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

Inspection report children’s home: SC390785 1 SC390785 Registered provider: My Choice Children’s Homes Ltd

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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 owned by a private company. The home is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to four children. The home’s statement of purpose states it can meet the needs of 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. The manager was registered with Ofsted on 15 January 2018.

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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 Good

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Good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

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Good

Date of last inspection: 18 December 2018

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Good

Overall judgement at last inspection: sustained effectiveness

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Good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC390785 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

18/12/2018 Interim Sustained effectiveness 01/05/2018 Full Good 18/12/2017 Interim Improved effectiveness 30/05/2017 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report children’s home: SC390785 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

In order to complete a quality of care review the registered person must establish and maintain a system for monitoring, reviewing and evaluating— the feedback and opinions of children about the children’s home, is facilities and the quality of care they receive in it. (Regulation 45(2)(b)) 30/07/2019

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must keep under review and, as necessary, revise the home’s child protection policies. In particular, ensure that polices, including those on the organisation’s website, contain up-to-date changes in relation to current legislation: The Working Together (July 2018) and Keeping Children Safe in Education (September 2018) documents. (Regulation 34(6)) 30/07/2019

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The staff work closely with a range of external professionals to ensure that young people make good progress in their education, health and social development. The young people live in an environment where education is valued. For most of the young people accommodated at the home, education is challenging, and many have previously been out of education for significant periods of time. The staff work tirelessly with the virtual headteachers and the social workers to provide a positive reintroduction into education at appropriate educational establishments. For some of the young people, engagement, attitude and progress have improved greatly; for others, the staff continue to strive for improvement. The staff maintain good communication with the schools and support the young people in classrooms and in their career choices. The young people receive advice and guidance about health and well-being matters. The

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

staff promote an environment where sensitive adolescent health-related questions are welcomed. The young people have access to a range of health-related services and specialists, for example therapy, sexual health clinics and child and adolescent mental health Inspection report children’s home: SC390785 4 services. The work undertaken with young people by an external therapist has proven successful, especially for those young people who have previously struggled with therapy. All the staff are first aid trained. They are also trained to safely administer medication. Each young person has set targets that they are well informed of. These range from improving their social skills to engaging in education and safe access and use of social media. Evidencing progress is an area the manager and senior leaders have worked to improve in recent months. A new recording system is being introduced in the near future,

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

once all the staff have received training. The new system will provide enhanced monitoring of the individual progress made by the young people and will increase young people’s involvement in their target setting and execution. The young people are treated equally and fairly. Any form of discrimination is not accepted and is robustly addressed. Work is undertaken to educate the staff and young people regarding cultural competence. Most of the young people receive a planned introduction to the home. However, emergency placements do occur. The young people are involved in positive social activities, some of which are new to them.

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

The staff provide very good support to young people that is helping them to feel safe and be safe. The training that the staff receive covers topics such as sexual exploitation, gang- related behaviours, drug misuse, radicalisation and risks associated with going missing. A range of external professionals provide specialist interventions that inform all aspects of staff practice. This enables the staff to provide consistency of care and to understand the young people’s behaviours following their individual therapy sessions. Safeguarding matters at the setting are managed well with the correct referrals made when needed. The staff team works well together to set expectations for the young people to behave positively. Staff meetings reflect on incidents that have taken place, group dynamics and staff relationships with the young people. The staff question and discuss poor behaviours so that the young people can reflect on their actions. The staff address inappropriate language

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

and unachievable expectations, giving consistent reasons, guidance and advice to the young people. Since the last inspection, there has been a significant decrease in the number of reportable incidents, in addition to a significant decrease in the number of missing incidents. There is effective joint working with other agencies, for example the police. To ensure that the staff keep up to date with the changing risks that the young people are exposed to, the home has individual staff champions for areas such as e-safety, Prevent and sexual exploitation. They regularly meet with other champions across the organisation and share information with the rest of the staff team. All health and safety checks are regularly completed to make sure the house is a safe environment for the young people and the staff team. Recruitment practice is robust. Inspection report children’s home: SC390785 5

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The young people live in a well-managed home. The manager was registered with Ofsted in January 2018. He is suitably experienced and skilled to lead a team of staff and manage the home. He provides clear direction that the young people respond positively to. The registered manager is supported by a team of committed and experienced senior staff. He is currently completing a level 5 diploma in leadership and management, and he is due to complete this in the very near future. He provides good support to his staff team and knows the young people and staff team well. One young person said, ‘He is amazing.’ Since the last inspection, there have been changes to the staff team. However, the majority of the core team has not changed. There are three deputy managers who meet regularly with the registered manager to ensure that the home provides consistency of care. The staff rotas show an improved range of experiences and knowledge on each shift.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers actively and regularly monitor the quality of care provided. The monitoring systems are continually reviewed to ensure that the good standard of care is maintained. Data analysis is used effectively. The registered manager collates data to look at patterns and trends of behaviours, which then allows for changes in strategies if necessary. The system also allows the registered manager to analyse specific behaviours, triggers and responses. This, in turn, supports the staff’s awareness of changes in behaviours and informs appropriate responses. A social worker stated that they were ‘impressed with the staff’s prompt response to the young people’s changing needs’. Any recommendations made by the independent visitor are addressed or questioned if necessary. Recent recommendations include providing more homely furnishings and more consistency in the regularity of staff supervisions, which the managers have responded to.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager challenges professionals when it is in the best interest of the young person. Listening to the young people is central to staff practice. However, the registered manager’s six-monthly review of the service does not include feedback from the young people about their experiences of the care they receive. It does include professionals’ feedback which is positive about the service and of the quality of care provided. The organisation’s website does not contain up-to-date changes in relation to current legislation, namely Working Together (July 2018) and Keeping Children Safe in Education (September 2018) documents. The registered manager knows the strengths and weaknesses of the service as identified in his six-monthly review of the service. Areas he continues to focus on include team working, supervisions, placement matching and training. Inspection report children’s home: SC390785 6

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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: SC390785 7

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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: SC390785 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 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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