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 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

Although the home received an overall judgement of good at the full inspection in September 2016, the impact and effectiveness of leaders and managers required improvement. Action has been taken to address most aspects of the seven requirements that were made at the full inspection. With regard to the four recommendations that were also made, three have been adequately addressed.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Generally, staff ensure that young people are kept safe and are not at risk of being harmed. At the full inspection in September 2016, it became apparent that on one occasion staff had not acted immediately to protect a young person who was in imminent danger. There have been no similar occurrences. However, no evidence could be found at this inspection to show that this issue had been discussed in team meetings, or in individual staff supervisions, following the inspection. It was therefore not possible to determine what steps leaders and managers have taken to avoid a similar incident occurring in the future.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Recently, there was an incident in which leaders and managers did not follow the organisation’s child protection policy in relation to the management of allegations made against staff. The policy states that the designated officer in the local authority will be consulted when an allegation is made. This process was not followed. Furthermore, there has been no investigation into an allegation that has been made twice by a young person.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff are familiar with the vulnerabilities of each young person. These vulnerabilities are reflected in their care plans and individual risk assessments. There are clear strategies for minimising the potential for young people to come to harm.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Significant progress has been made in relation to staffing in the home. There is now a full team of permanently employed staff. This ensures that young people benefit from consistency and continuity of care. Leaders and managers are making contingency plans to avoid staff shortages in the future. The registered manager is particularly skilled in identifying the strengths and weaknesses of individual team members. There has also been some improvement regarding the way in which leaders and managers monitor the quality of care that is being delivered. Quality of care monitoring reports are now more evaluative and there is more analysis of how the quality of care that is provided affects young people in the home. The registered manager’s monitoring of significant events, such as physical restraints of young people, is thorough. Although there have been improvements, monitoring systems are not yet fully effective. Leaders and managers did not identify that an allegation

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

against staff had not been reported to the designated person. The registered manager did not act upon comments that were made in an independent visitor’s report. These comments gave a clear indication that some staff are not familiar with the role of an independent advocate and are not aware of the fact that it is a young person’s right to decide whether or not they wish to access an advocacy service.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Action has been taken to ensure that physical restraint of young people is only practised within the legislative framework. Young people’s risk assessments now give a clearer indication of which physical restraint holds may be used. The number of physical restraints is low, and the recording of such incidents is detailed.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The recording and administration of prescribed medication has improved. Stock levels are accurately recorded. One minor recording error, which related to the administration of medication, was identified. The young person did not come to any harm as a result of the error. The home will shortly be introducing a new procedure for the management of prescribed medication, following consultation with a reputable pharmacy.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Young people’s case records now contain the required documentation. The case record for a young person, who was admitted to the home following the inspection in September 2016, contains a signed local authority placement plan. This plan clearly states the statutory provision under which accommodation is being provided.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

At the inspection in September 2016, a recommendation was made in relation to ensuring that agency staff have a recognised qualification. This has not yet been achieved. In recent months there has been a significant decrease in the frequency of agency staff working in the home. However, not all of the agency staff who have worked in the home were qualified to do so.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The home is settled and provides a nurturing environment for the young people. This is partly attributable to the careful planning that took place before the recent admission of a new young person. This ensured that there was minimum disruption and resulted in the development of positive peer relationships. Staff have the skills to meet the varied needs of the young people. Action is taken to ensure that the staff’s training is kept up to date.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Young people have good access to a range of specialist resources to meet their needs. Their engagement with these services is good. Consequently, the emotional well-being of young people is improving. One young person has significantly reduced the level of unsafe behaviours that they demonstrated in previous care placements.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Overall, young people are making excellent progress, particularly in relation to their educational engagement and academic progress. One young person is making good progress in terms of communication and independent life skills. With the support of staff, he has achieved this while managing disappointments in other areas of his life. Young people build positive relationships with staff and benefit from the high standard of care that they receive from skilled practitioners.

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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 28/09/2016 Full Good 23/03/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness 23/09/2015 Full Good 13/02/2015 Interim Improved effectiveness

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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 with the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

In order to meet the protection of children standard, with particular reference to following the child protection policy when an allegation against a member of staff is made, the registered person must ensure that staff:

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Requirement Due date

12(2)(a)(vii) are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies. 17/04/2017

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Requirement Due date

7: The children’s views, wishes and feelings standard

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Requirement Due date

In order to meet the children’s views, wishes and feelings standard, specifically in relation to informing children about advocacy services, the registered person must ensure that an explanation is given to each child about:

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Requirement Due date

7(2)(d)(iii) what advocacy support or services are available to the child, how the child may access that support or those services and any entitlement that the child may have to independent advocacy provision. 17/04/2017

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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 records are kept of the administration of all medication. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 35, paragraph 7.15)

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Recommendations

Specifically, ensure that the administration of medication is always recorded in the administration logbook.

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Recommendations

 The registered person should support staff to gain skills and experience that enable them to actively support each child to achieve their potential. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 52, paragraph 10.5)

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Recommendations

In particular, ensure that staff are provided with opportunities to develop their practice following an inspection by the regulator.

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Recommendations

 Ensure that all staff in a care role, including external agency or bank staff, have attained 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)

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Recommendations

 The registered person should make the best use of information from independent and internal monitoring (including under regulations 44 and 45) to ensure that there is continuous improvement. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 55, paragraph 10.24)

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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 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 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 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

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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