Children's home run by West Sussex County Council

Inspection report children’s home: SC037423 1 SC037423 Registered provider: West Sussex County Council Interim inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This secure children’s home is managed by a local authority. It is approved by the Department for Education to restrict young people’s liberty. The children’s home can accommodate up to seven young people who are aged between 10 and 17 years and accommodated under section 25 of the Children Act 1989. Admission of any young person under section 25 of the Children Act 1989 who is under 13 years of age requires the approval of the Secretary of State. Education is provided on site in dedicated facilities. The commissioning of health services in this home is the statutory responsibility of NHS England under the Health and Social Care Act 2012.

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Information about this children’s home

Judgement at last inspection: Inadequate

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged inadequate at the last full inspection. At this interim inspection, the home was not judged.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The home has not provided care and accommodation for young people since October 2016. This inspection focuses on whether the children’s home meets its statutory requirements in order to maintain its registration and is ready to accept placements. Inspection report children’s home: SC037423 2 Ofsted inspected the home in June 2016 and again in October 2016. On both occasions the service was judged inadequate. Inspectors raised 16 requirements. Three recommendations were raised that related to safety, welfare and care, and a further seven recommendations related to education. The recommendations relating to the education provision will be assessed at the first full inspection that takes place after the home admits young people. The local authority voluntarily restricted accommodation in October 2016 and there have been no admissions of young people since this time.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Planned building works commenced in January 2017. Ofsted conducted a monitoring visit in March 2017. The purpose of this visit was to review progress against the requirements and recommendations raised at the previous inspection and to review the ongoing building work. At that time, delays to building work and to the refurbishment of the environment meant that the service was not able to re-open. As a result, Ofsted extended the timescales for completion dates relating to the requirements raised at the last inspection.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

At this interim inspection, the home remains non-operational. As a result, no judgement is given. As part of this inspection, inspectors have reviewed progress made to address the requirements and recommendations set at the full inspection in October 2016.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The registered manager is currently absent from the service. An acting interim manager remains in day-to-day charge of the home, though has yet to register with Ofsted. The acting interim manager and local authority senior managers continue to review and revise operational policies and procedures. Revised policies and procedures relating to risk assessment and management, single separation, searching, safeguarding and child protection, and medication administration are now in place. Furthermore, revised internal recording systems relating to the use of physical restraint and sanctions provide for staff to be able to detail all necessary information. These improvements will help to better protect young people and promote their safety. The acting interim manager continues to develop these internal recording systems and monitoring tools. This will enable all managers and staff to better record progress, events and incidents, and

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

evaluate the impact on positive outcomes for young people.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The registered person and managers continue to assess and evaluate staff skills, performance, practice and abilities. Consultation and discussion remain central to this process. Members of staff say that they benefit from regular, practice-focused and formal supervision sessions. Since the monitoring visit in March 2017, the local authority has recruited a number of new staff. Induction and training programmes reflect the uniqueness of this secure children’s home and the skills and knowledge that staff need to work with young people who have complex needs and are challenging and vulnerable. Prioritising staff support, supervision and development helps staff to recognise and understand accountability and their responsibilities for young people’s welfare and safety.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Partnership working arrangements between the care, health and education teams continue to develop. Managers have established multi-disciplinary meetings. These promote open and purposeful discussions about how best to support young people when Inspection report children’s home: SC037423 3 they are in placement and as they prepare for discharge. This collaboration is central to the proposed culture and ethos in the home. If successful, this will mean that young people receive comprehensive and integrated care and support to promote their progress.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The building work and internal refurbishment are nearing completion. As stated at the monitoring visit, the management group and staff team have made notable improvements to the service. However, because the home remains non-operational it is not yet possible to evaluate the impact that these changes will have on young people’s safety and welfare, or on the quality of care provided.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

04/10/2016 Full Inadequate 28/06/2016 Full Inadequate 26/01/2016 Interim Improved effectiveness 07/07/2015 Full Good

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered person(s) must take to meet the Care Standards Act 2000, the 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

The quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children; and use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed and furnished so as to— 04/12/2017 Inspection report children’s home: SC037423 4 meet the needs of each child. (Regulation 6(1)(a)(b)(2)(c)(i)) The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure that staff—

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Requirement Due date

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. This specifically relates to the need for individual risk assessments, relating to the use of single separation, to include the frequency of observation checks linked to procedures pertaining to this measure of control. (Regulation 12(1)(2)(a)(i)(ii)(vi)) 04/12/2017

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Requirement Due date

The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure that—

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Requirement Due date

the home’s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm. This is with specific reference to the use of searches and the recording of searches, and how and when ligature cutters are checked and verified as fit for purpose. (Regulation 12(1)(2)(b)) 04/12/2017

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Requirement Due date

The leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and promotes their welfare.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff work as a team where appropriate; ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child; ensure that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child; ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child; 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 04/12/2017 Inspection report children’s home: SC037423 5 use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13(1)(a)(b)(2)(b)(c)(d)(e)(f)(h)) The care planning standard is that children receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home; and have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure that arrangements are in place to—

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Requirement Due date

manage and review the placement of each child in the home. (Regulation 14(1)(a)(b)(2)(b)) 04/12/2017

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must keep the statement of purpose under review and, where appropriate, revise it; and notify HMCI of any revisions and send HMCI a copy of the revised statement within 28 days of the revision. (Regulation 16(3)(a)(b)) 04/12/2017

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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)) 04/12/2017

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety. If an individual is employed by a person other than the registered person to work at the home in a position in which the individual may have regular contact with children, the registered person may only allow that individual to work at the home if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3). The requirements are that full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2. (Regulation 32(1)(2)(b)(3)(d)) 04/12/2017

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that each employee completes an appropriate induction; and the registered person must ensure that all employees undertake appropriate continuing professional development, receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience, and have their performance and fitness to perform their roles appraised at least once every year. (Regulation 33(1)(a)(4)(a)(b)(c)) 04/12/2017

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must prepare and implement a policy which is intended to safeguard children accommodated in the children’s home from abuse or neglect, and sets out the procedure to be followed in the event of an allegation of abuse or neglect. This specifically relates to the implementation of this policy. (Regulation 34(1)(a)(b)) 04/12/2017

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must keep under review and, as necessary, revise the home’s child protection policies. This is with specific reference to the incorporating arrangements to fulfil the local authority’s responsibilities under the Counter- 04/12/2017 Inspection report children’s home: SC037423 6 Terrorism and Security Act 2015 and the government’s ‘Prevent’ duty guidance. (Regulation 34(6)) The registered person must keep the behaviour management policy under review and, where appropriate, revise it. The registered person must ensure that, within 24 hours of the use of a measure of control, discipline or restraint in relation to a child in the home, a record is made which includes all required information. (Regulation 35(2)(3)(a)(i–viii)) 04/12/2017

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that a record is made of any complaint, the action taken in response, and the outcome of any investigation. (Regulation 39(3)) 04/12/2017

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there. (Regulation 40(4)(c)) 04/12/2017

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must establish and maintain a system for monitoring, reviewing and evaluating the quality of care provided for children, the feedback and opinions of children about the children’s home, its facilities and the quality of care they receive in it, and any actions that the registered person considers necessary in order to improve or maintain the quality of care provided for children. (Regulation 45(2)(a)(b)(c)) 04/12/2017

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Requirement Due date

Except in the case of an emergency or unforeseen absence, a notice under paragraph (1) must specify with respect to the proposed absence, and in the case of the absence of the registered manager, the arrangements that have been, or are proposed to be, made for appointing another person to manage the home during the absence. (Regulation 48(2)(b)(v)) 04/12/2017

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Recommendations

 Ensure that the children’s home is a nurturing and supportive environment that meets the needs of children, and is a homely and domestic environment. In particular, ensure that settees and chairs are in good condition and free from stains, and that all windows have curtains or blinds, which fit correctly. (‘Guide to the children’s home regulations including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9)  Ensure that the children’s home produces a children’s guide. The children’s guide must be made available to all children when their placement in the home is agreed (or on arrival at the home if the placement is made in an emergency) and must be age appropriate, provided in an accessible format and explained to each child to make sure that they understand it. (‘Guide to the children’s home regulations including the quality standards’, page 24, paragraph 4.21)  Ensure that any sanctions used to address poor behaviour are restorative in

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Recommendations

nature, to help children to recognise the impact of their behaviour on themselves, other children, the staff caring for them and the wider community. In some Inspection report children’s home: SC037423 7 cases, it will be important for children to make reparation in some form to anyone hurt by their behaviour, and the staff in the home should be skilled to support the child to understand this and carry it out. (‘Guide to the children’s home regulations including the quality standards’, page 46, paragraph 9.38)

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people. Inspectors considered the quality of work and the differences made to the lives of children and young people. They watched how professional staff work with children and young people and each other and discussed the effectiveness of help and care provided. Wherever possible, they talked to children and 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.

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Information about this inspection

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

Using the ‘Social care common inspection framework’, this inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000 to assess the effectiveness of the service, how it meets the core functions of the service as set out in legislation, 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’.

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: West Sussex County Council, Director of Social Services, County Hall, Tower Street, Chichester, West Sussex PO19 1QT

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Inspector(s)

Jo Stephenson, social care inspector, lead Paul Taylor, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC037423 8 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, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector(s)

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Inspector(s)

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Inspector(s)

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

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