Children's Home run by The Cuckfield Care Consultancy Limited in West Sussex

Good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

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The children’s home’s provision is good because:

 Staff have realistic aspirations for all young people in their care. As a result, young people make good, and in some cases very good, progress across areas of their lives, including social skills, behaviour management and education.  The staff team builds trusting and positive relationships with the young people. They fully support education attendance and promote the learning of life skills.  The home has experienced some transition and change since the last inspection, including the moving on and admission of young people and the recruitment of a new manager. These changes have been managed well.  Action taken as a result of the last inspection has improved areas such as: de-escalating confrontations with or between young people, helping each young person develop socially aware behaviour, completing robust assessments on the impact of new young people admitted to the home and improved stock control and recording of medication administration.

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The children’s home’s provision is good because:

 The responsible individual and registered manager continually strive to improve the service. The newly registered manager has settled in very well and gained the support of the long-standing staff team.  Young people feel involved in the running of the service and in decision- making. The staff know the young people well, develop positive relationships and treat young people with respect. Young people enjoy the company of the staff team. They feel listened to and that their individual needs are met. Comprehensive personalised learning and support plans guide staff on how to provide the best possible care.  Safeguarding is well managed. Good collaborative multi-agency working, a challenge at times, has resulted in improved practices, such as successfully implementing local authority engagement in completing return interviews in relation to missing incidents.

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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

After consultation with the fire and rescue authority, the registered person must ensure, by means of fire drills and practices at suitable intervals, that the persons working at the home and, so far as reasonably practicable, children are aware of the procedure to be followed in case of a fire. (Regulation 25 (1)(d)) This relates specifically to the consistent recording of the effectiveness of fire evacuation drills. 28/02/2107

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must review the appropriateness and suitability of the location of the premises used for the purpose of the children’s home at least once in each calendar year taking into account the requirement in 12 (2)(c) (the protection of children standard). (Regulation 46 (1)) This relates specifically to the inclusion of the risk of radicalisation. 28/02/2107

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further, the service should take account of the following recommendation:  Staff should be familiar with the home’s polices on record-keeping and understand the importance of careful, objective, and clear recording. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4) This relates specifically to ensuring that paper records are fully and consistently written and handwriting is legible.

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Information about this children’s home

This private children’s home is registered to accommodate six children and young people of either sex. The home accommodates children and young people with emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 11/02/2016 Interim Declined in effectiveness 27/10/2015 Full Good 16/03/2015 Interim Improved effectiveness 16/06/2014 Full Good

p.5

Good

Young people are helped to make good progress at the home. Staff build trusting and positive relationships with the young people and are committed to providing a very good standard of care. The staff team is competent in providing support, guidance and understanding that helps young people explore their difficult feelings and behaviours safely. As a result, young people have improved their levels of self- esteem and confidence.

p.6

Good

The quality of relationships between young people and staff is a real strength of the home. These excellent relationships play an important role in the young people significantly decreasing their risk-taking behaviours, such as criminal activity and also reducing the length of the periods they are missing from the home. The atmosphere in the home is calm and relaxed with mutual respect and understanding of individual difficulties and different cultural needs. When issues arise, staff remind young people of how to behave and are mindful to help them resolve their differences in the best way possible. For instance by allowing time and space and mediating appropriate discussions and resolutions. The behaviour of young people towards staff and each other is generally very good, which results in a home that feels safe and caring.

p.6

Good

The day-to-day experiences of young people are extremely good. Staff are confident, knowledgeable and understanding of the individual needs of the young people. For example, morning and afternoon handover meetings take place each day between staff going off and coming on shift. These meetings keep staff up to date with events, with the emotional well-being of each young person the primary concern. This means that young people receive consistent messages and care.

p.6

Good

The staff team works in a very non-discriminatory manner and respects differences and diversity. As a result, all young people find a way of living together in an environment of acceptance.

p.6

Good

Staff successfully engage young people in expressing their views, opinions and wishes. Regular house meetings ensure that they can directly influence the running of the home, such as by contributing to menu planning and choice of activities. Allowances for activities, clothing and toiletries are very suitable and young people are encouraged to budget as part of their life-skills learning.

p.6

Good

Young people know how to complain, with details contained within the young person’s guide. House meetings, key-work sessions, care questionnaires and the availability of advocacy services provide young people with numerous opportunities to express how they feel. As a result, young people have not made any complaints since the last inspection.

p.6

Good

Care planning is strong, with the individual needs of young people at the forefront of assessment and review. Detailed assessments ensure that their physical, behavioural, social and emotional needs are addressed. External professional advice and guidance in relation to health, educational and mental well-being enhance care planning. Staff follow the care plans in practice, with regular reviews evaluating their effectiveness and impact. This means that the needs of the young people are addressed consistently over the course of their stay.

p.7

Good

The young people have their physical and medical health care needs met well. Robust plans highlight the specific areas of need and how these will be addressed. These include self-harm and sexual health as well as specific medical conditions. The role of the key worker is central to the way that care is provided, for example in taking a lead in ensuring that all routine appointments are completed. Ongoing monitoring and auditing of medication administration practices continues to ensure safe practice.

p.7

Good

The support provided to young people to improve their emotional health is very effective. The staff work closely with specialist mental health professionals in the community. They develop and implement effective strategies that improve the emotional well-being of each young person. This has led to a reduction in crisis behaviours, self-harm and violence. When young people are distressed, staff intervene sensitively to help them cope.

p.7

Good

Young people are able to keep in touch with those who are important to them. Contact arrangements are confirmed at the point of admission to ensure that any restrictions are known and planned for. Young people can easily contact family and friends via the home’s telephones, and all young people have personal mobile phones. The staff provide support for contact sessions when necessary and welcome families to the home.

p.7

Good

The home provides the young people with a good standard of accommodation, which is maintained well. Bedrooms are appropriately furnished and comfortable, with young people being encouraged to personalise them. Photographs of the young people’s involvement in group holidays provide nice touches. Judgement grade

p.7

Good

Children’s safety is a key focus at the home. Policies, procedures and practices help staff to protect children from harm and abuse, and in lessening their potential for actual abusive and harmful behaviours. The registered manager and staff have a thorough understanding of the particular risks associated with each young person. They are competent in following the correct referral procedures, if required. All concerns are shared with the relevant safeguarding agency and related professionals.

p.8

Good

All staff receive child protection training, which also covers specific areas such as sexual exploitation and e-safety. Safeguarding is an agenda item for staff meetings, during which staff can raise concerns. The registered manager delivers different safeguarding scenarios at each staff meeting for discussion and debate. This ensures that all staff are kept up to date and are well informed in identifying and managing allegations or concerns.

p.8

Good

Young people say that they feel ‘safe’ in their home. Most of them make good progress in reducing their risk-taking behaviours. The level of progress for a number of young people is extremely good given their starting points. The work undertaken by staff with external professionals in relation to sexual exploitation and criminal behaviour is organised and generally effective.

p.8

Good

Safe, organised and age-appropriate access to the internet is in place. The staff support the young people to understand the risks associated with all forms of social media. There have been no incidents or concerns. The staff are consistent in applying the safe rules of internet use.

p.8

Good

Behaviour management systems ensure that the young people are safely supported. A calm and skilled approach, together with good staffing levels, successfully defuses any evolving incidents. Risk assessments inform and support the staff to implement effective behaviour management strategies. Behaviour management plans are detailed and continually reviewed. Staff are able to identify triggers and amend strategies that are put in place to meet the changing challenges that young people may present with. Overall, and for the current young people, challenging and risky behaviours have decreased significantly over a short period of time.

p.8

Good

Recruitment procedures are thorough and all appropriate measures are taken to ensure that adults who are employed at the home are suitable for work with young people and have the commitment to caring for them. As a result, young people are cared for by skilled practitioners who really do care about them. Health and safety checks are taken seriously, and regular checks ensure that the home is safe for young people and staff. Routine checks of fire equipment and regular fire evacuations mean that young people and the staff know what action to take in the event of a fire. Recording of the effectiveness of fire evacuation drills is not consistent and needs improving. All other health and safety checks are well organised and recorded.

p.8

Good

The home’s location risk assessment meets the required standard except for the inclusion of consideration to the risk of radicalisation.

p.9

Good

A new manager commenced in July 2016 and successfully registered in early December 2016. She is well equipped to fulfil the role as manager and has quickly settled in, gaining the respect and support of the staff team. She has suitable care qualifications and is currently undertaking a level 5 diploma in leadership and management. She has much experience in education and life-skills learning for those young people previously not in school, education or employment.

p.9

Good

The registered manager is supported by an experienced responsible individual who provides leadership and guidance. Together they provide a cohesive and consistent approach to running the home. When necessary, partner agencies are challenged to ensure that young people receive the services they require and deserve. For example the registered manager has worked hard to get local authorities to commit to carrying out return home interviews for young people following missing incidents.

p.9

Good

The staff feel well supported and say that the registered manager is a very good role model who has quickly created an environment that provides challenge and recognition. There is a real sense of effective teamwork in a calm atmosphere. The staff receive a wide range of good-quality training and regular supervision, delivered by senior carers and the deputy manager. Staff say that the quality of supervision is good. Records in general are well maintained. However, some paper records are illegible due to poor handwriting, for example physical intervention records. In addition, they are not always completed in a consistent manner.

p.9

Good

The promotion of equality and diversity is embedded within the culture of the service. There is an ethos of openness and acceptance. Young people feel safe to explore their personal beliefs, and are challenged about their attitudes and behaviours if this is necessary. Monitoring and auditing systems are well established and detailed. Reports, as a result of quality of care visits, are detailed and enable the registered manager to monitor the care provided and act on any recommendations made. Feedback from professionals included, ‘The home communicates very well and is always welcoming and fully focused on the young people they care for.’

p.9

Good

The home’s statement of purpose is kept under review, and is amended to reflect changing circumstances and practice developments. It is an accurate and informative description of the service provided.

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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 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, work- based learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It inspects services for children looked after 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

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted

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