Children's Home run by Child First Limited in West Sussex

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC042147 1 SC042147

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Child First Ltd

Monitoring visit Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is owned and operated by a private provider. The home is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to six children between the ages of 11 and 18, who may have experienced a chaotic early family life, which may have included abuse, emotional neglect and exploitation.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager is suitably qualified and was registered with Ofsted in April 2019.

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This monitoring visit

This monitoring visit took place in response to concerns arising from regulation 44 reports, and to review the requirements and progress made since the home’s last full inspection in July 2019. Due to the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic, this inspection took place off site, through a combination of telephone discussions and reviewing of documents that were sent to the inspector.

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This monitoring visit

At the previous inspection, a requirement was made regarding improving the review of incidents involving members of the management team. There are new systems in place, but these are yet to be fully tested as there have been no further such incidents. The requirement is judged to have been met, due to the improved systems now in place.

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This monitoring visit

Three further requirements were made at the last inspection. These related to medication, staff training and improving responses to children going missing. The registered manager has taken action to address these areas of practice. For example, there are improved medication processes now in use in the home.

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This monitoring visit

The manager is knowledgeable about the needs of the children. Children present with a diverse range of experiences, backgrounds, cultures and individual needs. When children need specific or specialist support, the manager arranges this with Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC042147 2 specialist services. This enables children to explore key and complex issues in their lives, in a safe and enabling manner.

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This monitoring visit

Children’s safety is prioritised. The manager responds promptly to concerns about the safety of children, using specialist agencies. This approach enables children to feel safe at the home.

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This monitoring visit

Staff provide support and care to help children to become safe. Risk assessments are regularly reviewed and updated. Staff have a good understanding of children’s risks and vulnerabilities and support them to understand how to keep safe. For example, one child, who is at risk of harm online, is understanding of the safeguards put in place to protect them. Children who are new to the home are welcomed with careful and considered planning. As a result, children feel safe and build good relationships with staff and other children.

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This monitoring visit

Regular visits take place by an independent visitor and reports from these visits identify areas to develop. A report from September 2020 noted that there had been an incident that should have been reported to Ofsted. This involved a child being assaulted in the community. All appropriate actions were taken to safeguard the child but a notification to Ofsted was not made. The manager agreed that, in hindsight, the incident was more serious than they had initially thought.

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This monitoring visit

The manager understands the strengths and weaknesses of the staff team and has sourced a range of training for staff to access. This training has been tailor-made to meet the needs of children in their care. For example, the manager has accessed specialist training around caring for unaccompanied asylum-seeking children. This enables the staff to meet the needs of children in their care.

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This monitoring visit

When placement endings are unplanned, the welfare and well-being of children remain paramount and staff always act with this in mind. The manager is active in the care-planning process, ensuring that the child’s needs are met.

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This monitoring visit

The manager ensures that there is safe recruitment of staff, preventing unsuitable people from being recruited. This ensures that children’s safety and welfare are protected.

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This monitoring visit

The staff have brought the garden shed, named by a child as ‘Shedquarters’, to life. Here, children can have access to a safe space away from the main building. The shed is used as an area to meet with families, relax and hold movie nights. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC042147 3

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 09/07/2019 Full Good 05/06/2018 Full Good 07/12/2016 Full Requires improvement 25/04/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC042147 4

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that staff understand that they have a responsibility to observe, notice and respond to children who are expressing their views, acknowledging that it is not the sole responsibility of the child to ‘tell’. This is particularly in relation to the child’s participation, and staff’s professional curiosity, in key-work sessions. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 22, paragraph 4.10)  The registered person should ensure that there are clear systems in place for judging whether an incident is sufficiently serious to make formal notifications to Ofsted and other relevant persons. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 63, paragraph 14.12)

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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 address: 40 Oxford Road, Worthing BN11 1UT

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Inspector

Matt Nicholls, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC042147 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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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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