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

Assurance visit report: SC037454 1 SC037454

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Information about this children’s home

The home is operated by the local authority and 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 has been without a registered manager since August 2019. The acting manager has applied to Ofsted to be registered.

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Information about this children’s home

Previous inspection date: 28 November 2018

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Information about this visit

Due to COVID-19 (coronavirus), Ofsted suspended all routine inspections in March 2020. As part of a phased return to routine inspection, we are undertaking assurance visits to children’s social care services that are inspected under the social care common inspection framework (SCCIF).

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Information about this visit

At these visits, inspectors evaluate the extent to which:

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Information about this visit

 children are well cared for  children are safe  leaders and managers are exercising strong leadership. This visit was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000, following the published guidance for assurance visits.

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Information about this visit

Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education, Children’s Services and Skills is leading Ofsted’s work into how England’s social care system has delivered child-centred practice and care within the context of the restrictions placed on society during the COVID-19 pandemic. Assurance visit report: SC037454 2

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Findings from the visit

We did not identify any serious or widespread concerns in relation to the care or protection of children at this assurance visit.

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The care of children

Children feel safe and make significant progress when living at this home. Emphasis is placed on the development of caring, warm and supportive relationships. As a result, children blossom. One child said, ‘This home has changed my life’ and ‘They have taught me to trust again.’ Children seek the company and reassurance of staff and there are established and trusting relationships between staff and children.

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The care of children

The emotional impact on children of COVID-19 restrictions, especially with regards to spending time with friends and families, has been understood and acknowledged by the staff. Staff have helped children to deal with the disruption and uncertainty with skill and sensitivity. Children have been able to continue to stay in contact with their friends and families, using technology when physical visits have not been able to happen. This has helped children to maintain these important relationships.

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The care of children

The value of education is embedded in the ethos of the home. Every child has an educational placement and attendance is very good. All children have been given individual support to maintain their school placements during the COVID-19 pandemic. This approach helped to ease them back into regular attendance when the restrictions were lifted.

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The care of children

Children also receive advice and support in managing other challenges in their lives. For example, they have access to specialist services to support them with cannabis misuse. Education and guidance about substance misuse has also been provided. This has helped children to reduce their use and to learn about the risks involved in using such substances.

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The care of children

Children’s views are valued. They are consulted about how the home is run and have a meaningful impact on any changes made. For example, a child has helped to develop the policy and guidance on what the home’s and organisation’s approach should be when holding meetings about any child. The emphasis of this piece of work was to gain each child’s views about what it feels like when they have their life discussed and significant events perused by a number of different professionals. This insightful and innovative project has been enthusiastically promoted and facilitated by managers across the organisation. The approach, driven by a child’s views, has promoted sensitivity and empathy from everyone involved.

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The safety of children

Staff have clear guidance to follow in the event that they have concerns about a child’s welfare. These procedures, often developed with the involvement of other agencies, are implemented effectively and this helps to ensure that the children are kept safe. Assurance visit report: SC037454 3 There are clear protocols for each child should they go missing from the home, and these are followed. Staff guidance and support during times to children when they have been absent without permission has been of a high standard. This approach has reduced such incidents dramatically. Consequently, children return home safely.

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The safety of children

Behavioural expectations are clear. Boundaries and routines are seen as reasonable and sensible by the children. Emphasis is placed on mutual trust and respect so that positive behaviour is seen as a normal and embedded part of the home’s ethos. If sanctions are used, they are aimed at individual behaviours and tailored to help children to learn and to make amends for any for misdemeanours.

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The safety of children

The use of restraint is very rare; there has not been an incident involving restraint for over a year. This reflects well on staff’s determination to give children a stable home where difficult issues can be explored, and differences settled without the need for aggression and disruption.

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The safety of children

Fire procedures are followed when needed. There are regular fire drills and children are all aware of what to do in the event of a need to evacuate the building. All staff have received training in fire awareness. The requirement made at the monitoring visit in February 2019 in relation to this matter has been addressed.

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Leaders and managers

The acting manager has applied to Ofsted to become registered. The staff team is very stable, with no new members of staff recruited to the home for over a year.

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Leaders and managers

At the last inspection in November 2018, a requirement was made in relation to improving the induction process for new members of staff. While a programme for induction of new members of staff has been developed, managers have not yet had the opportunity to implement or test this. This requirement is therefore repeated.

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Leaders and managers

Staff say that morale is high and that there is shared concern and care for members of staff as well as children. This helps to underpin the approach of valuing all members of this small community and a feeling that everyone’s backgrounds are to be enjoyed and celebrated.

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Leaders and managers

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on children and staff has been well managed. Staff have been supported throughout this time, which has resulted in them being able to provide stable and consistent care for the children.

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Leaders and managers

Other requirements made at the inspection in November 2018 and the monitoring visit in February 2019 have been addressed. There is no longer a delay in notifying Ofsted of any serious events; children are educated and encouraged to lead healthy lifestyles; there is effective sharing of concerns with placing social workers, and the statement of purpose is reviewed and updated as necessary. Assurance visit report: SC037454 4 Each child’s care plan is scrutinised and updated when needed. Staff are flexible in responding to changing needs. Children acknowledge and appreciate the efforts that staff make to support them and keep them safe. Liaison and communication with social workers and other professionals are effective and feedback from social workers is unanimously positive about staff efforts.

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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

ensure that each employee completes an appropriate induction.

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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. 20/04/2021

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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

Paul Taylor, Social Care Inspector Mathew Nicholls, Social Care Inspector Assurance visit report: SC037454 5 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

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Inspectors

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