Children's home run by PJL Healthcare Limited in Wealden

Inspection report children’s home: SC068559 1 SC068559 Registered provider: PJL Healthcare Limited

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is privately owned and is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to 16 children who have learning disabilities. The home provides long-term and short- break placements. The manager has been registered with Ofsted since 2015 and is suitably qualified.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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outstanding

How well children and young people are helped and protected outstanding

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outstanding

The effectiveness of leaders and managers outstanding

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outstanding

The children’s home provides highly effective services that consistently exceed the standards of good. The actions of the children’s home contribute to significantly improved outcomes and positive experiences for children and young people who need help, protection and care.

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outstanding

Date of last inspection: 30 January 2018

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outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC068559 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

30/01/2018 Full Good 06/03/2017 Interim Improved effectiveness 24/08/2016 Full Outstanding 25/02/2016 Interim Improved effectiveness Inspection report children’s home: SC068559 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Young people living at this home benefit from trusting relationships with staff who are highly attuned to their needs. Staff have an intrinsic understanding of the intricacies of the young people’s needs, which enables them to deliver high-quality care. They help the young people to be teenagers first, while safely managing their complex needs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Wide-ranging and varied opportunities for social activities and experiences ensure that the young people are living life to the full. Staff plan carefully so that events are safely managed. The activity coordinator ensures that each young person has a range of fulfilling and stimulating activities each week. The young people are enjoying experiences that would not have been possible without the care and attention of the interested staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Monthly meetings provide an opportunity for the young people to be directly involved in the development of the home. Advocates further ensure that the young people’s voices are heard independently. The staff use a wide range of communication methods to ensure that all of the young people have opportunities to share their opinions and communicate their needs to staff who are skilled at interpreting their preferred choices.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Education is highly regarded. Frequent communication with schools and colleges ensures a consistent approach across the settings. The staff support families to secure colleges that are best able to support the young people. When the young people are not in formal education, staff ensure that they continue to learn life-skills, such as cooking, practising using public transport, managing their personal care or learning to take on some household tasks.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Meticulous planning ensures that young people arriving at the home are greeted by well- informed staff. Careful transition plans further ensure smooth arrivals and departures from the home. As a result of this, the young people are well prepared for significant changes.

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

Safeguarding practice is implemented effectively. The staff have the skills and knowledge to know what to report, to whom and when. Observations of the young people indicate that they feel safe and relaxed at the home. Parents speak highly of the partnerships they have with staff, which makes them confident that their children are safe.

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

Risks are well known and widely understood. Dedicated staff are assigned to the young people, ensuring that they can interpret early warning signs to divert behaviours and reduce significant incidents. As a result of the well-developed relationships between staff and young people, significant incidents have greatly reduced. The young people are more able to communicate their needs and are less frustrated and happier. Inspection report children’s home: SC068559 4 Physical restraint is used as a last resort. Staff are well trained in techniques of distraction and de-escalation. Following restraint, debriefings are undertaken with the staff and the young people. Opportunities for learning are drawn from both the young people and staff. Social stories are used to further support behaviour management, using clear pictorial prompts.

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

Goals are regularly reviewed, ensuring that the young people are making progress. The activity planner links the goals to activities to ensure that the young people learn new skills through positive experiences. Goals are broken down to enable small steps to be made towards success. In many circumstances, the young people are making progress that was not previously thought possible. One young person has struggled with transport. He is now using a bus, having spent some time preparing this new skill.

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

Individuality is celebrated at this home. The young people are encouraged to develop their individual personalities and preferences. The young people enjoy expressing themselves through their appearance and interests. Staff manage the young people’s needs sensitively and respectfully.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered manager is passionate and dedicated to his role. His enthusiasm and high aspirations for providing excellent care are shared by this team. His detailed monitoring ensures that he is fully aware of the home’s strengths and areas for development.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

An enthusiastic and focused staff team works in partnership with the registered manager. They share his passion and together they work tirelessly to ensure that the home’s objectives are delivered. Frequent staff meetings, regular supervision and clear direction underpin the staff team’s approach and support the delivery of excellent care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered manager has commissioned a local hub of experts to provide assessment and treatment of a wide range of the young people’s needs, including occupational health, speech and language, mental health and psychological support. As a result of this, the young people’s specialist needs are met without delay.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Feedback from professionals and parents is positive. A parent said, ‘I find the staff excellent, their passion in caring for my son is amazing. Communication is open, and they really do go above and beyond to make sure that my son is well cared for and happy. He began as respite, and when the time came for him to be in care full time, of course I wanted him to stay at [the home].’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Induction for new staff is thorough. The induction manager ensures that staff keep on track and holds regular workshops for them to work towards the level 3 qualification. This has significantly improved staff retention, and the completion of the qualification in a timely manner. Staff are positive about the training that they receive; one staff member said, ‘This is the best induction I have ever had. With the shadowing shifts, training and workshops I felt really well prepared to care for the young people .’ Inspection report children’s home: SC068559 5

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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: SC068559 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: PJL Healthcare Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: White House Withyham Hartfield East Sussex TN7 4BT

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Inspector

Sarah Olliver, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC068559 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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