Children's home run by West Sussex County Council

Interim inspection report children’s home: SC037452 1 SC037452 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

The home is owned and run by the local authority. It is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to six children and young people who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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Judgement at last inspection: good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged good at the last full inspection. At the interim inspection, Ofsted judges that it has sustained effectiveness.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Two young people have moved on from the home since the last inspection. Both were planned moves, one to semi-independence and the other returning home, with a supporting residential school placement. The home liaised effectively with the new placements to ensure smooth transitions. One young person has moved into the home since the last inspection. This was well planned. However, there have been some concerns regarding the relationships and dynamics in the home in recent months. The manager and staff are working cohesively as a team to minimise the negative impact that young people have on each other. Regular meetings with child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) staff have enabled reflective discussion among members of the staff team and proactive responses to concerning behaviour. There is minimal use of physical intervention, and records of these interventions are effectively monitored by the registered manager. The staff primarily use restorative approaches to

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

address unwanted behaviour. However, the practice of using financial sanctions, including young people having multiple financial sanctions for purposely damaging Interim inspection report children’s home: SC037452 2 property or unnecessarily using taxis, needs review. The repetition of these sanctions suggests that they are not changing the behaviour effectively.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Young people continue to make progress while living in the home. They have strong and often nurturing relationships with the consistent staff team. Staff have a good understanding of young people’s individual needs and work closely with partner agencies, such as social workers, education and CAMHS, to help provide individualised care that meets these needs.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

All young people who live in the home attend education as planned. Staff remain in contact with education staff to ensure that young people are coping, particularly those who have moved on to college from supportive secondary schools. Any concerns are swiftly noted, and key workers arrange for extra support where possible, and spend time with young people helping them to understand how they can manage the college environment. One young person attends a local primary school and has developed a positive friendship group. She was particularly enthusiastic about her time at school.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff have a good understanding of safeguarding and child protection, and know how to raise any concerns they may have. Three concerns have been reported to the designated officer, two of which concerned adults not directly connected to the home. The manager has taken appropriate action about these concerns. There is ambiguity in the practice concerning repetitive allegations linked to a young person’s predictable behaviour. While investigated in-house, there is no agreement with the social worker and designated officer regarding how they would like these allegations to be reported and recorded.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Young people on occasion go missing from care. Episodes of young people going missing are well responded to. Staff will always seek to locate young people, and contact the police as needed.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Since the last inspection, a new registered manager has come into post. He has many years’ experience working in the home at a senior level. He utilises the independent person’s regulation 44 reports in his monitoring and evaluation of the home, and is in the process of completing his own evaluation of the service (regulation 45). The home is continuing to develop staff skills through a programme of training and, as mentioned, sessions with the CAMHS worker. The homeliness of the environment continues to improve. There has been a programme of redecoration, and there are plans to improve the exterior of the home to make it look more domestic in appearance. Young people have been involved in maintaining the vegetable patches and are looking forward to the planned arrival of chickens, which they will help to look after.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The one requirement and three recommendations set at the last inspection have all been met. The statement of purpose has been updated and reflects the service that is currently being provided. Young people’s in-house plans are now much more reflective of their identity and culture. A great deal of consideration has been given to how young people express themselves, whether they understand their identity and which popular culture, if any, they identify with. The staff who have been employed since the last Interim inspection report children’s home: SC037452 3 inspection have a full range of pre-employment checks, and there is clear recording of references being verified, and by whom. Finally, supervision is now more regular, and is an effective and professionally challenging experience for staff.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

11/07/2017 Full Good 23/11/2016 Full Requires improvement 21/09/2016 Full Inadequate 23/02/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness

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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, 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 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 have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm; understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person; take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare. (Regulation 12 (1)(2)(a)(iii)(v)(vi))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that there are records of any action taken in response to a young person making a disclosure of any form of abuse or harm. 08/03/2018

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Recommendations

 Staff should understand factors that affect children’s motivation to behave in a socially acceptable way. Staff should encourage an enthusiasm for positive behaviour through the use of positive behaviour strategies in line with the child’s Interim inspection report children’s home: SC037452 4 relevant plans. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 39, paragraph 8.13). In particular, if a young person is not responding to a sanction, consider what else can be implemented to modify their behaviour.

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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: West Sussex County Council

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Children’s home details

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

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Inspector

Jennie Christopher, social care inspector Interim inspection report children’s home: SC037452 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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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