Children's home run by PJL Healthcare Limited in Wealden

Inspection report children’s home: SC486879 1 SC486879 Registered provider: PJL Healthcare Limited

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Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This privately owned children’s home is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to five children who have learning difficulties and emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager is on extended leave.

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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 good

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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: SC486879 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

16/05/2017 Full Good 05/10/2016 Full Good 04/05/2016 Interim Improved effectiveness 06/10/2015 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: SC486879 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 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;

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Requirement Due date

that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed, furnished and maintained so as to protect each child from avoidable hazards to the child’s health. (Regulation 12 (1)(2)(a)(i) and (d)) 22/06/2018

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Requirement Due date

The registered person may only use devices for the monitoring or surveillance of children if—

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Requirement Due date

the monitoring or surveillance is no more intrusive than necessary, having regard to the child’s need for privacy. (Regulation 24 (1)(d)) 22/06/2018

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Recommendations

 The registered person should have a system in place so that all serious events are notified, within 24 hours, to the appropriate people. The system should cover the action that should be followed if the event arises at the weekend or on a public holiday. Notification must include details of the action taken by the home’s staff in response to the event. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 63, paragraph 14.13)  Regulations 35–39 detail the records that must be kept in children’s homes. All children’s case records (regulation 36) must be kept up to date and stored Inspection report children’s home: SC486879 4 securely whilst they remain in the home. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.3)

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Carefully agreed plans ensure that children moving into the home have familiar staff working with them from the outset. Children already living at the home are also prepared well for new arrivals, through the children’s meetings. Consequently, children experience little disruption and learn to adapt to change.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff deal with young people’s complaints swiftly recording a formal response and the outcome. Key-work sessions follow, to ensure that the young people are satisfied with the outcome. Young people are confident that they are listened to when they raise concerns, and that their views matter. Regular young people’s meetings provide the young people with an opportunity to share their views and contribute to the home’s development. An example of this is the redecorated dining room and the arrival of pet chickens at the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The staff are well informed and are respectful of the young people’s changing needs. Staff show interest in the children, for example by researching young people’s emerging identity needs. They seek additional advice, guidance and training as new themes emerge. Young people receive sensitive support during these confusing and uncertain periods of their lives.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff build positive relationships with the young people by using their learning in their practice. New initiatives include using a toolkit to engage the young people in building resilience and self-esteem. One young person said, ‘I feel that staff genuinely care for me and don’t give up on you, even when you try to push them away, they are still there.’ Another young person has benefited from the use of social stories to help to reduce her anxiety.

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

Young people live in a safe physical environment, but the use of electronic surveillance is excessive. Door alarms on all of the young people’s bedrooms and bathrooms are not individually assessed. Risk assessments fail to justify the use of such measures for the young people currently living in the home. Such measures are intrusive and have an effect on the young people’s privacy. There are also door hinge covers that give an institutionalised look to the home.

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

In general, risk assessments are effective in providing staff with reliable strategies for reducing specific risks to the young people. Some have been developed in conjunction Inspection report children’s home: SC486879 5 with specialist services and are excellent. However, one example failed to consider serious risks that were highlighted within a young person’s referral information. Furthermore, specific risks, such as aerosols in a young person’s bathroom, had not been identified as a risk, albeit swift action was taken when this was identified during the inspection.

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

Staff seek appropriate advice and guidance from the wider professional network. Concerns are shared effectively to enable wider agency working. The staff are responsive to the advice and guidance given, which at times has resulted in a change of practice. An example of this is the review and implementation of a reformed medication risk assessment. It now provides staff with clear strategies to reduce the risk associated with transporting medication. Online safety is prioritised by the staff. Their vigilance has enabled them to intervene when the young people have been unsafe using social media.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The sudden departure of the registered manager has had an effect on the service. However, due to the early implementation of a handover, leaders and managers have intervened and implemented contingency plans effectively. A team of trusted and experienced leaders and managers from within the organisation is providing effective interim cover.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff feel well supported. One member of staff said, ‘I am really grateful for the additional support I have had. The systemic practitioner met with me individually, and leaders and managers are always here for us.’ This is a good example of the organisation’s commitment to supporting its staff. Training is managed centrally, and new initiatives in supporting staff through probation are proving effective in ensuring that mandatory training is up to date.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Frequent, transparent communication with social workers by the staff ensures that effective working practice continues. When social workers visit, leaders and managers support the young people to build positive relationships with them. A social worker said, ‘The registered manager did excellent work to build a bridge between [the young person] and me. She was key in helping [the young person] understand the significance of communicating effectively with me.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Some records are not written or maintained in a timely manner. Examples include children’s key-working notes and daily records. Notifications made to Ofsted are accurate and relevant, but they are not always submitted in a timely manner. Such delays risk this information losing its relevance and value for its intended audience.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

When complaints have been made, leaders and managers have ensured that a full investigation has taken place. Records sampled show clear timelines, recording, investigation and consultation. As a result, complaints have been resolved at stage one. At times, complaint responses have included additional safeguards being implemented to further secure the safety of the home, the young people and the staff. Inspection report children’s home: SC486879 6

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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: SC486879 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: PJL Healthcare Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Mayfield House, East Street, Mayfield, East Sussex TN20 6TZ

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Children’s home details

Registered manager: Amy Robinson Interim Manager : Alethia Thomas Giles

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Inspector:

Sarah Olliver, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC486879 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:

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Inspector:

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Inspector:

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