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

Inspection report children’s home: 1250194 1 SC1250194 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 July 2017.

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Information about this children’s home

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

Since registration in 2017, the registered manager has worked hard to increase the stability of placements for the children, which he has achieved. The admission procedures have improved, with detailed consideration given to new referrals. The manager communicates well with the local authorities in relation to information gathering regarding children who may move to live in the home. This comprehensive process has recently resulted in a wide age range of current children being accommodated at the home. The registered manager has taken the different ages of children, their compatibility and the experience of the staff team in caring for different ages into account in his decision-making process. Inspection report children’s home: 1250194 2 Despite an active recruitment programme the home’s staff team still has vacancies, in particular a deputy manager. The use of agency staff does occur. However, they are

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

regular staff known to the children and the young people. Both the manager and the senior leaders are actively addressing the shortfall in staff. The current members of the staff team are working more collaboratively, and morale is good. The staff have formed trusting relationships with the children, who talk openly to them about their feelings and risky behaviours. The home’s staff team includes staff who have early years experience and can therefore understand the needs of the younger children in relation to care needs and expected development rates. The sensitive and protective protocols in place ensure safe staff practices, for example at bath and bed times for the younger children.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Despite risk-taking behaviours at times, the children have made some progress in addressing feelings and emotions that have a direct impact on their reactions to certain life events and relationships with family members. The staff team is fully informed of those relationships which are positive and those which are negative. The staff work closely with the local authority and the police to ensure that there is a consistent response to any risky events that occur. In particular, working in a collaborative way with external agencies and very good communication with the missing person’s police team have resulted in a decrease in the number of incidents of children going missing from the home, and the severity of the risks taken.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The staff work closely with a range of external professionals to ensure that the children make progress in respect of their education. This has proven challenging for the staff at times, due to the reluctance of some young people to fully engage in education. The staff do not give up on the young people. They continue to positively promote education. The manager will challenge authorities, if necessary, to ensure that suitable education establishments are sought.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Safeguarding matters are well managed, with appropriate referrals made to the external safeguarding agencies when 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 children and the young people have a good experience at the home, and that they make good progress. He provides good support to the staff team and knows the children, the young people and his staff team well. Senior leaders and managers offer support to the manager on a regular basis.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The registered manager monitors and records staff practice. He has developed his reviewing and analytical skills to better inform practice. External monitoring is very good, with detailed reports and recommendations made. He actively responds to all recommendations that are made in order to improve experiences and outcomes for the children and the young people. The manager’s review and areas for development of the service include some of the areas reported on above. These are: challenging the authorities around referral information when this is insufficient; streamlining key-working sessions and discussions so that the children’s views and opinions are sought regularly; close collaborative working with the educational provisions so that the children can thrive in local Inspection report children’s home: 1250194 3 provisions; and challenging multi-agency working when it falls short of expectations. The

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

continued progress in these areas will be looked at during the next inspection of the service. No requirements or recommendations have been made at this inspection.

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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’. Inspection report children’s home: 1250194 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 Inspection report children’s home: 1250194 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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