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

Inspection report for children’s home: 1250194 1 Registered provider: My Choice Children’s Homes Limited 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 four children.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, three children and one young person who has recently turned 18 were living at the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in July 2017.

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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

Date of last inspection: 15 February 2023

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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: 1250194 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

15/02/2023 Full Good 02/03/2022 Full Good 17/07/2019 Full Good 15/01/2019 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report for children’s home: 1250194 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are cared for by staff who have a clear understanding of their individual plans and talk knowledgably about the progress that they are making. The staff show a genuine commitment to providing a caring and nurturing home where children feel safe and settled, which helps children to make good progress.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s views are valued, and they are involved in decisions about the running of the home. Along with regular children’s meetings, they are invited to join part of each staff team meeting to talk about any issues in the home. This shows children that their views are important.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have comprehensive plans which are informed by local authority care plans. Progress towards goals is clearly tracked. The manager encourages his team to think about the language they use when writing about children, with the intention of ensuring that all reports and assessments are presented in a more child-centred way.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children working towards independence are supported to learn independent living skills and understand their moving-on plans. One young person, who is now 18, continues to live at the home while suitable accommodation is identified. Assessments and plans have been reviewed and updated to reflect this, and the manager regularly contacts the team responsible for his future support and housing to get updates.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Two of the children attend local schools and are making good progress. One parent told the inspector how pleased she is that her child is now attending school regularly. One child has finished college and is keen to start work. He is being supported by the staff to apply for jobs, prepare for interviews and stay motivated.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff follow plans to ensure that children stay in touch with the people who are important to them. A social worker for one child confirmed that staff have developed a good relationship with the child’s family and are in regular contact with their parents. The parent of another child told the inspector that she appreciates the weekly updates sent by the manager.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported to enjoy various after-school activities, such as Scouts, cheerleading, football and boxing. Making friends outside of the home has improved children’s self-esteem and confidence.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have regular individual time with staff, including the manager, to express their wishes and feelings. Focused key-work sessions give children the opportunity to talk about the things that are important to them. Inspection report for children’s home: 1250194 4

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

Children say that they feel safe in the home and that they know how to raise concerns. On the rare occasions that children make complaints, the manager responds quickly. There are recording and monitoring systems in place to ensure that children receive an appropriate and timely response.

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

Safeguarding processes are managed well. A social worker for one child told the inspector that staff at the home advocate well for the child and ensure that their safety is paramount. There is a low level of disruptive events and staff say that they receive the right training and support to meet children’s individual needs.

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

Staff make effective use of de-escalation techniques, which minimises the need for physical restraint. There is a focus on recognising and praising positive behaviour. As a result, children’s behaviour is managed in a calm, consistent and supportive way.

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

Health and safety checks are carried out at the planned frequencies. Consequently, the physical environment is safe and secure. The manager and staff know the locality well and encourage the children to be involved in community activities. This teaches children how to keep themselves safe while experiencing levels of independence which are appropriate for their ages and abilities.

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

Recruitment processes are managed efficiently. There is a structure in place to ensure that all necessary checks are carried out and recorded. This reduces the risk of unsuitable people working in the home.

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

All children have individual and comprehensive care plans and risk assessments. These are regularly reviewed and inform staff about how to care for children, keep them safe and help them to meet their individual targets.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager knows the children well and has sound awareness of the strengths and weaknesses in the home. He has plans in place to continually develop the team and the service. The manager acts on recommended actions from the monthly independent person’s visit. He uses the feedback as an opportunity to reflect on and further enhance the quality of care provided to children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Children benefit from being looked after by a stable group of staff, and staff morale is high. Staff speak positively about the impact the manager has on the home. They feel supported by him and are confident that he promotes professional development in line with their individual interests. For example, two team members have recently started deputy manager training. When agency staff are required, the manager attempts to use the same pool of people so that children are looked after by familiar staff.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Permanent members of staff receive regular supervision, which they say they find helpful. The same opportunity should be made available for agency staff to ensure Inspection report for children’s home: 1250194 5 that they have a good understanding of individual children and are consistent in their approach. Not all permanent members of staff receive annual appraisals. The manager has plans in place to address this shortfall.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager works closely with external professionals and children’s parents. He takes swift and decisive action if plans need to change. One social worker said that incident reports are shared quickly and helpfully detail how a child is supported during times when he is struggling to manage his emotions. This includes information about staff reflections of their responses and discussion about how these could be adapted in the future to reduce the risk of further incidents.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is receptive to new ideas which enhance children’s experiences. For example, one member of the team was keen to turn a small games room into a ‘well-being snug’. This is now a comfortable, calm space for children to spend time with staff. Inspection report for children’s home: 1250194 6

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that there are systems in place so that all staff, including agency staff, receive supervision of their practice from an appropriately qualified and experienced professional, which allows them to reflect on their practice and the needs of the children assigned to their care. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 6, paragraph 13.2)  The registered person should ensure that all staff have their performance and fitness to carry out their role formally appraised at least once annually. This appraisal should consider, where reasonable and practical, the views of other professionals who have worked with the staff member over the year and children in the home’s care. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 6, paragraph 13.5)

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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: 1250194 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: My Choice Children’s Homes Limited

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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

Mike Simmonds, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 1250194 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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