Children's Home run by My Choice Children’s Homes Limited in West Sussex

Interim inspection report children’s home: SC390785 1 SC390785 Registered provider: My Choice Children’s Homes Ltd Interim inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This children’s home is owned by a private company. The home is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to four children who have a range of emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. The organisation also provides education through its independent school, which is registered with the Department for Education.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager was registered with Ofsted in January 2018.

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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

Young people experience stability in this home. The staff team knows the young people well, and forms trusting relationships with them. As a result, the young people say they feel safe in this home. The staff work closely with a range of external professionals to ensure that the young people make progress in respect of their education, health and social development. This has proven challenging for the staff at times due to the reluctance of some young people to fully engage in education or employment. The staff do not give up on young people. They continue to positively promote education, employment, independence and life skills qualifications regardless of the challenges Interim inspection report children’s home: SC390785 2 faced.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The staff maintain good communication with schools, and support young people in their classrooms and in respect of their career choices. The staff have been successful in educating the young people about drug and alcohol use, with a decease, over time, in their use. The staff team promotes healthy living through discussion and encouraging physical exercise. The manager is currently looking to enhance the level of support available to young people by increasing the amount of information available in the home in relation to healthy lifestyles, including the risks associated with smoking, alcohol and drug use. A wide range of professionals are actively involved in the young people’s lives to provide guidance and support.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The staff are consistent and implement clear boundaries. They demonstrate insight into young people’s behaviours and the reasons behind them. Although there has been a fluctuation in the number of incidents of young people going missing since the last inspection, the manager and staff continue to reflect on the reasons for this and seek to prevent further incidents occurring. Close and effective working with external agencies also provides young people with an additional layer of safety if they go missing.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The home has been subject to some damage and it currently lacks a homely feel in some of the communal rooms. The in-house maintenance team repairs damage promptly. The manager is working with senior managers and the maintenance team to create and maintain a homelier environment.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Safeguarding matters are well managed, with appropriate referrals made to external safeguarding agencies, where necessary. The training that staff receive covers topics such as sexual exploitation, drug misuse, radicalisation and risks associated with going missing. This training helps the staff to better understand risk and how to manage it.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The registered manager is committed to ensuring that the young people have a good experience at the home, and that they make good progress. He provides very good support to the staff team and knows the young people and his staff team well.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The recruitment of staff since the last inspection has resulted in a much-improved gender and ethnicity mix of staff. This provides the young people with a wider range of positive adult role models. The use of agency staff is low in frequency. However, the staff rota shows that at times the home’s staff and agency staff are working long hours. The manager is currently liaising with senior leaders to find ways to prevent this occurring. The manager continues to develop his skills with the support of a senior manager in the organisation. He is due to complete his level 5 qualification in leadership and management in early 2019.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The registered manager monitors records and staff practice. He has developed his reviewing and analytical skills to better inform practice. External monitoring is good, with detailed reports and recommendations made. The manager uses the external quality assurance process to develop practice. He actively responds to all recommendations made in order to improve experiences and outcomes for young people. Interim inspection report children’s home: SC390785 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

01/05/2018 Full Good 18/12/2017 Interim Improved effectiveness 30/05/2017 Full Requires improvement to be good 09/11/2016 Full Good

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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’. Interim inspection report children’s home: SC390785 4

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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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Inspector

Liz Driver, social care inspector Interim inspection report children’s home: SC390785 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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Inspector

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