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

Information about this children’s home

The children’s home is privately owned. It is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to four children with social, emotional and mental health difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager was registered with Ofsted on 5 July 2017.

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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.

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Information about this visit

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.

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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. Assurance visit report: 1250194 2

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The care of children

Children feel well supported by a staff team which has a good understanding of their individual needs. Positive relationships between children and the core staff team help to develop trust. Children feel able to share any worries that they have with staff. During the COVID-19 period this has included children sharing concerns about possible symptoms. Staff responded effectively, with the outcome being that there have been no reported cases in the home.

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The care of children

Engagement in activities both inside and outside of the home is well supported by staff, who have adjusted the range of activities on offer in accordance with the changing situation in relation to COVID-19 guidance. As a result, children have enjoyed a wide range of individual and group activities.

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The care of children

Professionals shared positive feedback about the staff team supporting children’s individual learning needs. The additional support provided by staff has helped children to engage in their educational placements. In one example, staff ensured that a child whose educational placement was a significant distance away from the home was able to continue to access learning.

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The care of children

Therapeutic support for children is given through the in-house provision, together with specialist services where appropriate. Where there has been a delay in accessing specialist support, the registered manager has advocated for this. However, one child was given notice to move after only being there for two days. This child’s needs were not fully known because full information in relation to their support needs was not disclosed by the placing social worker at the point of referral. The registered manager recognised the detrimental impact of this for the child and challenged this appropriately with the placing authority to ensure learning from this situation.

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The care of children

On one occasion, police involvement was needed in response to an incident between two children. Staff reported not feeling confident to respond effectively to the incident. This resulted in the police being involved with a child who had not previously had any contact or involvement with the police. Staff are being provided with appropriate refresher training in order to reduce the likelihood of them needing to call the police to manage behaviours.

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The care of children

Staff work well with the professional network for each child and this ensures a timely response to issues as they arise. Professionals shared positive feedback on the stability provided to children due to the good support from staff. This includes effective support for children to develop the independence skills that they need in order to successfully transition towards adulthood.

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The safety of children

Children’s individual risks are generally well understood by staff. The risk assessment for one child moving into the home reflected the known safeguarding concerns. The Assurance visit report: 1250194 3 emerging risks were identified, and the risk assessment was appropriately updated to include these. However, the risks associated with a child’s being away from the home were not reflected within the risk assessment. Therefore, staff did not have appropriate guidance to enable them to respond effectively to these risks.

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The safety of children

Written risk management plans in respect of children’s interactions with one another were appropriate. This is important due to significant concerns identified. However, these plans were not fully understood by all staff. The registered manager reviewed guidance for staff and implemented further training. This was a timely response, which enabled staff to gain a better understanding of how to manage the risks that children may pose to each other.

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The safety of children

Children are supported individually by staff to understand expectations in terms of their behaviour. The risk management plans are appropriately discussed with statutory agencies.

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The safety of children

Staff work well with statutory agencies when children have been missing from the home. This has been key for a child who was regularly missing during their short time living in the home. There is effective follow-up work by staff when children return home from being missing. This includes individual support sessions with children, as well as ensuring children have access to an independent person when they return. Staff maintain effective communication with the placing authority for the children and appropriately share safeguarding concerns.

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Leaders and managers

Staff feel well supported by the registered manager. This has been particularly important due to the significant level of change to the staff team during the COVID- 19 period. The statement of purpose for the home was not updated with new staff details to include their qualifications. This was a requirement of the last full inspection, which has not been met.

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Leaders and managers

The changes within the core staff team have necessitated the regular use of non- core staff. This includes agency staff and staff from other homes within the organisation. Non-core staff are not always able to fully respond to children’s behaviours. There has been no review by the registered manager as to how this has an impact on children’s lived experiences of care and on their ability to develop trusting relationships with all staff.

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Leaders and managers

The staff team is led by an experienced registered manager. The development of individual staff members is supported through the completion of an in-house therapeutic practitioner course. Staff have applied this learning to their practice. This is demonstrated through the way staff have sensitive discussions with children in response to their presenting needs.

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Leaders and managers

The home provides a welcoming environment and plenty of indoor and outdoor space for children. Overall, this is well maintained. However, there have been two incidents where children have been able to access the outside shed and office roof. Assurance visit report: 1250194 4 No significant injuries were sustained by the children and no further incidents have occurred., . However, there has not been a review of the measures in place to manage the risk of this potentially happening again. The senior management team confirmed assessments of risk were being reviewed in response to the shortfalls identified at this assurance visit. This includes taking additional health and safety measures to mitigate the identified risks.

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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— assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the child’s relevant plans, and, if necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child; have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm.

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Requirement Due date

Regulation 12 (1)(2)(a)(i)(iii)) 16/11/2020

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Requirement Due date

The leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that— helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and promotes their welfare.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to— lead and manage the home in a way that is consistent with the approach and ethos, and delivers the outcomes, set out in the home’s statement of purpose; ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child; 16/11/2020 Assurance visit report: 1250194 5 ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child; use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b)(2)(a)(c)(e)(h))

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Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children— receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home; and have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must compile in relation to the children’s home a statement ("the statement of purpose") which covers the matters listed in schedule 1.

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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

Maria Lonergan, Social Care Inspector Assurance visit report: 1250194 6 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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