Children's Home run by Brighton and Hove City Council in Brighton and Hove

Inspection report children's home: SC044880 1 SC044880 Registered provider: Brighton & Hove City Council Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This local authority-owned children’s home provides short breaks and longer-term care for children aged between eight and 18. According to its statement of purpose, the children have severe or moderate levels of learning disabilities, as defined in their education and healthcare plans.

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Information about this children’s home

The home has two managers who share the registered manager role. They have been registered with Ofsted since 2013 and 2015, respectively.

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Information about this children’s home

Due to COVID-19, at the request of the Secretary of State, we suspended all routine inspection of social care providers on 17 March 2020.

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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: 4 February 2020

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: Good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: None Inspection report children's home: SC044880 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

04/02/2020 Full Good 24/07/2018 Full Outstanding 08/08/2017 Full Good 14/02/2017 Interim Declined in effectiveness Inspection report children's home: SC044880 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Acceptance and mutual respect are embedded in the culture of this home, and the children are loved and valued for their unique personalities. The children enjoy the time they spend at the home; they play and have fun. Their body language shows that they feel comfortable in the presence of the staff. The staff know the children’s likes and dislikes well. They provide activities suited to each child, for example water play or going on the local buses. As a result, the staff have built trusting and secure relationships with the children.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The staff use many different forms of communication to ensure that each child can communicate their wishes and opinions. The staff use visual social stories to help explain more complex decisions and changes to routines which some children may find difficult to cope with. Recently, this approach has been used to explain the process of medication administration and how taking medicine can help you to feel better. This has helped the children to develop a better understanding of why the staff ask them to take their daily medications.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The staff support the children to actively participate in day-to-day decisions about their lives. This helps the children in developing a positive self-image. For example, the staff recently supported a child to visit the hairdressers and encouraged the child to choose a new hairstyle. Afterwards, the child could be seen by staff, looking in the mirror, smiling and touching their new hairdo. The staff photographed this special moment and have proudly displayed it for the child so that it can be remembered.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children who permanently live in the home regularly attend school. They are learning and making good progress. The staff liaise with schools effectively and advocate for the children in sharing their views and opinions with the relevant and necessary educational professionals. For example, the staff supported one child in airing their frustrations in not being able to attend school during lockdown restrictions.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The staff also drive one child to school and pick them up daily. Without this support from staff, it is likely the child would not attend. The committed and resourceful staff are helping maintain continuity and a good educational attainment for this child, despite the challenges that have arisen.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The staff support the children to develop their independence according to their individual needs, while protecting them from being in unsafe situations. For example, a child can have full access to their kitchenette in their dining room to bake and assist in cooking meals. However, the staff can also restrict access depending on how the child is feeling. This clever and bespoke design does not feel restrictive or look restrictive in any way and therefore continues to contribute towards a welcoming and homely environment for the child. Inspection report children's home: SC044880 4 The children enjoy a range of recreational opportunities when staying at the home, including playing outside in the grounds. These include a well-equipped sensory room, a large open-plan soft play area, lots of arts and craft materials and outside climbing equipment. The staff have encouraged the children to buy individual bedding for their bedrooms, as well as other soft furnishings. This allows for a more

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

comfortable and familiar environment for when the children come to stay.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Although there is an abundance of resources in the home, the children who live here permanently do not participate in after-school or community-based activities regularly. Nor have these children been on any annual holidays with the staff. Consequently, their opportunities to explore wider and broader social experiences are limited.

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

All children were seen to be demonstrably happy and secure during this inspection. They showed this through their huge smiles, relaxed manner and constant interaction with the staff. One child displayed their affection towards a member of staff by giving them a side hug. The member of staff was quick to recognise the child’s action, by thanking them, and then sensitively adjusting the child’s hand so the cuddle was safe. This approach demonstrates professional boundaries while embracing and accepting the child’s love.

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

The staff manage the children’s complex emotional and behavioural needs well. They demonstrate a commitment to helping the children to regulate and cope with their strong emotions when they find situations difficult. The staff work closely and transparently with parents and professionals to gain insight into the children’s emotional needs. The children each have an emotional behaviour response plan that link workers review, amending strategies when necessary to meet the changing needs of each child.

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

The staff undertake creative life-story work with the children which is meaningful and adapted to meet the children’s communication needs. This helps the children to understand their experience of living in the home, and recognise their important milestones and the significant people in their lives. The children have access to their life-story work on their personal electronic devices and can play it when they desire. This offers comfort and reassurance and reinforces the child’s personal identity.

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

The children’s link workers play a crucial role in ensuring that all necessary documentation is in place. This includes keeping the children’s support plans up to date. Such plans are clearly laid out, easy to read and provide a clear oversight of each child’s needs. Link workers play a central role in advocating for the children and are responsible for attending their regular reviews and meetings. This approach means that relevant professionals receive first-hand information from well-informed and practice-experienced staff.

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

External professionals are positive about the progress that the children are making. Inspection report children's home: SC044880 5 They say that they are impressed with the professionalism and commitment of the staff members and the trusting relationships they form with the children. They say that children receive positive responses and supportive attitudes towards the complex nature of their needs, and that the staff manage this respectfully, with dignity and compassion.

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

A large proportion of the staff team have the relevant qualifications and experience necessary to meet the needs of the children. The managers have provided a good level of scrutiny when considering equivalent qualifications and are addressing any shortfalls with the local authority’s learning and development team. This approach promotes the staff members’ understanding of the children’s behaviours and the challenges of supporting them in a residential home. The registered managers are very aware of regulatory time frames for staff completing relevant qualifications, and a monitoring system is in place to ensure oversight of this. As a result, the previous requirement has been met.

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good

The provision for short-breaks remained open during the pandemic, ensuring that the children and their families received a consistent and invaluable service. The responsible individual spoke openly to the inspector about the staff team’s tremendous efforts in working collaboratively and dynamically during this time, to minimise any negative impact for children.

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good

Staffing levels and staff retention have improved since the last inspection. Although there are still some gaps in recruitment, the children are receiving consistent care from familiar staff. There have been no further incidents of the children’s arranged overnight stays being cancelled due to shortages in the staff team. Therefore, the previous requirement about staff retention has been met.

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good

The managers are visible, hardworking and demonstrate a clear understanding and knowledge of the children they provide care for. They are committed to developing a culture of improving good outcomes for the children and in providing a good quality of care for them. The staff say that the managers are ‘hands-on’, approachable and take the time to listen and support staff. Two members of staff said it was the best place they had ever worked at and that the managers go above and beyond in supporting the children and in ensuring they are safe and well looked after.

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good

Despite some progress since the last inspection, the home’s identity, and the staff team’s ability to fully operate as a short-breaks home, remain compromised. The managers recognise the negative impact of one child living in the short-breaks home and have tried where possible to minimise this. There are plans in place for this child to move out and to live with one other child elsewhere in the building. The managers are in the process of completing and updating the children’s impact placement risk assessments to support this move. However, there are no protective factors in place from the local authority to stop this type of accommodation for children happening again. Inspection report children's home: SC044880 6 The home’s statement of purpose has partially been reviewed by the managers, and this is due to be completed by 1 July 2021. Managers felt they were unable to finish the review and give it the overhaul it required due to the impact of the pandemic.

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good

Managers have collated staff feedback on the home’s ethos and values, and this has contributed to the development of the document. This will be a repeat requirement from the previous inspection.

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good

Some of the staff’s training in the specific model of physical intervention commissioned by the home, is out of date. Managers told the inspector this was due to the provider suspending all face-to-face training during the pandemic. Although managers have booked training for the staff, they have not explored the associated risks with the training provider, in the context of staff using physical interventions outside of their certificates. Although this omission has not had an immediate impact on the quality of physical interventions for children, it does present unnecessary and unexplored risks for both the children and the staff.

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good

The managers follow good safer recruitment practices, and the staff training focuses on keeping the children safe in the context of relevant safeguarding risks. However, there are some shortfalls such as expired training for some staff and insufficient managers’ systems in place for the monitoring of staff training. For example, the staff are responsible for showing training certificates to senior staff before their attendance is signed off. This approach has delayed the timely and effective monitoring required in evidencing up-to-date training for all staff.

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good

The process for repairs, renewals and maintenance by the employed handyperson is being managed weekly by managers. Progress in improving the overall appearance of the home has been made. The continuing efforts of the dedicated care team have contributed to this. For example, they have recently painted murals on the children’s walls and flowerpots and flower beds at the front of the home, to give a warm welcome on arrival. However, the large kitchen in the centre of the home is in need of renovation. The work tops are discoloured and the sealant around these, the sink and kickboards have worn away making areas difficult to clean. Some cupboard doors do not close shut, or align, or are missing handles and collectively make the kitchen look unkempt and unclean. The overall condition of the premises is indicative that the repair and maintenance provision is not sufficiently resourced.

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good

Recent independent visits to the home have been short, and therefore the range of such visits is limited. It is not clear from the independent person reports if visits to the home are announced or unannounced, and no contact has been recorded as being made with external professionals. Often, children living in the home are not present during the independent visits. Subsequently children’s views, wishes and feelings are not evident in the reports produced by the independent visitor. This provides a narrow scope of independent assurance and makes it difficult for the regulator to effectively monitor the home in between inspections. Inspection report children's home: SC044880 7

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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

If the registered provider is an organisation, the organisation must ensure that the responsible individual undertakes such continuing professional development as is necessary to ensure that the responsible individual has the skills needed for supervising the management of the home. (Regulation 29 (2)) 1 September 2021

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Requirement Due date

keep the statement of purpose under review and, where appropriate, revise it; and

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Requirement Due date

notify HMCI of any revisions and send HMCI a copy of the revised statement within 28 days of the revision. (Regulation 16 (3)(a)(b)) 1 August 2021

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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—

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Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child;

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Requirement Due date

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(c)(h))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered manager and senior leaders are to ensure staff training is current and systems for recording and monitoring training is robust and clearly evidences staff attendance. 1 September 2021 Inspection report children's home: SC044880 8 The enjoyment and achievement standard is that children take part in and benefit from a variety of activities that meet their needs and develop and reflect their creative, cultural, intellectual, physical and social interests and skills.

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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

develop the child’s interests and hobbies;

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Requirement Due date

participate in activities that the child enjoys and which meet and expand the child’s interests and preferences; and

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Requirement Due date

make a positive contribution to the home and the wider community; and

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Requirement Due date

that each child has access to a range of activities that enable the child to pursue the child’s interests and hobbies. (Regulation 9 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered manager is to explore annual holidays, clubs, and activities for children living in the home full time. 1 September 2021

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that an independent person visits the children’s home at least once each month.

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Requirement Due date

When the independent person is carrying out a visit, the registered person must help the independent person—

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Requirement Due date

if they consent, to interview in private such of the children, their parents, relatives and persons working at the home as the independent person requires; and

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Requirement Due date

to inspect the premises of the home and such of the home’s records (except for a child’s case records, unless the child and the child’s placing authority consent) as the independent person requires.

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Requirement Due date

A visit by the independent person to the home may be unannounced.

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Requirement Due date

The independent person must produce a report about a visit ("the independent person’s report") which sets out, in particular, the independent person’s opinion as to whether— 1 September 2021 Inspection report children's home: SC044880 9 children are effectively safeguarded; and

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Requirement Due date

the conduct of the home promotes children’s well-being.

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Requirement Due date

The independent person’s report may recommend actions that the registered person may take in relation to the home and timescales within which the registered person must consider whether or not to take those actions. (Regulation 44 (1) (2)(a)(b) (3) (4)(a)(b) (5))

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that all areas of the premises used for the short-break service are designed and maintained so that they are accessible to all of the children. In particular, consideration should be given to a full kitchen replacement. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.7)

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Recommendation

In particular, senior leaders to explore a full kitchen replacement for the children staying in the short-breaks home.

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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: SC044880 10

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Hove Town Hall, Norton Road, Brighton BN3 3BQ

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Inspector:

Kelly Monniot, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children's home: SC044880 11 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:

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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