Children's Home run by West Sussex County Council in West Sussex

Inspection report for children's home: SC037441 1 SC037441 Registered provider: West Sussex County Council Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home provides care and accommodation for up to four children who have moderate or severe learning disabilities. The service provides a mix of permanent placements and short-break care.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has been registered with Ofsted since February 2013.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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outstanding

How well children and young people are helped and protected outstanding

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outstanding

The effectiveness of leaders and managers outstanding

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outstanding

The children’s home provides highly effective services that consistently exceed the standards of good. The actions of the children’s home contribute to significantly improved outcomes and positive experiences for children and young people who need help, protection and care.

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outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: outstanding

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outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children's home: SC037441 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

27/04/2021 Full Outstanding 25/02/2020 Full Good 16/10/2018 Full Good 31/01/2018 Full Good Inspection report for children's home: SC037441 3

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outstanding

Children thrive and make significant progress across all aspects of their lives. This can be attributed to the high standard of nurturing care they receive from staff.

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outstanding

Staff develop positive, trusting relationships with children. As a result of these positive relationships, children’s confidence grows.

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outstanding

Staff are highly skilled at communicating with children using the child’s preferred communication style. Staff understand the individual needs of each child, and they use the strategies defined in the child’s care plan to provide consistent boundaries and care.

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outstanding

Children’s education is given high priority. The children are settled in school and their attendance is good. When difficulties arise, exceptional partnership working ensures that children are at the forefront of all decisions.

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outstanding

Children enjoy a wide range of recreational and leisure activities. Each child’s individual interests are considered when activities are planned. During the inspection, a member of staff carried out research into what a child may expect to see when visiting a museum. This enabled a comprehensive plan to be devised to prepare the child for the visit.

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outstanding

Children’s health needs are promoted. Children learn the importance of maintaining a balanced diet and they can make choices from a varied menu. Priority is given to supporting children’s mental health and emotional well-being. In one case, the registered manager ensured that a bespoke psychologist’s assessment was put in place for a child.

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outstanding

Staff ensure that there are highly effective programmes in place to support children to develop their independence skills. These take into account children’s high levels of vulnerability. Some children who have lived at the home for an extended period have made excellent progress in terms of becoming more independent.

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outstanding

There are well developed procedures for ensuring that the children who stay at the home for short breaks are compatible with those children who live at the home permanently. Care is taken to ensure that the children on short breaks are welcomed and made to feel at home during their stay.

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outstanding

Meeting the needs of the children is central to the culture and practice at the home. Children are valued and are consistently treated with dignity and respect. One professional commented to the inspector that children at this home are ‘cherished’. Inspection report for children's home: SC037441 4

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outstanding

Practice relating to the safety and well-being of children is exemplary. Managers and staff take time to understand each of the children’s complexities. This knowledge is used to inform risk management strategies for each child. As a result of this outstanding practice, there are several examples of where children’s risk levels have decreased. For example, one child has significantly reduced a tendency to self-harm and suicidal thoughts. Another child has stopped resorting to violent behaviours when feeling anxious.

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outstanding

The registered manager demonstrates a high level of professional curiosity, and this approach is then mirrored by the staff. For example, the registered manager gave a detailed account of how one child was potentially masking their emotions and therefore hiding the level of trauma they were experiencing. This alerted the staff to how they should be vigilant and not let the child merge into the background.

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outstanding

Children’s behaviour support plans generally provide clear guidance for staff on how to respond to the child demonstrating behaviours that could be harmful. Plans provide detailed descriptions of what may trigger these behaviours and what approaches to take to de-escalate a child’s anxieties.

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outstanding

One child has gone missing from the home on several occasions. On each occasion, the staff have followed agreed procedures to try and locate the child at the earliest opportunity. They have liaised closely with the police and highlighted the child’s particular vulnerabilities. The staff have become highly attuned to the warning signs that the child may be planning to leave the home, and they take pre-emptive steps to positively engage the child.

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outstanding

Managers and staff routinely follow child protection procedures whenever there is a concern for a child’s welfare. Positive working relationships have been established with external safeguarding professionals and appropriate levels of consultation take place when necessary.

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outstanding

Despite this excellent practice, one shortfall was identified in terms of ensuring that staff have sufficient resources and skills to manage a potential emergency. Although there is not a current issue, there is the potential for children to use ligatures to cause themselves harm. Ligature cutters are not currently kept in the home, and the staff have not been trained in how to use ligature cutters.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The home is exceptionally well managed by a suitably qualified and experienced registered manager. She is supported well by a competent and dedicated team of senior staff, and the responsible individual has a strong presence in the home. The registered manager is committed to securing the best outcomes for children. This is demonstrated through her determination to ensure that every child gets the support Inspection report for children's home: SC037441 5 they need. For example, she has researched the links between gender identity and autism and approached local organisations to broaden her knowledge.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The standard of care planning is excellent overall. In one case, consideration was given to a child’s past trauma, which provided a comprehensive analysis. Despite this excellent practice, one single case was identified where the advice contained in a child’s psychological assessment was not well reflected in the child’s behaviour support plan.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered manager consistently reviews all serious incidents, and the deputy managers carry out regular audits of the children’s case files. This approach ensures that any shortfalls in the standard of practice are quickly identified and rectified.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered manager is committed to ensuring the well-being of the team and takes prompt and effective action when a member of staff has been negatively impacted by a challenging situation. The staff receive regular good-quality supervision, and they have access to a comprehensive training programme.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The working relationship that has been established with the headteacher and staff at a school where many of the children attend, is exceptional.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered manager is a strong advocate for children. She challenges other professionals and services effectively when additional resources are needed to help a child to stay safe. The registered manager has taken active steps to ensure that children at the home have better access to the children in care council and the local advocacy service. This has enabled children to have a strong voice and to influence decisions about services that effect their everyday lives. Inspection report for children's home: SC037441 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 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 home’s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This is with specific reference to ensuring that ligature cutters are kept in the home and that the staff are trained in how to use these. 31 August 2022

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Recommendation

 The registered person must ensure that staff have the relevant knowledge to be able to help children to manage long-term conditions. In particular that the recommendations made in a child’s psychological assessment are incorporated into the child’s behaviour support plan. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 34, paragraph 7.12)

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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: SC037441 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: County Hall, West Street, Chichester, West Sussex PO19 1RG

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Inspector

Stephen Collett, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: SC037441 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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