Children's Home run by The Amicus Community (Arundel) Ltd in West Sussex

Inspection report children’s home: 1246834 1 Registered provider: The Amicus Community (Arundel) Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is part of an independent children’s therapeutic community which is accredited by the Royal College of Psychiatrists. It provides care for up to five children who experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has been registered with Ofsted since May 2012.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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requires improvement to be good

How well children and young people are helped and protected requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The children’s home is not yet delivering good help and care for children and young people. However, there are no serious or widespread failures that result in their welfare not being safeguarded or promoted.

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: 1246834 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

01/03/2022 Full Good 29/01/2020 Full Good 16/10/2018 Full Good 18/01/2018 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report children’s home: 1246834 3

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improvement to be good

Staff work hard to form positive relationships with the children and to provide them with the appropriate level of affection to help them to know people care about them.

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improvement to be good

All children attend school and are making academic progress. Two children were recently nominated for an award arranged by their local authority. This achievement has been proudly celebrated.

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improvement to be good

All children are healthy and are encouraged to make healthy choices. Staff have managed to support one child to attend an appointment with an optician. This has been a significant achievement for the child as they have struggled to attend appointments in the past.

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improvement to be good

Children are often kept away from each other because of their presenting behaviours. The registered manager explained that this is part of the therapeutic model of care applied in the home. However, records do not demonstrate this in practice.

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improvement to be good

One child recently moved into the home. This move was well planned, and consideration was given to the matching of children already living in the home. However, essential documents, such as the child’s local authority care plan, are not in place. Furthermore, staff spoken to during the inspection were unable to explain the child’s care plan.

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improvement to be good

Managers have not taken enough action to address a previous shortfall in making sure that allegations raised by children are promptly reported to Ofsted and the local authority designated officer. Consequently, the previous requirement remains unmet. For example, one child’s records show that the child made an allegation against a member of staff when he was physically held. The registered manager was not able to demonstrate that the allegation was reported to the local authority designated officer and Ofsted.

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improvement to be good

On occasions, staff need to physically restrain children to keep them safe. Although staff make a record of these incidents, the details do not align with regulation. For example, staff often complete their own debriefs following a physical intervention.

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improvement to be good

Staff implement boundaries which children respect. However, on occasions, staff will lock external doors to restrict children’s movements to safeguard them. However, this practice is not captured in any agreed care plan. Inspection report children’s home: 1246834 4

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good

The registered manager has not ensured that systems for day-to-day monitoring and management oversight are in place. This has left shortfalls in record-keeping. The registered manager has recognised this shortfall and has a plan in place to improve this aspect of practice.

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good

Staff feel supported by management, and supervision sessions are regular and reflective. However, some records are not clear as to whether staff have received an annual appraisal.

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good

The home has been impacted by staff shortages. Staff feel that this has been managed well with the support of senior managers and staff from the provider’s school coming into the home to cover shifts.

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good

There are gaps in records kept for staff training. For example, records do not show that all staff have attended safeguarding training and completed all their mandatory training. Inspection report children’s home: 1246834 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 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

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare; and

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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)(vi)(vii)) 31 January 2023

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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

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

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child;

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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)(b) (2)(c)(h)) 31 January 2023

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Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children—

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Requirement Due date

receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— 31 January 2023 Inspection report children’s home: 1246834 6 that each child’s relevant plans are followed. (Regulation 14 (1)(a) (2)(c))

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Requirement Due date

children can access all appropriate areas of the children’s home’s premises; and

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Requirement Due date

any limitation placed on a child’s privacy or access to any area of the home’s premises—

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Requirement Due date

allows children as much freedom as is possible when balanced against the need to protect them and keep them safe. (Regulation 21 (b)(c)(ii)(iv)) 30 December

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Requirement Due date

within 24 hours of the use of a measure of control, discipline or restraint in relation to a child in the home, a record is made which includes—

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Requirement Due date

the effectiveness and any consequences of the use of the measure; and

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Requirement Due date

within 48 hours of the use of the measure, the registered person, or a person who is authorised by the registered person to do so (“the authorised person”)—

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Requirement Due date

has spoken to the user about the measure; and

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Requirement Due date

has signed the record to confirm it is accurate; and

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Requirement Due date

within 5 days of the use of the measure, the registered person or the authorised person adds to the record confirmation that they have spoken to the child about the measure. (Regulation 35 (3)(a)(vii)(b)(i)(ii)(c)) 31 January 2023

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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;

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Requirement Due date

there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40 (4)(c)(e)) 30 December Inspection report children’s home: 1246834 7 This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated.

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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 children’s home: 1246834 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: The Amicus Community (Arundel) Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Coach House, Arundel Road, Fontwell, Arundel BN18 0SX

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Inspector

Sara Stoker, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children’s home: 1246834 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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