Children's Home run by HeadStart Residential Care Ltd in East Sussex

Inspection report for children’s home: 1275500 1 Registered provider: Headstart Residential Care Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is registered to provide care for up to two children, including children who have learning disabilities.

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Information about this children’s home

The current manager has yet to apply to Ofsted to be registered.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account good

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Overall experiences and progress of

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

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Overall experiences and progress of

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement

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Overall experiences and progress of

Date of last inspection: 26 January 2022

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Overall experiences and progress of

Overall judgement at last inspection: outstanding

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Overall experiences and progress of

Enforcement action since last inspection: not applicable Inspection report for children’s home: 1275500 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

26/01/2022 Full Outstanding 19/09/2019 Full Good 15/11/2018 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 1275500 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children enjoy warm, supportive relationships with staff and make significant progress, especially when bearing in mind their starting points.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Each child’s individual needs are known and met to a good standard. Staff know what support each child needs and how it should be delivered. The individual care is carefully planned and delivered taking into consideration children’s different abilities and communication styles. This helps the children to be settled into their routines and benefit from the stability this gives.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff knowledge of the children’s strengths and vulnerabilities means that the children’s anxieties and concerns can be skilfully understood, and their care is designed to help them feel settled and safe.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff are skilful in ensuring that each child can have a voice in how their home is run. Their preferences are known, especially with regards to routines, diets and activities. Consequently, they can influence their care and have a meaningful say in how they live their lives.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff motivate and encourage the children to attend their education placements. This has been a resounding success and has helped the children achieve excellent attendance. This has also helped underpin the consistency in routines and development of social skills, as well as helping the children to widen their social circle and make friends.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

There is a careful and thoughtful approach by managers in ensuring that the mix of children is appropriate. The impact of any new admission is assessed and carefully considered to ensure that there is minimal disruption. This ensures that children continue to make progress and benefit from living in this home.

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

All members of staff are aware of the vulnerabilities of each child. There are clear plans for staff to follow, which minimise the risks to children either in the home or the community. There was a minor shortfall when electronic devices for one child were not checked in line with the times identified in their risk assessment. This error was rectified by staff swiftly and action taken by managers to address the shortfall. As a result, the child’s well-being was not compromised. A requirement is made in relation to this shortfall to ensure that staff are more consistent in their practice in this area.

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

There are clear protocols for staff to follow if a child goes missing. The extreme vulnerability of the children is well known to the staff and so any outings into the community are carefully planned to ensure that children are kept safe. Inspection report for children’s home: 1275500 4 Members of staff know what strategies to use to support children when they are feeling anxious or distressed. Clear plans, which are implemented by staff, ensure that the children receive sensitive support and reassurance. Consequently, any incidents are of a minor nature and there have been no incidents of restraint in the home for over a year.

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

All members of staff know what to do and who to inform if they have concerns about a child’s well-being. This practice is implemented when necessary and, consequently, ensures that external agencies such as local authorities and safeguarding services can take any appropriate action.

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

Occasionally, members of staff implement consequences for negative behaviour by children. For example, children may have their time watching television curtailed. The manager, although aware of these consequences, which are appropriate, has not recorded comments or an assessment of the effectiveness of the consequences as required by legislation.

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

Safe recruitment practices are understood and implemented. All necessary checks are in place to reduce the risk of unsuitable adults being employed to work at the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement

The previous registered manager ceased their role on 2 December 2022. The current manager, who had been appointed by that date, has yet to apply to Ofsted.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement

Although there is a small team of staff, there have been significant changes in its structure over the last six months.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement

All members of staff receive regular supervision to ensure that they can reflect on their performance and examine how working with children with complex needs can affect them. This helps members of staff to have insight into the children’s personalities and behaviours and to ensure that they receive the support they need. Training provided also ensures that members of staff have the knowledge to underpin their practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement

Plans for children are reviewed on a regular basis, to ensure that they inform staff practice to meet the children’s developing needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement

External professionals and parents report very positively about the level of communication they have with staff and the manager. This ensures a fluid flow of information and makes sure that stakeholders are kept up to date and included in each child’s progress and specific concerns or successes.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement

Tolerance of each other is embedded in the culture of this home, and the diverse cross section of staff adds to the richness of this stimulating and happy home. Inspection report for children’s home: 1275500 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

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

In particular, ensure that all members of staff carry out checks on electronic devices consistently and in line with each child’s risk assessment. 30 April 2023

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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 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)(iv)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that the records of any consequences and their effectiveness and appropriateness are commented on by the manager. 30 April 2023

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Requirement Due date

Any person who carries on or manages an establishment or agency of any description without being registered under this part in respect of it (as an established or, as the case may be, agency of that description) shall be guilty of an offence. In particular, the registered person must ensure that the 30 April 2023 Inspection report for children’s home: 1275500 6 person in day-to-day charge of the home registers with Ofsted. (Section 11 (1) Care Standards Act 2000)

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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: 1275500 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Headstart Residential Care Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 1, Swanwood Park, Gun Hill, Heathfield TN21 0LL

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Inspector

Paul Taylor, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 1275500 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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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