Children's home run by Springfield Road Children’s Homes Ltd in Eastbourne

Inspection report children’s home: SC036501 1 SC036501 Registered provider: Springfield Road Children’s Homes Ltd

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Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is owned by a private company. It is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to three children. Its statement of purpose states the home supports children whose behaviour has become a danger to themselves and to others and they require intensive support from carers.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has been registered with Ofsted since 2007.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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good

How well children and young people are helped and protected outstanding

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good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

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good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC036501 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

24/05/2017 Full Good 29/11/2016 Interim Improved effectiveness 17/05/2016 Full Good 05/01/2016 Interim Improved effectiveness Inspection report children’s home: SC036501 3

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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 leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that—

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Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to— ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b)(2)(c)) 10/08/2018

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

With warmth and understanding, staff have established a nurturing, welcoming and stable home. Children feel safe, respond to the high-quality care and enjoy excellent relationships with staff. Children and staff enjoy each other’s company.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff recognise and respond to each child’s unique personality, encouraging them to develop their particular interests, make friends and have fun. With sensitive reassurance and support, children are sustaining their participation in social activities, building self- confidence and resilience.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff are ambitious for children to succeed in education. Close communication with school staff, to help them understand the child’s specific needs, is helping a child to successfully attend a mainstream school and make good progress. When difficulties arise in finding an appropriate school placement for a child, managers work proactively with the local authority to support interim arrangements and identify a suitable education placement.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The staff team is committed to the children and helps them realise that whatever difficulties they experience, it will support them to make progress. Gradually the children come to believe that they can achieve. Through the enthusiasm of staff, the trust that Inspection report children’s home: SC036501 4 they build with children and their responses to the individual needs, children make significant progress.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: outstanding

The management team and the staff know the children very well. Assisted by the knowledge and experience of the registered manager and the valuable group supervision provided by a therapist, staff understand the meaning of children’s behaviour and the effect of early childhood experiences on their development. Care plans and risk assessments reflect this understanding, which staff implement appropriately in their interactions with the children.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: outstanding

Staff are very proactive in keeping the children safe and minimising identified risks. Careful thought and consideration of risk management enables staff to reduce the risk of harm. Staff understand and implement plans, which are reviewed regularly and which are highly effective in keeping children safe.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: outstanding

Children are showing a marked improvement in the behaviour which previously placed them at risk of harm. Children who were frequently going missing before moving to the home are not displaying this behaviour. Warm and trusting relationships are at the heart of safeguarding practice within the home. Children respond to the nurturing and diligent care from staff.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: outstanding

Staff understand the importance of allowing children to take age-appropriate risks. Staff balance the need to protect the children through close supervision, with appropriate support to help them develop independence skills, build their confidence, develop social awareness and develop decision-making skills.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: outstanding

Staff use key-work sessions effectively to address concerns and to increase children’s awareness of how to keep themselves safe. Children use the internet safely with close monitoring by staff.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager has a wealth of experience from working therapeutically with young people and has qualifications in systemic family psychotherapy and child-focused systemic practice. Supported by a skilled and experienced management team, she is also the registered manager for another of the organisation’s children’s homes close by.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Managers model genuine warmth, care and love for the children, which staff replicate. Accepting and trusting relationships are at the heart of all practice within the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

A local authority placement support officer spoke highly of managers’ communication and consultation, their excellent transitional planning and commitment to meeting the child’s needs. He described working with the management team as ‘a refreshing experience’. Effective working relationships with professionals and the children’s families ensure that all parties are well informed about children’s progress and any changing Inspection report children’s home: SC036501 5 needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Managers provide the staff team with constructive support. Supervision for staff has improved with an increased emphasis on reflective practice. Managers have a sharp focus on the impact the children may have on staff and provide insightful emotional support for them.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Training for the staff is relevant to the children’s needs but there are not sufficient staff trained in the administration of medication and food hygiene.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Managers closely monitor the day-to-day quality of care within the home. Independent visitor reports are thorough and provide managers with a useful tool for continuous improvement.

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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

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’. Inspection report children’s home: SC036501 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Springfield Road Children’s Homes Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 5 Cornfield Terrace, Eastbourne, East Sussex BN21 4NN

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Inspector

Jan Hunnam, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC036501 7 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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