Children's home run by Rubicon Children and Family Services Ltd in Lewes

Inspection report children's home: SC403905 1 SC403905 Registered provider: Rubicon Children’s Homes Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

This privately owned children’s home is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to five children. The statement of purpose states that the home accommodates children with complex needs who may have experienced trauma, neglect and abuse.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The manager has been registered with Ofsted since 7 November 2019.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

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

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

p.1

good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

p.1

good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

p.1

good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

p.1

good

Overall judgement at last inspection: Good

p.1

good

Enforcement action since last inspection: None Inspection report children's home: SC403905 2

p.1

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

02/10/2019 Full Good 05/03/2019 Interim Sustained effectiveness 08/08/2018 Full Good 23/01/2018 Interim Improved effectiveness Inspection report children's home: SC403905 3

p.2

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

All children in the home are making good progress. Staff have high aspirations for children and always consider how to help children make progress in relation to their starting points. Staff help and encourage children to make progress by setting achievable goals and realistic targets.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

There is good communication with external professionals. Social workers praise the progress that children have made since living in the home. They consistently confirm that concerns are shared with them and decisions are made in partnership. All children who have left the home since the last inspection have done so in a planned way.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Parents are happy with the way that their children are looked after and the progress they make. One parent said that the communication is ‘really good’, and daily messages from staff keep her updated about her child and help her not to worry.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children generally make good progress with their education. One child has been supported to remain in school by having staff from the home with him through the school day. For one child, who is unable to access education at the moment, staff are doing everything they can to meet their needs and working with the professional network to identify a suitable education placement.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s views and wishes are well captured through planned and ad-hoc one-to- one sessions and a monthly advocacy meeting that is led by staff. Children’s views are acted upon and changes are then made. One child spoke in his advocacy session about only spending time with certain members of staff. This was shared with shift leaders who then ensured he was able to spend time with all staff.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

House meetings enable children to share and celebrate successes as well as exploring any ‘grumbles’ that they may have. Staff ensure that all children are encouraged and supported to join these meetings and, regardless of any communication difficulties, their opinions are always gathered.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported to raise complaints if they are unhappy with elements of their care. One child complained about the behaviour of another child. Staff resolved this through meeting with both children and helping them to talk to each other. This had a positive outcome and the child making the complaint was happy.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are well supported in learning skills for their future. The home has an annex which is being used to help a child adjust to independent living while also having support from staff. The annex has its own living room, bathroom and kitchen. Staff help children who use this space to think about budgeting, cleaning and meal preparation. The child who is currently living there has made significant progress since arriving in the home. He has been supported to be able to finish one college Inspection report children's home: SC403905 4 provision and then identify, apply and secure a place at a new one. He has also learned how to cook his own meals, which he does throughout the week. His work in the annex shows that he is beginning to make choices and learn skills that will equip him for the future.

p.3

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

Risks for children are well understood by leaders and managers. There is a robust risk assessment schedule and behaviour management plans are in place to support care practice. These are regularly reviewed and are updated following significant incidents.

p.4

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

However, there is some inconsistency about how children’s plans are shared with staff. Records are currently moving to a computer-based system. On this system it is not possible to track which staff have seen the changes to risk assessments. The files that remain paper based rely on staff to sign them. This is not done consistently and at times new guidance has been printed before the previous one has been signed by all staff. This means staff are not always working with and to the latest guidance from managers.

p.4

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

Children who self-harm are provided with care and guidance to help them to begin to reduce this. One child has had a significant reduction in her self-harming behaviour as a result of the team providing support and advice to her, especially when she is upset. At times when she has become most upset, she has been admitted to hospital. Staff from the home have worked with the girl’s social worker, nurses and hospital staff to create a clear safety plan so that the child has the support that she needs to help her stay safe.

p.4

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

When children go missing from the home, staff are proactive in searching the area and maintaining attempts to call and communicate with them and key people in their network to find them and ensure their safe return. On return, children are sensitively supported and there is a good understanding of why a child may have gone missing.

p.4

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

Incidents are generally well managed, with minimal use of restraint. Records of incidents are, generally, well written. Managers ensure that there is a clear process for reflection by staff and children. However, in one incident of restraint, the debrief offered to the child was not carried out by someone independent of the incident. This did not give the child adequate opportunity to discuss how they felt afterwards.

p.4

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

Health and safety is well managed. All fire and health and safety checks are completed as scheduled and any actions identified are met immediately. Fire drills support children and staff to understand the evacuation procedures.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager is passionate and aspirational. She has a good knowledge of the children and the staff team. Staff work well together under her guidance and Inspection report children's home: SC403905 5 share her passion for providing nurturing care and helping children to reach their potential.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive effective and regular supervision. There is good opportunity for personal reflection on the impact of their work. This is supplemented by clinical supervision by an external practitioner. This ensures that staff have a good understanding as to why children may be behaving in a particular way and helps them to think about how and what they can change in order to help children learn and thrive.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The clinical supervision and reflective staff meetings help staff to provide care in line with the therapeutic aims and objectives of the home. Staff are able to demonstrate a good theoretical knowledge and this underpins practice and recording. However, there has been an occasion where the language used in a one-to-one session was neither child friendly nor child focused.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff are consistent in their praise for leaders. Staff are well supported and report that the actions of leaders and managers have enabled the staff team to be able to become stronger, even with the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. This shared ethos and close teamwork has resulted in more consistent care, which contributes to the progress that children make.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers are quick to challenge when children’s needs are not being met sufficiently by external professionals. Any communication or complaint is written in a passionate yet professional manner, with the child’s best interest at the centre. This has had a positive impact for two children in supporting them to access suitable education.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Equality and diversity is well promoted. There is evidence in house meetings and individual work of time spent with children to extend and expand their knowledge of difference. Resources are available in the house and the noticeboard has clear pointers for both staff and children. Considering the different communication needs of the children living in the home, this is still done with good consistency. Inspection report children's home: SC403905 6

p.5

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.

p.6

Requirement Due date

The registered person must prepare and implement a policy (“the behaviour management policy”) which sets out the measures of control, discipline and restraint which may be used in relation to children in the home.

p.6

Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that within 5 days of the use of a measure of control, discipline or restraint in relation to a child in the home the registered person or the authorised person adds to the record confirmation that they have spoken to the child about the measure. (Regulation 35 (3)(a)(iv)(c))

p.6

Requirement Due date

In particular, the person speaking to the child must be independent and not involved in the physical intervention. 30 November

p.6

Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that staff record information on individual children in a non-stigmatising way that distinguishes between fact, opinion and third-party information. Information about the child must always be recorded in a way that will be helpful to the child. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4)  The behaviour management strategy should be understood and applied at all times by staff and must be kept under review and revised where appropriate. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 46, paragraph 9.34) Inspection report children's home: SC403905 7

p.6

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’.

p.7

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Rubicon Children’s Homes Limited

p.7

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 2 St Andrews Place, Southover Road, Lewes, East Sussex BN7 1UP

p.7

Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Louise Whichelow-Ellis

p.7

Inspector

Mark Newington, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children's home: SC403905 8 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.

p.7

Inspector

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.8

Inspector

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.8

Inspector

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

p.8