consents from those with parental responsibility for the use of monitoring or surveillance methods are in place and are also being gained from social workers at each placement review meeting. The home’s statement of purpose now contains details regarding how staff are trained in the chosen methods of restraint and how their competency is assessed. Recruitment checks undertaken by the registered manager now ensure all questions asked of a referee are fully completed, or chased. Therefore all requirements made are met.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The recommendation made regarding six-monthly quality assurance reports is to be assessed by the regulator when completed in February 2017. This is to ensure it contains more detail of the planning and the manager’s vision for the home’s future. The registered manager is currently working on the report which is due to be completed in the next two months.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The registered manager has also reviewed the home’s risk assessment to include the risk to young people of radicalisation presented by the home’s location. As a result, young people need to have specific individual risk of radicalisation assessments in place. This will enhance the safeguarding of the vulnerable young people.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The home continues to provide a very positive experience for young people during their respite stays. The staff team show commitment and sensitive care which adds to the overall experience for young people and ease of mind for their families, knowing their children are well looked after, safe and having fun. Many compliments are received, and no complaints have been received since the last inspection.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Safeguarding continues to be a high priority, with appropriate referrals made, good liaison with external safeguarding agencies, and close communication with other services young people may access. The staff team are trained, experienced and supported to safely manage challenging behaviours young people may exhibit, such as biting, scratching and pinching. Risk assessments and behaviour management plans provide effective strategies for staff to follow. The service uses body maps, that are completed at the start of, during, and end of each stay. This ensures any concerning marks are identified and appropriately referred.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The service continues to be effectively managed, offering a very good standard of short break care. The home offered a calming environment with staff preparing for young people to arrive. The service continues to meets its aims; providing a safe, warm environment and welcoming atmosphere centred around young people’s needs, providing care and a range of activities and experiences that enable young people to develop, and supporting young people to remain with their families and carers within their local communities. The home’s statement of purpose does not fully provide its aims and objectives for long term placements.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The home has many strengths plus areas for improvement; some already being addressed. The registered manager is working with the new service manager and the registered manager of the other respite service to develop the services, improve practices and plan for the future. The sharing of ideas and practices will ensure consistency and enable the respite services to develop together. This includes the general environment and how it continues to meet the needs of young people and also future development to ensure it continues to provide a nurturing and stimulating environment.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

A current review of areas including facilities and maintenance is being carried out. This is needed as the service still suffers from poor response times to requests for maintenance. It is noted that following the inspection the day-to-day maintenance issues waiting to be actioned were commenced with a sense of priority. Managers are aware of the need to ensure the service continues to provide a nurturing and stimulating environment by investing in the fabric of the home, its resources and future planning.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Areas that have seen investment since the last inspection include; a new car that is unidentifiable and of a good size, new kitchen appliances and the recruitment of a cook. An area that has improved is the very recent re-location of the medication cupboard so the administering member of staff can undertake this task in an area with little distraction. Auditing of medication is carried out regularly and systems are in place for the impact of the re-location to be analysed over the coming months.

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Information about this children's home

The home is registered to accommodate five children of either gender, aged between six- and 17-years-old, who have a moderate or severe learning disability. The service mainly provides short-stay respite care. It can also provide full-time care and accommodation in exceptional circumstances. The home is operated by the local authority.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 12/10/2016 Full Good 19/01/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness 28/07/2015 Full Good 24/03/2015 Interim Sustained effectiveness

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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 within the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

12 (1) The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe. (2) In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure- (a) that staff (1) assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the child’s relevant plans, and, if necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child.

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Requirement Due date

This relates specifically to assessing individual risk of radicalisation as a result of the recently reviewed location risk assessment. 30/02/2017 The registered person must complete in relation to the children’s home a statement of purpose (‘the statement of purpose’) which covers the matters listed in schedule 1 (Regulation 16(1)(2))

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Requirement Due date

This relates specifically to the aims and objectives of long term placements, rather than just respite care, they may from time to time accommodate. 15/02/17

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Requirement Due date

12 (1) The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe. (2) in particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure (d) that the premises used for the purpose of the home are designed, furnished and maintained so as to protect each child from avoidable hazards to the child’s health.

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Requirement Due date

This relates specifically to ensuring maintenance issues are addressed in a timely manner and the home continues to develop as a nurturing and stimulating environment for young people. 30/03/2017.

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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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