Children's Home run by My Choice Children’s Homes Limited in West Sussex

Inspection report children’s home: SC390785 1 SC390785 Registered provider: My Choice Children’s Homes Ltd Interim inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This children’s home is owned by a private company. The home is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to four young people who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. The organisation also provides education through its independent school, which is registered with the Department for Education.

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Information about this children’s home

Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged requires improvement to be good at the last full inspection. At the interim inspection, Ofsted judges that it has improved effectiveness.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

This inspection examined progress made on meeting the six requirements and two recommendations made at the last inspection. The inspector also examined the management of the home in the absence of a registered manager, and how the home has improved outcomes for young people.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The six requirements made at the last inspection have been fully addressed.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Current young people have made good to excellent progress with their education attendance and achievements. One young person has achieved 92% attendance, with the manager supporting the young person to aim for 100%. For those young people who Inspection report children’s home: SC390785 2 find education a challenge, or have previously been poor or non-school attendees, the manager works closely with a range of education establishments to agree appropriate introductions back into education. For others, courses with charitable trusts have been sought, with an emphasis on learning semi-independence skills. A good degree of success can be seen as a result of this approach.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The staff, including the manager, respond quickly and effectively to issues that may have an impact on young people attending education. For example, they will meet with school leaders if the young person is being bullied. They have used restorative justice sessions to improve attendance and peer relationships.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

There is now much-improved handling and administration of medication. Records show that all young people take medication as prescribed. Regular reviews of treatment plans are undertaken by medical professionals such as general practitioners and child and adolescent mental health practitioners. Safe staff practice and close scrutiny by the manager have ensured that there have been no errors in medication administration. All medical appointments and follow-up appointments are managed well. The manager reads all letters and emails that relate to medical appointments in order to ensure that no actions are missed.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Systems for gaining feedback from professionals are now more effective. A range of professionals, parents and young people have been contacted for their views and opinions. These are collated by the manager, and responded to if necessary. All of the responses seen were positive about the home’s practices and the management of the home. Feedback is embedded into the manager’s monitoring systems.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The number of missing incidents has decreased significantly since the last inspection. The manager liaises regularly with the local authority’s missing persons team to keep them updated about any increasing risks for the young people. A police officer from the missing persons team visits the home to talk to staff and young people. Reviews of individual risk assessments now provide improved information for staff, so that they know when to report young people as missing and when to record them as late back. Those young people who were here at the last inspection state that the home is much calmer, so they don’t feel the need to abscond. Overall, it is the much-improved atmosphere in the home, consistency from the staff team, happier young people, improved referral and admission processes, and increased communication with other professionals that have led to this significant decrease in missing-from-home episodes.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

An organisational review of referral and admission processes has enabled the manager to take time to make decisions about new admissions. The referral process is more detailed, leading to better-informed decision-making. The manager ensures that local authorities provide the information required at referral stage to enable better decision- making.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The home is now a much-improved environment providing young people with homely accommodation and care that encourage them to succeed. The current mix of young people is good; there is a calm atmosphere that they feel comfortable in. One young Inspection report children’s home: SC390785 3 person was keen to tell the inspector how much the home had changed for the better. The manager and staff have put in place practices that show good parenting skills, for example all young people and staff eat together in the dining room. Staff monitor young people’s food intake to ensure that young people have healthy diets. Staff understand how food can impact on individual behaviours. Staff keep food dairies when required and share them with dieticians. For one young person, this has led to significantly improved behaviour in a very short period of time.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The manager has been very successful in getting young people and staff to stop smoking. His focus is acknowledged by young people. One said, ‘The manager has helped me to stop smoking and see how bad it is for my health. I now go to the gym and aim to get fit.’

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Young people are complimentary about the change in practice in the home. One young person said that without the support of staff he would not be having such positive family contact again, and said, ‘I am very happy about this.’ This change has occurred since the new manager started, which was six months ago.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The manager uses the organisation’s monitoring systems to ensure that all records are completed and kept up to date. He has worked extremely hard to change the practices and atmosphere in the home, and the outcomes for the young people. He attends and leads staff meetings, and carries out regular staff supervisions. This enables him to monitor practice and identify gaps in knowledge. He listens to suggestions from the staff to develop the service further. The staff team is stable and experienced and no one has left since the manager started. Staff undertake the training required to keep them up to date, so that they can meet the young people’s needs. The manager has developed his own knowledge of regulations and management skills. He is completing the level 5 diploma in leadership and management.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

30/05/2017 Full Requires improvement to be good 09/11/2016 Full Good 20/01/2016 Full Good 04/09/2015 Interim Sustained effectiveness

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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 Inspection report children’s home: SC390785 4 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: My Choice Children’s Homes Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Unit 3a, Mill Green Business Estate, Mill Green Road, Haywards Heath RH16 1XQ

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Inspector

Liz Driver, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC390785 5 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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