Children's Home run by West Sussex County Council in West Sussex

Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: SC037454 1 SC037454

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West Sussex County Council

Monitoring visit Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is operated by the local authority. It is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to five children. Its statement of purpose says that the overall aim of the home is to provide high-quality care in a warm and caring environment where the children are supported to come to terms with their past and current difficulties and begin to prepare for their future.

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Information about this children’s home

The home’s manager was registered with Ofsted in March 2008.

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This monitoring visit

The home was inspected in November 2018 and received a judgement of good. On 25 February 2019, Ofsted conducted a monitoring visit after being notified that a small fire had been set in the home. It was established that there were significant shortfalls in how this incident was managed at the time and in the actions taken by staff and managers subsequently. Four requirements were made following the monitoring visit. The requirement made under regulation 12, the protection of children, was subject to a compliance notice. The notice was issued on 6 March 2019.

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This monitoring visit

The purpose of this monitoring visit was to assess the progress made towards meeting the six steps specified in the compliance notice. The date for meeting these steps was 14 April 2019.

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This monitoring visit

Leaders and managers were required to ensure that the risk of fire was assessed and controlled. A consultation with a fire service inspecting officer took place on 12 March 2019. The recommendations made in the associated report have been acted on. These included commissioning a third-party fire risk assessment. An assessment of the premises was undertaken on 1 April 2019 by a qualified person. At the time of this monitoring visit, the final version of this fire risk assessment was awaited, although consideration had been given to the recommendations contained in the Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: SC037454 2 draft document. As a result of these consultations and the assessment, the manager has reviewed and updated the home’s internal fire plan.

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This monitoring visit

A review of the fire safety training provided to staff has been carried out. There is now a greater emphasis on ensuring that the staff can apply their fire safety knowledge and skills in the home environment. A new refresher course is being introduced to ensure that staff remain familiar with the procedures they should follow in the event of an emergency.

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This monitoring visit

Children’s personal emergency evacuation plans have been reviewed and updated as necessary. Their individual risk assessments now reflect a greater awareness of the potential for children to be harmed by fire. However, leaders and managers have acknowledged that the risk management strategies, specific to each child, could be further developed. They have demonstrated a commitment to achieving this.

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This monitoring visit

Overall, this step in the compliance notice has been met.

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This monitoring visit

Leaders and managers were required to ensure that there are guidelines for staff to follow in relation to the children possessing sources of ignition. These guidelines are contained in the staff guide dated 14 March 2019. In addition, the ‘strategy to manage young people smoking in the home’ was updated on the same date. The strategy is a four-stage process which provides for the removal of children’s sources of ignition where there is a perceived risk. Documents examined during the monitoring visit confirm that this strategy is being implemented in practice.

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This monitoring visit

Following this monitoring visit, the residential service lead confirmed in writing that there will now be a phased implementation of a policy requiring all children to hand in their sources of ignition at night.

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This monitoring visit

This step in the compliance notice has been met.

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This monitoring visit

Leaders and managers were required to ensure that there is a detailed risk assessment and risk management plan specific to a child’s mental health needs. This assessment and plan had to be reviewed and agreed by relevant professionals. There is a comprehensive record of the actions taken to ensure that the child receives appropriate mental health support. A high-quality risk assessment has been completed and the associated risk management plan clearly identifies the child’s mental health needs and strategies for meeting these. All relevant professionals have reviewed and agreed the contents of these documents.

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This monitoring visit

These steps in the compliance notice have been met.

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This monitoring visit

Leaders and managers were required to ensure that all staff understood the child’s mental health risk assessment and mental health management plan. They were also required to ensure that the plan was implemented in practice. Staff meetings, and individual supervision sessions, have provided staff with the opportunity to reflect on the child’s emotional well-being and mental health needs. One staff meeting was Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: SC037454 3 facilitated by the home’s psychologist, who played a significant role in developing the child’s mental health support plan. This has ensured that staff have a good understanding of the agreed strategies for supporting the child.

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This monitoring visit

Records provide clear examples of when staff have intervened and supported the child in accordance with the risk assessment and management plan. This has resulted in a coordinated and consistent approach to meeting the child’s needs.

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This monitoring visit

This step in the compliance notice has been met.

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This monitoring visit

Leaders and managers were required to ensure that all the children’s individual risk assessments were reviewed and agreed by relevant professionals. This has happened and amendments have been made when appropriate. There remains scope for developing the standard of risk assessment and risk management strategies further to ensure a consistently high standard of practice.

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This monitoring visit

This step in the compliance notice has been met and overall the compliance notice has been met.

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This monitoring visit

Progress towards meeting the requirements and recommendations made at the full inspection in November 2018 was not examined during this monitoring visit. Similarly, progress towards meeting the three requirements that were not subject to a compliance notice, and were made following the monitoring visit on 25 February 2019, was not examined during this monitoring visit. These requirements are therefore repeated below.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

28/11/2018 Full Good 09/01/2018 Full Outstanding 09/03/2017 Interim Improved effectiveness 07/12/2016 Full Outstanding Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: SC037454 4

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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 take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare. (Regulation 12 (1)(2)(a)(vi))

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Requirement Due date

This is with specific reference to following agreed procedures when a child is missing or absent from the home and is thought to be at risk of harm. 18/01/2019

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must complete in relation to the children’s home a statement (‘the statement of purpose’) which covers the matters listed in Schedule 1.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must— notify HMCI of any revisions and send HMCI a copy of the revised statement within 28 days of the revision. (Regulation 16 (3)(b)) 18/01/2019

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety. (Regulation 32 (1))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, ensure that before staff are promoted to a position with greater responsibility they are interviewed in order to assess their competence and suitability for the role. 18/01/2019

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must— ensure that each employee completes an appropriate induction. (Regulation 33 (1)(a))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, ensure that staff who are promoted to a position with greater responsibility complete a planned induction programme. 18/01/2019 Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: SC037454 5 The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if— there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there. (Regulation 40 (4)(c))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, ensure that the designated person in the local authority is notified promptly when a child makes an allegation against a member of staff. 18/01/2019

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Requirement Due date

In meeting the quality standards, the registered person must, and must ensure that staff— seek to involve each child’s placing authority effectively in the child’s care, in accordance with the child’s relevant plans; seek to secure the input and services required to meet each child’s needs; if the registered person considers, or staff consider, a placing authority’s or a relevant person’s performance or response to be inadequate in relation to their role, challenge the placing authority or the relevant person to seek to ensure that each child’s needs are met in accordance with the child’s relevant plans. (Regulation 5 (c)) 14/04/2019

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Requirement Due date

The health and well-being standard is that— the health and well-being needs of children are met; children receive advice, services and support in relation to their health and well-being; and children are helped to lead healthy lifestyles. (Regulation 10 (1)(a)(b)(c)) 14/04/2019

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Requirement Due date

If the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005(a) applies to the home the registered person must ensure that the requirements of that Order and any regulations made under it, except for article 23 (duties of employees), are complied with in respect of the home. (Regulation 25 (2)(b)) 14/04/2019

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Recommendations

 Staff should have the relevant skills and knowledge to be able to help children understand, and where necessary work to change negative behaviours in key areas of health and well-being such as, but not limited to, nutrition and healthy diet, exercise, mental health, sexual relationships, sexual health, contraception and use of legal highs, drugs, alcohol and tobacco. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 35, paragraph 7.18)

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Recommendations

Specifically, ensure that there is a planned and coordinated approach to helping Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: SC037454 6 children to reduce their use of cannabis.  Staff should continually and actively assess the risks to each child and the arrangements in place to protect them. Where there are safeguarding concerns for a child, their placement plan, agreed between the home and their placing authority, must include details of the steps the home will take to manage any assessed risks on a day to day basis. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 42, paragraph 9.5)

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Recommendations

Specifically, ensure that all risk assessments are completed and updated in a timely manner, that they address all known risks and that they contain effective strategies for minimising the potential for the child to come to harm.  The registered person should ensure that all incidents of control, discipline and restraint are subject to systems of regular scrutiny to ensure that their use is fair and the above principles as set out in 9.35 are respected. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 46, paragraph 9.36)

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Recommendations

Specifically, ensure that the procedure for evaluating the effectiveness of sanctions is fully implemented in practice.  For most looked-after children, many of these planning duties fall to the placing authority. The registered person should ensure that they and their staff engage proactively with the placing authority to contribute fully to the relevant plans for the child’s care on an ongoing basis. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 56, paragraph 11.3)

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Recommendations

Specifically, ensure that the care planning process responds to the changing needs of children so that there are strategies in place to support children to meet their goals and targets.

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Information about this inspection

The purpose of this visit was to monitor the action taken and the progress made by the children’s home since its last Ofsted inspection.

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Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000. Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: SC037454 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: West Sussex County Council

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: County Hall, West Street, Chichester, West Sussex PO19 1RQ

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Inspectors

Stephen Collett, social care inspector Joe Davys, social care inspector Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: SC037454 8 to 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: http://www.gov.uk/ofsted

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