Children's home run by My Choice Children’s Homes Limited in Mid Sussex

Inspection report for children‟s home - monitoring visit: SC426530 1 SC426530

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My Choice Children’s Homes Ltd

Monitoring visit Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The service can accommodate up to three children who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. Children can access the on-site school. The home is one of nine children‟s homes operated by a private company.

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This monitoring visit

The monitoring visit took place as a result of concerns that were discussed at a complex strategy meeting held on 14 March 2018, which was attended by an Ofsted regulatory inspection manager. Further concerns arose as a result of notifications received about incidents that have occurred at the home.

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This monitoring visit

The registered manager and area manager were present throughout the visit but were supporting the staff team in managing extremely high levels of challenging behaviours exhibited by one child.

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This monitoring visit

During the monitoring visit, inspectors were concerned that placement decision- making had adversely affected the safety and well-being of the children. One child had been admitted to the home on the day the referral information was received. Despite a senior manager in the organisation expressing significant concerns about the suitability of the placement, and in the absence of the registered manager, the child was still admitted. An impact risk assessment was not completed until five days after the child was admitted. After coming to live at the home, the child had numerous missing incidents, one of which was for a considerable time period, and other children in the home went missing with him on occasion. The placement did not provide stability and was ended after a short period of time.

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This monitoring visit

Another child was admitted following an emergency referral and at a time when the core staff team was depleted due to resignations, ill health and investigations into allegations. The organisation was aware of concerns raised about the home and its Inspection report for children‟s home - monitoring visit: SC426530 2 practices by the host authority and police force. A poor-quality impact risk assessment failed to take into account the recent concerns raised by the police regarding the location of the home. The assessment did not demonstrate a good enough understanding of the likely impact of children‟s behaviour on each other. The period between receiving the referral, agreeing the placement, and the child moving into the home did not allow sufficient time for the registered manager to ensure that suitable and effective behaviour management strategies were in place. The risk assessment failed to consider whether there were a sufficient number of

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This monitoring visit

experienced staff members available to meet the child‟s high level of needs. The child was extremely unsettled and exhibiting very challenging behaviours.

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This monitoring visit

Senior leaders failed to recognise the significant impact the prevailing staffing arrangements would have on the staff team‟s ability to provide safe and competent care for all of the children. No clear strategy or plan was presented or described to the inspectors to demonstrate that such significant issues had been considered.

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This monitoring visit

During the visit, it was clear that the staff team was unable to safely manage the high levels of challenging behaviours being exhibited by one child. Plans to manage behaviours did not reflect the need for managers to be available to give staff who did not know the children well direction and guidance. Inspectors had to remind the registered manager and senior manager of their priority to support staff and manage the impact of low core-team staffing.

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This monitoring visit

The designated officer from the local authority had raised concerns about the manager‟s competency to undertake investigations into allegations against staff. The registered manager and designated officer were meeting to review one investigation, following further information being requested. Senior leaders had failed to show good oversight of investigation reports or to identify the need for additional training or support for the manager to fulfil this duty to external agencies‟ expected standards.

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This monitoring visit

At the last inspection, carried out in December 2017, two requirements and one recommendation were made. These were in relation to addressing the movement of staff between individual homes within the organisation to allow for maximum consistency of care; improving the young people‟s involvement in drawing up their care plans and risk assessments; and undertaking a formal analysis of referrals and admissions and the impact these have on placement stability.

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This monitoring visit

The home has failed to address the movement of staff and undertake a formal analysis of admissions and referrals. The involvement of young people in drawing up their care plans and risk assessments was not looked at during this visit. Inspection report for children‟s home - monitoring visit: SC426530 3

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 07/12/2017 Full Good 01/11/2016 Full Good 07/09/2016 Full Inadequate 27/01/2016 Interim Declined in effectiveness Inspection report for children‟s home - monitoring visit: SC426530 4

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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 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 staff—

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Requirement Due date

protect and promote each child‟s welfare;

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Requirement Due date

provide personalised care that meets each child‟s need, as recorded in the child‟s relevant plans, taking account of the child‟s background.

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Requirement Due date

that the care is delivered by a person who has the experience, knowledge and skills to deliver that care. (Regulation 6 (2)(b)(ii)(iv)(3)(b)(c)(i)) 23/05/2018

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must complete a review of the quality of care provided for children (“a quality of care review”) at least every six months.

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Requirement Due date

In order to complete a quality of care review the registered person must establish and maintain a system for monitoring, reviewing and evaluating any actions that the registered person considers necessary in order to improve or maintain the quality of care provided for children. (Regulation 45 (2)(c)) 23/05/2018

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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. 23/05/2018 Inspection report for children‟s home - monitoring visit: SC426530 5 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;

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Requirement Due date

manage relationships between children to prevent them from harming each other;

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Requirement Due date

that the premises used for the purpose of the home are located so that children are effectively safeguarded. (Regulation 12 (2)(a)(i)(iv)(c)) *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 have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home‟s workforce provides continuity of care to each child;

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Requirement Due date

understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experience of each child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b)(2)(c)(d)(e)(f)) 23/05/2018

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Requirement Due date

The registered manager must undertake such continuing professional development as is necessary to ensure that the registered manager has the skills needed for managing the home. (Regulation 29 (4))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, this is in relation to undertaking good-quality investigation work that meets external safeguarding agencies‟ expected standards. 23/05/2018

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Requirement Due date

*These requirements are subject to a compliance notice. Inspection report for children‟s home - monitoring visit: SC426530 6

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Information about this inspection

The purpose of this visit was to assess the concerns raised by external agencies in regard to the management of children placed at the home.

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Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000. Inspection report for children‟s home - monitoring visit: SC426530 7

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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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Inspectors

Liz Driver, social care inspector Ruth Coler, social care inspector Inspection report for children‟s home - monitoring visit: SC426530 8 to 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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