Children's Home run by Crusoe Care Limited 06843979 in East Sussex

Inspection report children’s home: SC484302 1 SC484302 Registered provider: Crusoe Care Limited 06843979

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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 children’s home is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to two children who have complex behavioural difficulties. Accommodation is provided in a semi-detached residential house. It is owned by a private company that has one other small children’s home located close by.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has been registered with Ofsted since July 2011.

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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 requires improvement to be 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: requires improvement to be good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC484302 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

29/08/2018 Full Requires improvement to be good 15/08/2017 Full Good 16/02/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness 02/11/2016 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: SC484302 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 registered person must make arrangements for the handling, recording, safekeeping, safe administration and disposal of medicines received into the children’s home. (Regulation 23 (1)) In particular, include in the medication policies how to respond to errors when administering medication. 01/07/2019

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees— have their performance and fitness to perform their roles appraised at least once every year. (Regulation 33 (4)(c)) 01/07/2019

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if— there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40 (4)(e)) 01/07/2019

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Recommendations

 It is crucial that the home works in close partnership with all those who play a role in protecting and caring for the child, but particularly the child’s local authority and statutory social worker. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 11, paragraph 2.3) In particular, evidence discussions with social workers regarding safeguarding concerns.  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) This specifically relates to demonstrating the progress that children make in achieving their targets and the need to ensure that these are recorded consistently and regularly reviewed.  As set out in regulations 31–33, the registered person is responsible for

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Recommendations

maintaining good employment practice. They must ensure that recruitment, Inspection report children’s home: SC484302 4 supervision and performance management of staff safeguards children and minimises potential risks to them. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.1) In particular, include safeguarding as an item on supervision and team meeting agendas.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Moves to the home are generally successful. A child who recently moved into the home has settled in well. He has made positive relationships with the staff and the other child living here. Both children were prepared effectively for his move in. The other child has lived here for over two years and plans to remain living here until he is able to live independently. He has a trusting relationship with all the staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children make good progress here. Staff worked closely with a child’s parent and professionals to achieve his goal to live with his family. One child, who previously wouldn’t go out of the home on his own, is now managing his time out in the community with friends. Staff work well with the children to identify skills they want to develop. However, more measurable targets, which could be reviewed to ensure they remain achievable, would enhance this process.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have good attendance at school and are making positive strides in their education. Staff value children’s academic success and encourage them to do homework in the evenings. The staff work closely with school staff to ensure a consistent approach to maximise children’s progress. As a result, one child has been accepted to two of the colleges of his choice.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff seek the views of children to ensure that they contribute to the running of the home. Children’s meetings now occur regularly. The manager reviews the records so that he can follow up on any requests. A clear agenda reflecting on the previous meeting ensures that children feel that they are heard. Staff also have one-to-one discussions with them to gain their views, explore any worries they may have and discuss safeguarding issues such as internet safety.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children’s emotional and physical health needs are important to the staff. They make sure that children attend all health appointments. The staff prepare nutritious meals and offer a varied diet, including healthy snacks. Children are supported to attend any specialist services identified to help them improve their mental health and well- being.

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

Staff use positive approaches to challenging behaviour. They learned a child’s trigger points prior to him moving in, so that they can prevent unwanted behaviours escalating. Staff reward children’s achievements, and the use of monetary fines has reduced. This Inspection report children’s home: SC484302 5 evidences that these measures have been successful. There have not been any physical interventions needed during this inspection period.

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

Children are able to use their mobile phones to access social media, as staff are not risk averse and all staff demonstrate a good understanding of e-safety. There is a comprehensive agreement in place which includes staff checks on children’s mobile phones to ensure that children are not putting themselves at risk. This has been effective in identifying and preventing potentially risky behaviours.

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

Staff are conversant with the safeguarding policy. They have attended safeguarding training and have improved their understanding of how to respond to any concerns. The manager reported a safeguarding concern to a child’s social worker without delay; however, he did not keep a log of such concerns for monitoring purposes.

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

The staff responded appropriately to a missing-from-care episode. The child went missing for five days and it was, therefore, a serious incident. The staff communicated effectively with the police, social workers and the child’s family in regard to his possible whereabouts. However, the manager failed to report the incident to Ofsted. This prevents external professionals from overseeing effectively actions taken to protect children.

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

The staff phone children when they are on free time in the community, so that they can ensure that children are safe. They carry out the necessary checks to satisfy themselves that the children’s friends are a positive influence and welcome them during their visits to the home. As a result, children increase their friendship groups.

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

Fire drills are now held regularly, including at night-time. All children and new staff undertake practice evacuations when they first move into, or work at, the home. They have a good awareness of the procedures to follow should a fire occur.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Leaders and managers are effective and experienced. They have improved the staff’s professionalism. They have worked closely with external consultants to achieve this. The staff reported that staff morale is high. Those spoken with are positive about the training available and feel supported in their roles.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The routine monitoring of children’s files and their records is carried out by both the responsible individual and manager. Children’s case records are well kept and up to date. The children are involved as much as possible in contributing to and signing their records. The care plans present a full picture of the children’s needs and how the staff can help them. Risk assessments are pertinent to the child and cover all areas of risk. This informs staff about how best to keep the children safe.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Medication is stored safely, and staff sign records when it is administered. A medication policy is in place to inform staff. However, this does not cover what staff need to do in the event of a medication error. Inspection report children’s home: SC484302 6 Supervisions are regular and focus on the individual child and ways in which their behaviour has an impact on staff. Staff feel safe to discuss personal issues that affect them, as well as any concerns they may have about work practice. The registered manager reviews supervisions undertaken by senior staff, to ensure a consistently high standard and retain a comprehensive overview of staffing matters. However, annual appraisals have not occurred annually. This was a requirement made at the last inspection. The manager is addressing this and is arranging staff appraisals within the next two weeks.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Team meetings are held regularly and are child focused, as well as covering improvements to the running of the home. However, these meetings, and staff supervisions, do not reflect routine discussions in relation to safeguarding children. This is a missed opportunity to reinforce safeguarding messages.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Stringent recruitment processes are now in place to safeguard children from the potential risk of unsuitable adults caring for them. All checks on prospective employees are undertaken before the employees start work. Newly employed staff participate in training and an induction programme, prior to working with the children, to ensure that they can meet their complex needs.

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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: SC484302 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Crusoe Care Limited 06843979

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 25 Clinton Place, Seaford, East Sussex BN25 1NP

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Timothy McIlwaine

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Inspector

Suzy Lemmy, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC484302 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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