Children's home run by PJL Healthcare Limited in Wealden

Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC486879 1 SC486879

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PJL Healthcare Limited

Monitoring visit Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This privately owned children’s home is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to four children. The statement of purpose states that the home provides supportive and individualised care packages for children and young people with complex needs and behaviours which can potentially limit their life opportunities and negatively impact their development.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager has been registered with Ofsted since August 2019.

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This monitoring visit

This monitoring visit was undertaken in response to information received by Ofsted relating to two specific areas of practice. These were the transition arrangements for a young person who will be moving on from the home and the notification of serious incidents. Other aspects of leadership and management and safeguarding practice were also examined during the inspection process.

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This monitoring visit

The monitoring visit was conducted remotely because of the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic. The inspector conducted video interviews with the registered manager and reviewed documentary evidence. Two members of staff and two children living at the home were also spoken to during the inspection. In addition, two local authority social workers were consulted.

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This monitoring visit

The home was last visited by Ofsted inspectors on 7 October 2019, when a full inspection was undertaken.

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This monitoring visit

The registered manager has been proactive and tenacious in her efforts to ensure that a young person with complex needs is found accommodation with appropriate levels of support. The young person has been living at the home for several years and is approaching their 18th birthday. The staff have a comprehensive understanding of the young person’s needs and there are effective strategies in Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC486879 2 place to ensure her welfare and safety. Records pertaining to the young person’s needs are detailed and thorough and clearly demonstrate how the young person’s needs can be met effectively.

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This monitoring visit

The relevant placing authority has struggled to identify a suitable move-on placement. The registered manager has supported the local authority in its search for a placement and has put forward creative suggestions. There has been effective liaison with other professionals involved in meeting the young person’s needs.

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This monitoring visit

Since the last full inspection, there have been two low-level allegations made by children against two members of staff. On the first occasion the registered manager did not consult the designated officer in the local authority in a timely way. This shortfall was not repeated when the second allegation was made. On both occasions effective action was taken to ensure that the children would not come to harm. Internal investigations were thorough, and the outcomes were shared with relevant safeguarding professionals.

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This monitoring visit

These allegations were not notified to Ofsted and consequently the regulator’s ability to monitor practice in the home was hindered.

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This monitoring visit

Overall, staff are familiar with the principles underlying the home’s model of care. These are implemented in practice and have a positive impact on children’s emotional well-being and mental health. One member of staff was able to describe in detail how her learning from mental health training has influenced her day-to-day interaction with the children. The registered manager is currently finalising a new arrangement with an established mental health and emotional well-being service provider. There is enthusiasm among the staff regarding the new opportunities this will bring for developing their knowledge and skills and new therapeutic interventions for the children and young people.

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This monitoring visit

Not all staff have completed training relating to working with children who self-harm. The registered manager acknowledged this shortfall and is currently exploring ways of providing relevant training during the COVID-19 restrictions.

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This monitoring visit

The home is well managed by the registered manager, who oversees effective quality of care monitoring systems. This has ensured areas for practice development are quickly identified. There is an established culture of learning from mistakes. For example, when it became apparent that not all staff had adhered to the policy relating to the use of personal mobile phones, group work and individual supervisions fully addressed the weaknesses detected by the management team. The requirements made at the last full inspection have been addressed.

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This monitoring visit

Despite this good practice, not all staff quickly identify their responsibilities for notifying the registered manager of serious incidents in a timely way.

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This monitoring visit

In many cases, children have made exceptional progress while living at the home. Their engagement with education has improved and their increased levels of Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC486879 3 emotional stability have enabled them to begin addressing traumatic events from the past. The children spoken to during this inspection said they feel safe at the home and they praised the staff for helping them to keep occupied during the COVID-19 restrictions.

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This monitoring visit

Two new requirements and one recommendation are made following this inspection. Practice relating to the two recommendations made at the last full inspection was not reviewed at this monitoring inspection, and they are therefore repeated in this report.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 07/10/2019 Full Good 01/05/2018 Full Good 16/05/2017 Full Good 05/10/2016 Full Good Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC486879 4

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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—

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Requirement Due date

understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person.

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Requirement Due date

This relates to staff understanding how and when they should report poor practice to the registered manager. 1 March 2021

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if—

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Requirement Due date

there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there.

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Recommendations

 For children’s homes to be nurturing and supportive environments that meet the needs of their children, they will, in most cases, be homely, domestic environments. Children’s homes must comply with relevant health and safety legislations (alarms, food hygiene etc.); however in doing so, homes should seek as far as possible to maintain a domestic rather than ‘institutional’ impression. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9) Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC486879 5  Whenever possible, staff in day to day contact with children should include staff from the different gender groups. Where the home’s Statement of Purpose makes it explicit that the home uses staff of one sex only, clear guidance will need to be in place and followed as to how children are enabled to maintain relationships with people of a different gender. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations

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Recommendations

including the quality standards’, page 54, paragraph 10.22)  The registered person should ensure that staff receive training in working with children who self-harm. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 43, paragraph 9.12)

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Information about this inspection

The purpose of this visit was to monitor the action taken and the progress made by the children’s home since its last Ofsted inspection.

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Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000.

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: PJL Healthcare Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Mayfield House, East Street, Mayfield, East Sussex TN20 6TZ

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Inspector

Stephen Collett, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC486879 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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Inspector

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