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 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. The home is registered to provide care for up to four children who may experience social and emotional difficulties. At the time of the inspection, four children were living in the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted on 19 April 2012.

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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: 16 November 2022

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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

16/11/2022 Full Good 08/02/2022 Full Good 20/02/2019 Full Good 17/05/2017 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 are settled in the home and develop secure and trusting relationships with staff who nurture and care for them. There is an established team of staff who know the children’s individual needs well. Consistent agency staff are used when needed, who feel part of the team and know the children well.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s views are sought regularly and are valued. Staff listen to children and support them to have a say in the way that they are cared for. For example, through weekly children’s meetings, staff give children opportunities to talk about their week, resolve any conflict between each other and choose meals and activities. Children know how to make a complaint and have trusted relationships with staff. This means that children can talk to staff about any concerns.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have access to a range of activities. For example, they enjoy baking, gaming, visiting a science centre and eating at restaurants. One child learned to ride a bicycle in the summer. The organisation also holds events that the children value. For example, Easter egg hunts, summer sporting events and Halloween activities. The home entered a competition relating to the coronation of the king and won vouchers. Children experience holidays where they enjoy crabbing, eating fish and chips on the beach and going to theme parks. This gives children family-like experiences.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children enjoy school, and staff recognise the importance of education and promote this. One child spoke of staff who had recently attended their parents’ evening and how staff are proud of the progress children make. Another child talked about how friends are important to them and how staff take them to the park to meet their friend from school so that they can play.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children settle quickly into the home and know what to expect and what is expected of them. This is due to the information that is shared with staff before children move into the home. The information is detailed in terms of children’s needs and is obtained from families and children’s social workers. As a result, staff know the children extremely well and provide them with the support and care that they need. Working together as a team also means that the staff implement consistent routines and boundaries.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are praised for their achievements, which are captured in newsletters. The organisation holds an annual award ceremony where all children’s achievements are celebrated. Children are proud to show their medals and trophies displayed in their bedrooms. Inspection report for children’s home: SC064011 4

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

Staff have effective strategies in place to help keep children safe and these are clearly set out in individual risk assessments. Staff demonstrate good knowledge of children’s risks and the plans to mitigate these. Staff have opportunities to reflect on incidents during debriefs and supervision sessions, to develop strategies to reduce these. This helps to strengthen staff’s understanding and ensures that there is a consistent response to caring for children.

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

Children say they feel safe. Staff implement clear and consistent boundaries that children know and respect. Effective safeguards are in place to keep children safe online. Staff know the children very well and use effective de-escalation techniques, which has reduced the use of physical interventions. One social worker said, ‘Staff are very proactive and ensure [name of child]’s safety and welfare at all times.’

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

Staff work closely with health professionals to ensure that children’s health needs are assessed and managed effectively and that they can access specialist therapeutic support if required. For example, a psychotherapist is sensitively supporting a child to better understand their past experiences.

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

Safeguarding concerns and allegations are reported effectively to the local authority designated officer, and children are supported through this process. However, there has been a delay in sharing information with Ofsted. Failing to share information in a timely manner could delay regulatory oversight of the home. However, this has not had a negative impact on children.

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

Safer recruitment practices are understood and implemented by staff responsible for this area of practice. All necessary checks are carried out to ensure that staff are suitable to work in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager was not available during the inspection.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers have knowledge of the strengths and weaknesses of the home and demonstrate a passionate commitment to ensuring high standards of care for children. Through the enabling approach of the management team, staff are supported to share any worries. As a result, staff feel confident to raise concerns, which contributes to the positive culture in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The management arrangements in place provide a supportive and collaborative approach. There is a real sense of teamwork and strong working relationships by staff, who acknowledge difficulties and support each other. Regular agency staff support the staff team. One agency member of the team said, ‘Routines and structure are great, everyone is on the same page.’ This provides a stable team for the children, who receive consistent care. Inspection report for children’s home: SC064011 5 The home is large and spacious and provides space for children to live comfortably with each other. However, some areas of the home are untidy and cluttered. There is a maintenance log for work that needs to be carried out; however, some work is overdue. This has been identified by managers and staff, who have made requests to the organisation. Nevertheless, work is not carried out in a timely manner.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Positive partnership working helps to build trust and engagement. One social worker spoke positively about their working relationships with the registered manager and staff and said that they are kept well informed.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive effective supervision that is further enhanced by regular team meetings. Furthermore, new staff feel supported through their induction and the probation process. Feeling valued and respected inspires staff to provide good- quality care to children. Staff say that supervision enables them to reflect on their practice and identify their professional development needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers have identified areas where staff require additional support to further their knowledge and skills. For example, specific supervision sessions have focused on report writing and key working to enhance staff’s knowledge for working in the home. Inspection report for children’s home: SC064011 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, The 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 quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children;

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Requirement Due date

use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential.

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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 the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed and furnished so as to—

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Requirement Due date

meet the needs of each child. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(c)(i))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person should ensure that: responses to maintenance concerns are promptly actioned; the home is clean, tidy and free of clutter. 22 December 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)) 22 December 2023

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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, Inspection report for children’s home: SC064011 7 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 8

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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: My Choice Children’s Homes Limited, Unit 3a, Mill Green Business Estate, Mill Green Road, Haywards Heath RH16 1XQ

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Inspector

Hannah Cox, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC064011 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 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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