Children's home run by PJL Healthcare Limited in Wealden

Inspection report for children's home: SC486879 1 SC486879 Registered provider: PJL Healthcare Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This is a privately owned children’s home. It is registered to provide care for up to five children who experience social and emotional difficulties. There were four children living in the home at the time of the inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

In this report, the staff are referred to as ‘adults’, as this is the term which is used in the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has been registered with Ofsted since 13 January 2023.

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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

Date of last inspection: 17 January 2023

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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: SC486879 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

17/01/2023 Full Outstanding 01/12/2021 Full Outstanding 07/10/2019 Full Good 01/05/2018 Full Good Inspection report for children's home: SC486879 3

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outstanding

Children thrive in this home. They enjoy warm, supportive and loving relationships with the adults who care for them. These relationships have often developed over significant periods of time. As a result, children enjoy the nurturing and stability provided. They go on to make excellent progress from their starting points.

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outstanding

Children greatly benefit from the care and sensitivity of adults who are attuned to their behaviours and needs. Children seek their company and adults respond with reassurance and spontaneous acts of affection. One child said, ‘They just know me and know what I want.’

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outstanding

Each child blossoms because of the personalised and carefully thought through care that they receive. Adults know how to support each individual child and they provide this support sensitively and skilfully. Consequently, children make excellent progress in areas such as managing their emotions, mixing with their peers and attending and succeeding in education.

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outstanding

Children’s views and opinions are valued and encouraged. They have a meaningful influence on the running of their home. Examples include active participation in recruiting new members of staff and having their views and preferences considered when decisions are made about new children coming to live at the home.

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outstanding

Children enjoy a varied assortment of activities. These are a source of enrichment and delight for them and help them to develop their confidence and skills and to expand their friendship circles. Children enjoy having friends come to visit and have occasional sleepovers. This ensures that they have the same opportunities as children who live with their own families.

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outstanding

Each child’s individuality and identity are celebrated and valued. There is an embedded culture of acceptance and belonging in this home, no matter what a child’s background, culture or beliefs.

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outstanding

Children can keep in touch with their families and other people who are important to them. Crucially, the children’s views and feelings inform staff about how these events need to be structured and managed. This careful consideration means that visits take place in a way that fits in with the child’s understanding, resilience and preferences.

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outstanding

Children’s well-being and safety are promoted to an excellent standard. Children unanimously say that they feel safe and cared for in their home. Inspection report for children's home: SC486879 4 Adults have a sound knowledge of children’s strengths, risks and vulnerabilities. Support plans are understood and implemented. These plans are developed using advice and guidance from external professionals, such as psychologists. As a result, the adults understand what they need to do and skilfully use individualised strategies to help each child to stay safe.

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outstanding

The use of consequences is very rare. The culture of respect in the home means that emphasis is placed on repairing and restoring if there are any areas of conflict. This means that behaviour is managed calmly by the adults. Consequently, the children reflect on any challenges and frustrations and develop skills to help them deal with these. There has not been an incident of physical restraint in this home for over two years.

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outstanding

Adults are acutely aware of the importance of social media and the internet in a modern world. They advise and teach the children about its safe use and respond comprehensively if there are any concerns. There is a strong emphasis on helping the children to understand the risks of the internet and implementing safe strategies to deal with these. Children say adults impose controls if needed and they fully understand why this has happened. There is a skilful balance between adult oversight and allowing children to take responsibility for their use of the internet and associated technology.

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outstanding

All members of staff know what to do and who to inform if they have any concerns about a child’s well-being. This knowledge is implemented in practice. Any incidents of concern are shared promptly with relevant agencies, such as social workers or safeguarding professionals. The prompt sharing of information not only ensures that plans can be implemented quickly to keep children safe, but also shows that managers and staff are transparent in their approach.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Managers have created an environment where children are nurtured and loved by a group of adults who are deeply committed to their care and development. Adults have high expectations of each other and in turn are ambitious for the children. There is an embedded belief that all the children can thrive and succeed if properly guided and supported. Consequently, children have succeeded beyond expectation in areas in which they used to struggle, such as attending school, making friends and trying out new activities and experiences.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The adults consolidate their skills and knowledge through regular supervision, training and guidance from the psychologist in clinical supervisions. Their understanding of trauma and its impact on the children’s development means that care is delivered thoughtfully and sensitively.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

All adults feel supported by managers and there is unanimously positive feedback about the quality of training delivered by the organisation’s training centre. Inspection report for children's home: SC486879 5 Children’s progress is scrutinised closely. This assists adults and other professionals to gauge the effectiveness of their interventions. Progress is also shared with the children, to help them gain confidence and to celebrate their success.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Detailed monthly reports and feedback from their individual ‘learning journeys’ are presented to the children in a manner that they can understand. The child-centred delivery of these messages has been highly praised by external stakeholders. This system helps the children to realise that they can succeed and that there are adults who take pride in their progress.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered manager’s monitoring and review of the service ensure that there is no complacency and that there is a continued ambition to improve. Shortfalls identified are acknowledged, reflected on and then addressed effectively.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Feedback from professionals and parents is full of praise for the quality of care that the children receive. One parent commented, ‘The adults go above and beyond.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Managers advocate passionately and effectively for children when this is required. These efforts are appreciated by the children and further strengthen the sense of trust that they have. One child said, ‘I know he’s got my back,’ when talking about the registered manager.

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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: SC486879 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: PJL Healthcare Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Mayfield House, East Street, Mayfield, East Sussex TN20 6TZ

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Inspectors

Paul Taylor, Social Care Inspector Karen Flanagan de Martinez, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: SC486879 7 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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