Children's Home run by Island Choices Ltd in Isle of Wight

Inspection report for children’s home: SC399866 1 SC399866 Registered provider: Island Choices Ltd Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is one of two operated by a private company commissioned by the local authority where the home is based. It is registered to provide care for up to four children

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in August 2009.

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Information about this children’s home

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

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Information about this children’s home

We last visited this setting on 4 March 2021 to carry out a monitoring visit. The report is published on our website.

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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 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: 13 November 2019

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC399866 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

13/11/2019 Full Good 31/10/2018 Full Good 05/10/2017 Full Good 02/02/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report for children’s home: SC399866 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children make progress through their strong relationships with staff in the home. Children respond well to the staff’s warm and nurturing parenting style. Children are held central to plans and are involved in decisions about their day-to-day lives. Children say that they feel listened to and that they like living in their home. Social workers are positive about the care children receive.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children develop skills for independence, such as using public transport, menu planning and shopping for food. They are afforded the opportunity to access the community independently with relative freedom, in line with their friends. They are also taught valuable life skills. For example, at the time of inspection children were excitedly making Christmas wish lists, with many high-value items. Staff helped them to source what they wanted via local websites selling used and reconditioned goods. Children valued this lesson and realised just how far their money could go.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children in the home are currently struggling with accessing education. The staff advocate well for the children and ensure that other professionals fully understand the barriers to learning that children have. This has helped to children to access additional resources and support to help them re-engage with learning. A child who has been out of education for a significant period is now showing enthusiasm for learning and was excited about visiting a more specialist education setting to meet her needs. Those in post-16 education have struggled with the lack of structure to the college day or the pressure to conform to the expectations of their course. Joint working with the youth engagement team is helping them to access positive activities and consider their options.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s daily planners have not been updated since children have stopped attending their college courses. While children decide daily with staff what they would like to do, the managers acknowledged that plans needed to be more structured. Steps were taken during the inspection to help children choose activities that provide healthy routines and learning.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children learn to value their health and well-being. Smoking cessation is offered and children are helped to choose healthier food options. Access to child and adolescent mental health services can at times be delayed. Perseverance from staff and joint working with social workers have ensured that children are now getting the help, support and treatment they require. Children’s medication is stored and administered appropriately. However, it was noted that where multiple health professionals are involved in prescribing medication, the home’s staff did not have written confirmation of medication changes and of what the current dosages were. This did not have a negative impact on the child, as the correct medication and dose was being administered. Inspection report for children’s home: SC399866 4

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

Children are relaxed and comfortable in their home and with the staff. They show that they feel safe through their positive interactions and ability to approach staff with their concerns and worries. Staff are attentive to children’s needs and understand their vulnerabilities, such as self-injury or low self-esteem. Staff display care and diligence in response to concerning events. Child protection and safeguarding concerns are swiftly reported to relevant partner agencies.

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

Staff help children to understand their relationships with each other, with friends and partners. Staff role-model appropriate interactions and support children to understand how to build healthy relationships, for example how to manage feelings of jealousy. Children spoke about the internet articles staff have sent them on how to improve their confidence and self-worth.

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

The staff approach to internet safety and monitoring is that children need to use the internet safely and staff only stop their access if there is an issue. Children often show the videos and photos they have posted online to staff. Staff have the details of children’s social media accounts to support learning, safeguarding and locating children should they be missing. However, there is not a house smartphone and staff will view profiles on their own phones. This potentially oversteps professional boundaries. However, staff are clear that they do not contact children from their own phones.

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

Responses to a safeguarding concern of unauthorised peers accessing the home have been thoughtfully managed and family home-style video doorbells have been installed to improve security.

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

Children occasionally go missing from the home. The staff response to this is well managed, with clear plans on where to look for children and who they may be with. There has been a recent reduction in children going missing due to staff and children’s positive relationships. The local police officer will let staff at the home know when they have spoken to children in the community, whom they suspect may be late home. This demonstrates strong joint working. Children are protected from harm through regular safety checks of the home and fire safety equipment. Recruitment and vetting are thorough prior to staff starting work at the home. This ensures that only staff who are of suitable character are permitted to work in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Managers in the home are aspirational for the children in their care. There is a clear focus on promoting children’s emotional well-being and preparing them for adulthood. Staff know the children well and provide the care that they need. This results in children enjoying stable placements in a well-matched group. Inspection report for children’s home: SC399866 5 The staff are highly complimentary of the management team, saying that they can contact managers at any time. Staff work as a team to provide a consistent experience of care for children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Regular supervision supports staff learning and development and regular training ensures that they have the skills to meet children’s needs. The registered manager makes good use of her supervision with a person independent of the company to reflect on her practice and to develop her leadership skills.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The management team in the home has good oversight of children’s plans and progress. Monthly updates highlight successes and areas where children need further support. The manager makes good use of the monthly feedback from the independent visitor, using this towards improving and evaluating the quality of the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home is well maintained and the recent response to significant flooding in the basement has led to redecoration and new flooring throughout. A child’s bedroom was also redecorated and she commented to the inspector on how she prefers how her room is now. Inspection report for children’s home: SC399866 6

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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 education standard is that children make measurable progress towards achieving their educational potential and are helped to do so.

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

support each child’s learning and development, including helping the child to develop independent study skills and, where appropriate, helping the child to complete independent study;

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Requirement Due date

promote opportunities for each child to learn informally. (Regulation 8 (1) (2)(a)(ii)(v))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that children’s daily planners provide meaningful activities when children are out of education or to supplement their timetabled education. 24 December

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must make arrangements for the handling, recording, safekeeping, safe administration and disposal of medicines received into the children’s home.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that medicine which is prescribed for a child is administered as prescribed to the child for whom it is prescribed and to no other child. (Regulation 23 (1) (2)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that any changes to medication are confirmed in writing by the prescriber and confirming the implications with the prescriber if the child chooses not to take the medication. 24 December Inspection report for children’s home: SC399866 7

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Recommendations

 The registered person must ensure that children are not punished as a result of being missing, as per ‘Statutory guidance on children who run away or go missing from home or care’, page 23, paragraph 70. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations, including the quality standards’, page 45, paragraph 9.25)  The registered person must be clear on the use of social media to locate or contact children, ensuring that staff know which phone or device this can be done from. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations, including the quality standards’, page 44, paragraph 9.19)

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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 for children’s home: SC399866 8

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: William Stanbridge

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Inspector

Jennie Christopher, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC399866 9 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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