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

Inspection report children’s home: SC434573 1 SC434573 Registered provider: Crusoe Care Limited 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 difficulties. The home is owned by a private company that has one other children’s home located very 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

Date of last inspection: 21 January 2019

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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: SC434573 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

21/01/2019 Interim Sustained effectiveness 14/06/2018 Full Good 27/02/2018 Interim Sustained effectiveness 13/06/2017 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report children’s home: SC434573 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children benefit from positive relationships with staff who care for and about them. This is a stable staff group. In addition, both children have lived here for over a year. This stability enables them to make good progress from a secure base. The aim of the home, to provide children with nurturing relationships and personalised care, is achieved.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff reward children’s good behaviour, which encourages them to work towards agreed goals. For example, one child is now able to show kindness and understanding towards his peer. Another child’s behaviour has improved and he is more able to respond to staff’s boundaries and guidance.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children fully participate in the running of the home through regular house meetings and direct work. The staff encourage them to reflect on their care needs and discuss matters of importance to them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff see educational attendance and attainment as a priority. They support children to attend school, and children have a 100% attendance. The staff work closely with the children’s schools to ensure that the children reach their potential. Children, therefore, value their own education. One child spoke to the inspector about the high level of practical and emotional support he receives, and his wish to do well in his examinations.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children follow a healthy lifestyle and enjoy a range of leisure opportunities. The manager recognised when a child was not being fully challenged while playing in a local football team and advocated for a change to a more appropriate team. The child is now a valued member of his current team.

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

There have not been any safeguarding issues since the last inspection. The low level of incidents, no episodes of children going missing from their home, and no physical interventions are a testament to the staff’s relationships with, and care of, the children.

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

Staff demonstrate a high level of concern for children’s welfare. Through effective direct work and daily discussions, staff teach children how to keep themselves safe. Social skills, appropriate language, and safety in the home and in the community are covered.

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

Staff educate children about the risks in the cyberworld. Measures such as using software to restrict access to risky sites are agreed with the children. Staff are up to date in research about the risks associated with some mobile applications. Inspection report children’s home: SC434573 4 The health and safety measures implemented protect children from the risk of harm. Monthly fire drills during the day, and at night, ensure that children are well rehearsed in how to respond in the event of a fire.

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

While safeguarding training is up to date, managers and supervisors do not regularly review the staff’s knowledge. Safeguarding scenarios and concerns are not regular agenda items in staff supervisions and team meetings.

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good

Leaders and managers continue to develop the service. An external auditor recommends areas of improvement, which are generally acted on. However, completing a workforce plan to review the knowledge, skills and experience of the staff is a repeated recommendation.

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good

Leaders and managers value staff’s welfare and ensure that they receive help and support. Staff morale is high, and retention is good. Supervision is helpful when it takes place. However, there have been some months when supervisions have not been undertaken. In addition, a new staff member has not had regular supervision or induction training. While this staff member is experienced in residential care work, this is not in line with the organisation’s own policy.

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good

The responsible individual and registered manager supervise each other. This misses the opportunity for additional external consultation and constructive challenge.

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good

The appointment of house managers is a positive development. They oversee the day-to-day management of the home, and manage the rota and planning of shifts. More formal inductions for these managers have not taken place and would add clarity to their roles and responsibilities.

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good

Generally, risk assessments and care plans are accurately recorded and reviewed. However, this is not consistent. Not all the records are updated following a change of circumstance. This has been missed during monitoring processes. The staff spoken to, however, did know the children and their care needs well.

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good

Leaders and managers have good relationships with the placing authority. External professionals report that their children have made progress since being here. A social worker reported, ‘Communication is good. I get weekly reports which tell me about the child’s journey.’ Another social worker said, ‘There are no elements I could wish would be better.’ Inspection report children’s home: SC434573 5

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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— have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm. (Regulation 12 (1)(2)(a)(iii)) 01/04/2020

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must— ensure that each employee completes and appropriate induction.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees— receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience. (Regulation 33 (1)(a)(4)(b)) 01/04/2020

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Recommendations

 The registered person should have a workforce plan which can fulfil the workforce related requirements of regulation 16, schedule 1 (paragraphs 19 and 20). The plan should:  detail the necessary management and staffing structure (including any staff commissioned to provide health and education), the experience and qualifications of staff currently working within the staffing structure and any further training required for those staff, to enable the delivery of the home’s Statement of Purpose;  detail the processes and agreed timescales for staff to achieve induction, probation and any core training (such as safeguarding, health and safety and mandatory qualifications);  detail the process for managing and improving poor performance;  detail the process and timescales for supervision of practice (see regulation 33 (4) (b)) and keep appropriate records for staff in the home. The plan should be updated to include any new training and qualifications

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Recommendations

completed by staff while working at the home, and used to record the ongoing training and continuing professional development needs of staff – including the Inspection report children’s home: SC434573 6 home’s manager. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 53, paragraph 10.8)

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Recommendations

 As set out in regulations 31-33, the registered person is responsible for maintaining good employment practice. They must ensure that recruitment, supervision and performance management of staff safeguards children and minimises potential risk to them. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.1)

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people, 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: SC434573 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Crusoe Care Limited

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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: SC434573 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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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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