Children's home run by Island Choices Ltd

Inspection report children’s home: 1241939 1 Registered provider: Island Choices 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 home is owned and run by a private company. It provides care and accommodation for up to three children and young people.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager has been in post since the home was registered with Ofsted in 2016.

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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: 22 January 2019

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: 1241939 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

22/01/2019 Full Good 08/01/2018 Interim Sustained effectiveness 25/04/2017 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: 1241939 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

Case records must be kept— securely in the children’s home during the period when the child to whom the case records relate is accommodated there. (Regulation 36(2)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, monitor the staff’s handling of confidential information when transporting reports and records to external meetings. 31/01/2020

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Recommendations

 When a child returns to the home after being missing from care or away from the home without permission, the responsible local authority must provide an opportunity for the child to have an independent return home interview. Homes should take into account information provided by such interviews when assessing risks and putting arrangements in place to protect each child. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 45, paragraph 9.30) In particular, ensure that there is consistency in these being delivered by the local authority.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people at this home receive family-style care and comfort. The staff team provides a safe place for them to live and offers a warm and nurturing experience that the young people respond positively to. The home’s consistently calm atmosphere has a positive impact on the young people and the level of challenging behaviour is extremely low.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The staff know young people’s individual vulnerabilities and identify, with the young people, targets for them to achieve while at the home. Learning life skills is a focus at this service. Young people successfully gain skills for independence and are given Inspection report children’s home: 1241939 4 opportunities to learn to manage their emotions appropriately as they enter adulthood.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The staff work with a range of education professionals to identify the best provision for each young person. For some, education is a challenge, and the staff do all they can to ensure that all avenues are explored. The deputy manager and staff team use all their skills to provide the young people with a range of in-house learning.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The young people are settled and well matched. They build strong and trusting relationships with the staff team. The staff have a good knowledge of the young people, their needs and their abilities to self-regulate their behaviour. The staff help the young people to learn how to manage conflict and difficult situations, with good success.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The young people have a say in the running of the home and decisions made about them. They are confident about making their voices heard and being taken seriously by the staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The young people are supported to maintain important family and friend links. The staff promote healthy friendships, both in the home and in the local community, and successfully guide young people away from unhealthy relationships.

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

The young people talk to the staff if they are worried or upset. The staff forge very positive relationships with the young people and take time to listen to them and deliver common-sense advice.

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

There have been a few low-level safeguarding concerns in the last year. These have been managed very well. The staff receive safeguarding training and have a vast amount of experience in relation to what to watch out for in relation to triggers and unusual and concerning behaviours. The staff learn how to de-escalate situations and there have been no restraints in the last year.

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

The registered manager took swift action when there was a breach of the General Data Protection Regulations 2016. Lessons have been learned and systems have been put in place to ensure that all reports and records are transported securely, for example to an external meeting.

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

The young people have experienced a few incidents of hate crime via social media. The staff have responded quickly to these and involved the correct agencies, such as the police, and supported young people in pressing charges when indicated. The staff offer high levels of support in this area.

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

Incidents of children going missing are low. Agreeing return times has led to a decrease in the number of missing incidents reported. The staff will actively search for the young people while liaising with the police to ensure a safe return. Records show an inconsistency in return interviews being undertaken. This may be a missed opportunity. The staff are aware of the risks to the young people in the local and wider area and provide safe advice of where to go and where to avoid. Inspection report children’s home: 1241939 5 The young people are protected by careful recruitment procedures. Regular checks ensure that the physical environment is safe. Ongoing issues with the outside drainage are regularly reviewed and checked by an external company, as was seen during this inspection.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager is suitably qualified and experienced. She is the registered manager for two homes, located close to each other. She manages this dual role well and is suitably visible in both homes. She has developed systems that allow her to have detailed oversight of practices in both homes. These systems allow for the monitoring, reviewing and analysis of the homes’ practices. Monthly independent visitor reports are of a good quality and respected by the registered manager who responds to any recommendations made. Both internal and external monitoring drive continuous improvement.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders, managers and staff are aware of the potential for conflict due to family relationships within the staff group. Policies and procedures allow for independent oversight of supervisions, whistleblowing, complaints, investigations and referrals to safeguarding agencies, if needed. The registered manager and deputy manager have independent supervision to aid external scrutiny. Any concerns about the senior management are referred directly to the designated officer for the local authority.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The deputy manager conducts supervision sessions with the staff, which are all in date. Every three sessions, the registered manager carries out a supervision so that she can remain in touch with the staff and oversee practice in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The staff team works in partnership with a range of external agencies and professionals. The registered manager is proactive in challenging responses from other services to ensure that decisions made are in the young people’s best interests. The registered manager has instigated a meeting with a manager of one of the very few children’s homes located nearby. This enabled her to exchange ideas and for managers to learn from each other. Inspection report children’s home: 1241939 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: 1241939 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 67 Argyll Street, Ryde PO33 3BY

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: William Stanbridge

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Inspector

Liz Driver, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: 1241939 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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