Children's Home run by My Choice Children’s Homes Limited in West Sussex

Inspection report for children’s home: SC364812 1 SC364812 Registered provider: My Choice Children’s Homes Ltd Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is owned and run by a private organisation. It is registered to provide care for up to two children.

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Information about this children’s home

The home has been without a registered manager since September 2021.

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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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Information about this children’s home

We last visited this setting on 22 October 2020 to carry out an assurance visit. The report is published on the Ofsted 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

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC364812 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

10/07/2019 Full Good 19/11/2018 Full Good 18/10/2017 Full Good 14/12/2016 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: SC364812 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children experience well-planned care from staff who are attentive and familiar with the children’s needs. Interactions between children and staff are warm and nurturing. This makes children feel secure and cared for, which enables them to make good progress.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The staff team went to great lengths during the periods of COVID-19 restrictions to ensure that there was no negative impact on children. Staff were creative and they made sure that children continued to have access to a range of recreational opportunities. Children thrive because of predictable structures and routines, and because of careful support from staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children make good progress in relation to their emotional well-being. One child arrived with a history of self-harm. Both children frequently displayed aggressive behaviour towards adults when they first arrived. Over time, both children’s behavioural incidents have reduced significantly in frequency, severity and duration. The independent reviewing officer for the children told the inspector that, since living at the home, the children have, ‘grown in confidence, increased in their ability to communicate and talk about their feelings, and significantly improved their ability to regulate their behaviour’. Children experience meaningful, trusting relationships with staff. This helps children learn how to talk to adults about how they are feeling and to accept support when they need it.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Education is a priority for children and they make good progress from their starting points. Managers and staff work closely with education professionals. For example, one child is currently struggling in school and needs additional support from staff when they collect her. Following consultation with the school staff team, managers have adjusted school pick-up times. As a result, the child has the support she needs with no negative impact on the other child’s school day. Collaborative working and a flexible approach have improved the chances of both children engaging and achieving in education.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

There are systems in place that are designed to ensure that children have well- planned key-work programmes which are aligned to the goals identified in their placement plans. Historically, the systems have been successfully implemented by staff. In one example, a child was helped to become more independent with her personal care. However, in recent months, the system has not been fully embraced by staff. As a result, in some instances, conversations between staff and children are being recorded inaccurately as key-work sessions. There are missed opportunities to help children achieve the goals which are important to them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The environment is genuinely regarded as the children’s home. The children are empowered to have ownership, which gives them a sense of pride in their Inspection report for children’s home: SC364812 4 surroundings. However, in some areas of the home, the decor is tired and in need of updating.

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

Staff prioritise the safety and well-being of children. When children make allegations about staff, managers respond robustly to ensure the safety of children. External safeguarding agencies are consulted before thorough investigations are carried out. This results in timely, independent scrutiny of the plans which are put in place to safeguard children. Incidents where children are at risk of harm are extremely rare.

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

Staff are adept at noticing changes in children’s presentation and behaviour. They recognise that those changes may indicate that children are struggling and need additional support. Consequently, the use of physical intervention is rare. Positive behaviour is noticed and rewarded. Managers are committed to ensuring that children become increasingly safe while having a positive experience of care.

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

Children have regular appointments with therapists from an independent organisation. This provides children with safe opportunities to explore their early life experiences. Additionally, it means that there are adults outside the home that children can talk to about the care they are receiving. Having a range of trusted professionals to speak to if they are worried contributes to children’s protection and sense of security.

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

Working closely with other professionals is given high priority by managers. Social workers have access to the home’s electronic files for the children that they are responsible for. They can view all the information being held about the children, including daily records. Effective and open communication with other professionals further underpins the safeguarding culture and promotes children’s safety.

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

The inspector found practice of fire doors being propped open and of fire extinguishers not being easily accessible. This undermines the fire safety of the home.

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

Safe recruitment practices are understood and implemented by the manager and staff responsible for this area of practice. Children are involved in the recruitment process. There have been some staff changes during this inspection period. When there have been vacant posts, managers have filled rota gaps with staff who know the children well. This reduces the risk of unsuitable adults, and people who are unfamiliar to the children, working there. Recent recruitment has resulted in a full staffing complement.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There is currently no registered manager at the home. However, children have benefited from consistency in the management team. The manager in day-to-day charge of the home was previously the deputy manager. He is in the process of applying to register with Ofsted. Inspection report for children’s home: SC364812 5 Staff speak highly of the new manager and the positive impact he has had on the home, particularly in relation to his involvement in the children’s lives. The manager is very clear about the progress children are making and has high aspirations for what they can achieve.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Managers and staff proactively advocate for children when they believe that plans need to change. In one example, children found it difficult to manage family members visiting them at home. Managers worked closely with the social worker from the placing authority and arranged for family time to be held at a neutral venue. This demonstrates the manager’s commitment to ensuring that decisions are made with children’s best interests in mind.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has monitoring systems in place which ensure he has good oversight of the quality of care provided to children. However, a shortfall identified in the inspection relates to the manager’s scrutiny of the fire risk assessment. It does not cover all areas of the building. As a result, the manager does not have full oversight of fire safety procedures.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive regular, meaningful supervision. Managers use these sessions to assess staff performance and ensure that staff know how to safely meet children’s needs in line with their care plans and risk assessments. Staff are given space to reflect on practice. The support staff receive from managers helps them to remain resilient when managing difficult situations and inspires staff to continue to give good-quality care to children. Inspection report for children’s home: SC364812 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 quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children;

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Requirement Due date

use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person should ensure that staff are making best use of the systems which are designed to help children achieve their goals. 14 March 2022

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Requirement Due date

The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

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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

that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed, furnished and maintained so as to protect each child from avoidable hazards to the child’s health. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(d))

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Requirement Due date

This is with particular reference to the registered person ensuring that all fire precautions are taken, and that the decoration of the home is maintained to a high standard. 14 March 2022

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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

promotes their welfare. 14 March 2022 Inspection report for children’s home: SC364812 7 In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

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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)(h))

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Requirement Due date

This relates to the registered person making sure that the fire risk assessment covers all areas of the building, in order to facilitate effective management monitoring of fire safety procedures.

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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: SC364812 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: My Choice Children’s Homes Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Unit 3a, Mill Green Business Estate, Mill Green Road, Haywards Heath RH16 1XQ

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Inspector

Helen Simmons, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC364812 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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