Children's home run by My Choice Children’s Homes Limited in Mid Sussex

Inspection report for children’s home: SC064011 1 SC064011 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

The staff at this home provide care for up to four children whose support needs are primarily in relation to their emotions and behaviours. There is an on-site school which children may attend; the inspectors only inspected the social care provision. The provider has links with a range of therapeutic services that can be made available to children depending on their needs.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted on 19 April 2012.

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Information about this children’s home

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, at the request of the Secretary of State, we suspended all routine inspections of social care providers 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 inspected this setting on 8 October 2021. 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 requires improvement to be 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: 20 February 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: SC064011 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

20/02/2019 Full Good 17/05/2017 Full Good 27/01/2017 Interim Declined in effectiveness 11/10/2016 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: SC064011 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have positive relationships with staff. The staff are nurturing in their approach and genuinely warm and appropriately affectionate in their interactions with the children. All of the children were observed to be happy and relaxed. As a result, the home environment is very calm with a family-style feel.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The staff are skilled in supporting the children. They help them to resolve sibling-like clashes and repair relationships when they fall out with each other. Activities are carefully planned dependent on the group dynamics. Consequently, the children are learning to manage differing opinions and interests and live happily alongside each other.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are encouraged to learn new skills. This is dependent on their age and ability. The staff take care not to overload the children, giving them opportunities for independence within their abilities. One child is taking great care of his personal space. Another finds this more challenging and receives more support. This individualised approach enables all of the children to experience success.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children develop their identity through maintaining family relationships. The staff understand the importance of family and promote visits, and video calls at other times. The children also engage in a wide range of community-based activities that enhance their social experiences. However, there is no opportunity for them to experience a holiday with the staff. This is a missed opportunity for the children to have a usual childhood experience of a holiday as a result of them living in residential care.

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improvement to be good

The safeguarding culture at this home has become insular. One child made several allegations against the staff working at the home over a six-month period. None of the staff nor the registered manager consulted with the local area designated officer. They made decisions between themselves that the allegations were unfounded. In one example, there was no incident report written when the child said that an adult had kicked him. Although in some instances the child has later retracted the allegations, there is insufficient recording and reporting. Furthermore, the staff have failed to follow the home’s own safeguarding policy.

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improvement to be good

Although the staff have received safeguarding training, they did not recognise the poor practice within the team. It is of concern that none of the staff, including senior leaders, identified or addressed the weakness in the safeguarding culture.

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improvement to be good

Going missing was previously a concern for one child. The staff have worked with the team around this child, including the police and those important to the children, Inspection report for children’s home: SC064011 4 to develop a safety plan. As a result, his episodes of going missing have significantly reduced, and the staff are reassured that he is safe when staying overnight with his friends.

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improvement to be good

Children are encouraged to engage with healthy lifestyles. Where the need for specialist support is identified, the staff promote the importance of engaging with it. One child overcame a significant fear of the dentist with support from his key worker. However, there are no homely remedies available in the home should a child require pain relief, cough syrup or other over-the-counter medicines. This is a missed opportunity to provide the children with an immediate response as a good parent would, should they become unwell.

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good

The registered manager is dedicated to his role. However, he had not identified the poor safeguarding practice in managing allegations that has occurred, nor has his line manager. Although there is currently no identified impact on the children, these shortfalls risk having an impact on the safety and experiences of the children.

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good

The staff working at the home say that morale is good. Stability in the team has resulted in the staff working well together. Supervision is regular and results in clear actions which support the staff to learn and develop.

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good

There has been investment in the home. Many areas have been redecorated, with modern flooring and new carpets throughout. The children’s bedrooms have been decorated to their individual taste and provide them with lovely spaces to relax in. However, the tired and worn kitchen and bathrooms are yet to be renovated and the garden had not been prepared for use after the winter at the time of the inspection.

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good

Managerial monitoring is not effective. The failure to cross-reference the daily log and children’s records has resulted in events taking place that should have been recorded as incidents. It is of concern that none of the internal monitoring revealed the shortfalls in recording and reporting. The lack of professional curiosity means there are gaps in monitoring that have the potential to affect the children.

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good

External monitoring is good. The independent visitor attends the home monthly and provides an account of children’s progress and actions against previously identified shortfalls. The manager acts to address any new concerns that are raised.

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good

The provider is responsive when requirements are made; however, they are reactive and have not met all the previous requirements, resulting in two being repeated. The lack of proactive leadership and management has the potential to affect the day-to-day running of the home and the children’s experiences. Inspection report for children’s home: SC064011 5

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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 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. (Regulation 9 (1))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person should ensure that the children do not miss out on usual childhood experiences, such as going on holiday with their carers in a way that is not linked to other activity weeks run by the organisation. 3 April 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

understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person;

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Requirement Due date

are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(v)(vi))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person should ensure that allegations of abuse are properly recorded as incidents, and reported to the local area designated officer. 3 April 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 promotes their welfare. 3 April 2022 Inspection report for children’s home: SC064011 6 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

The registered person must make arrangements for the handling, recording, safekeeping, safe administration and disposal of medicines received into the children’s home. (Regulation 23 (1))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person should ensure that homely remedies are approved by the GP and kept in the home to be administered to the children as and when they require them. 3 April 2022

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if—

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Requirement Due date

there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there. (Regulation 40 (4)(c)) 3 April 2022

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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: SC064011 7

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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

Sarah Olliver, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC064011 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.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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