Children's Home run by Autism Sussex Ltd in Bexley

Inspection report for children’s home: 1264841 1 Registered provider: Autism Sussex Ltd Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

A charitable organisation runs this short-break service for disabled children on behalf of the local authority. The provider states in its statement of purpose that it provides ‘overnight stays’ for up to 10 children who have ‘disabilities and/or emotional and behavioural needs’. The service is for children living in the borough, and access to the service is through the local authority’s disabled children team.

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Information about this children’s home

This home was registered with Ofsted in December 2017. The manager was registered at the same time.

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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 inspections of social care providers carried out under the social care common inspection framework (SCCIF) on 17 March 2020. We returned to routine SCCIF inspections on 12 April 2021.

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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: 11 December 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: 1264841 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

11/12/2019 Full Good 14/03/2019 Interim Sustained effectiveness 31/07/2018 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 1264841 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children describe their short breaks as ‘fun’. They enjoy socialising with their peers and having the opportunity to make new friends. In addition to overnight respite, children also attend holiday and weekend clubs at the home. Children make good progress with their independent living and social skills. There are improvements in children’s personal care and managing their continence. Children make their own bed and assist staff with cooking and baking. Children’s confidence is growing. They are able to listen, take instruction and they learn how to interact in a socially acceptable way. Children demonstrate a warm and caring attitude towards each other. They assist with serving each other at mealtimes and clearing the dining table. Children enjoy time in the soft-play room, using the outdoor play equipment, relaxing in the sensory room, or the ‘den’, or having a movie night in the cinema- style lounge. Children also enjoy playing games, listening to music and participating

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

in art and crafts sessions. The home has its own minibus. However, due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, community-based activities are limited. Children learn to appreciate different cultures, religious festivals and secular events. They celebrate Diwali, Christmas, Easter and Halloween. Children receive support to follow their faith. An example of this is staff helping children with their daily prayers.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children benefit from good healthcare arrangements. They are encouraged to eat a healthy diet. Staff are trained in managing a range of health needs, which include epilepsy and gastro-feeding.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Care plans are written in a child-centred language, and they clearly outline the individual goals for each child. Visual aids enable children to share their views and choices, alongside increasing their level of understanding. Staff keep a record of children’s experiences and progress during the time they spend at the home. This information is shared with parents. However, record- keeping does not always follow good practice guidance. For example, on one occasion, a child’s personal care routine was unclear in the record of the child’s stay. Another record described the child as being ‘in a demanding attention mood’, which does not respect this child’s dignity.

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

There has been a strong focus on providing a safe service for children throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Leaders and managers have liaised with public health officials and strict guidelines are in place to protect children. Staff undergo regular testing and there is a protocol for visitors which includes lateral flow testing and temperature checks. Inspection report for children’s home: 1264841 4 Children praise the advice that staff have given them to help to keep everyone safe during the COVID-19 pandemic. Children understand the importance of face coverings, keeping the building clean and the careful washing of their hands. A child said that they felt ‘safe’, and a parent described the home as ‘safe and secure’. A local authority senior leader highlighted that the home provides ‘a valuable service to children on the cusp of care’. The service enables parents to continue caring for their children. Increased respite is also available during difficult times.

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

Children benefit from high staffing levels and there are clear plans to support children’s behavioural needs. Since the last inspection, staff have not had to sanction or restrain children. There is a strong emphasis on preventative strategies and liaising closely with schools and families to provide consistent care to children. The risk management system appropriately highlights the risks in relation to individual children, the environment, the location and specific activities. The environment also has protective factors to support the needs of children with self- injurious behaviour. If necessary, children have short breaks on their own and two- to-one staffing levels are also available. There are good health and safety, fire safety and security arrangements in place at the home. Safer recruitment practices help to prevent unsuitable persons from working with children. The registered manager now ensures that all staff references

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

are verified. There are strong links with the local safeguarding personnel. Staff feel confident in their duty to safeguard children. They are clear about the reporting procedure and their whistleblowing responsibilities. When concerns are highlighted, the registered manager promptly arranges a meeting to resolve any issues. There is a commitment to finding solutions, which focus on children’s best interests. Complaints are managed well; however, a complaints log monitoring trends and patterns is not kept.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager has demonstrated resilience and flexibility in her management of the service throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. The service has continued to operate in different formats despite staff shortages. A social worker praised the ‘good support’ to families and a parent felt that the service was ‘amazing’.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

During the times the home was closed, the organisation provided an extensive range of additional services to families. Families appreciated the outreach work, food parcels and gifts for the children. The sensory room and the garden were also available as a safe space for all the children that use the service. The registered manager and the staff team offer a wide range of practical support to parents. One parent gave an example of when the registered manager successfully wrote a letter in support of a child’s disability living allowance claim. The organisation’s fundraising, donations and support from a local charity have resulted Inspection report for children’s home: 1264841 5 in the purchase of a new minibus, the development of the sensory room, and a family Christmas event being arranged. Children benefit from care and support provided to them from a caring and experienced staff team. Staff enjoy their work and the fact that every day is

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

different. Staff feel supported by regular supervision, team meetings and extensive training opportunities, and they also have access to a well-being portal. Children enjoy their breaks in a spacious home environment which is suitably adapted for their needs. Hoists, modified bathrooms, beds and a range of specialist adaptations make children’s daily routines easier. Parts of the paintwork, however, are scuffed which detracts from the otherwise well-maintained building. Independent monitoring reports provide constructive feedback and focus on the continual improvement of the service. The registered manager regularly consults with children, parents and the placing authority. A review of the quality of care is also undertaken. However, this report does not include the views of staff and the placing authority. Leaders and managers have addressed the requirements and most of the recommendations from the last inspection. The recommendation regarding staff

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

appraisals has been repeated. This relates to seeking the views of children and external professionals to inform staff appraisals. The feedback received from parents was variable. In addition to the positive comments made, some parents wished for better communication, more purposeful activities, greater availability and alternate respite options. This feedback was shared during the inspection and is being addressed by the registered manager and the local authority service manager. Inspection report for children’s home: 1264841 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 registered person must ensure that the following items are kept in an accessible manner—

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Requirement Due date

records of complaints. (Regulation 38 (l)) 1 January 2022

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Requirement Due date

supply to HMCI a copy of the quality of care review report within 28 days of the date on which the quality of care review is completed.

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Requirement Due date

The system referred to in paragraph (2) must provide for ascertaining and considering the opinions of placing authorities and staff. (Regulation 45 (4)(a)(5)) 1 February 2022

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that they accurately record children’s personal care routines and ensure that the language used in records promotes children’s dignity. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations, including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4)  The registered person should ensure that they provide a homely, domestic environment. In particular, they should attend to the scuffed paintwork. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9)  The registered person should ensure that performance appraisals consider the views of children and professionals who have worked with the staff member. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations, including the quality standards’, page 60, paragraph 13.5)

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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, Inspection report for children’s home: 1264841 7 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: 1264841 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Autism Sussex Ltd, Sussex House, 19 High Street, Battle TN33 0AE

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Inspector

Sharon Payne, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 1264841 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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