Children's Home run by Supercare Residential Ltd in East Sussex

Inspection report for children's home: 2778271 1 Registered provider: SuperCare Residential Limited

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Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This privately owned children’s home provides care for up to four children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. There was one child living in the home at the time of inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

The home registered with Ofsted on 4 June 2024, and the registered manager has been in place since that time. This was the home’s first inspection.

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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 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

Date of last inspection: not previously inspected

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: not applicable

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since registration: not applicable Inspection report for children's home: 2778271 2

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improvement to be good

Children have had mixed experiences living in the home. Three children have come to live in the home since it opened. Two of them have since moved on, as the home was unable to meet their needs. This inevitably impacted on the two children as they experienced further placement moves. One child, who remains living in the home, said that they felt ‘terrified’ of another child before they moved on.

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improvement to be good

The child currently living in the home enjoys warm relationships with staff, who treat them with kindness and respect. These relationships help the child to feel settled and to engage in a range of activities. Positive behaviour is encouraged and acknowledged with a reward chart that the child is engaging with. This helps the child to make progress, such as with routines and self-care.

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improvement to be good

The child’s important relationships are valued and supported. Staff work well with family members to ensure that visits and calls happen in line with the child’s plan. The parent of the child is positive about the care their child receives and the support of family time. They said the child feels safe and secure. Social care professionals involved with the child have also provided positive feedback about the care and support the child receives.

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improvement to be good

Since the home became operational, a large amount of damage occurred during incidents. This had a negative impact on the homeliness of the environment. Repairs to the home were carried out in a timely way and it has been restored to a comfortable, homely and child-friendly environment. The child’s activities and achievements are celebrated in a large display. The child’s bedroom has been personalised with their input, which helps them to feel at home.

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improvement to be good

The child’s health needs are met well. They have been supported to attend all required appointments, and the team has been proactive in seeking a service from local specialist provision. Input from the in-house therapy team helps staff to support the child’s emotional and mental health needs.

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improvement to be good

Children have been helped to understand plans and changes through sensitive communication tailored to their needs, such as through the use of social stories. This helped the two children who moved on to manage their moves positively.

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improvement to be good

Staff understand the importance of education and learning. For one child, who has since moved on from the home, staff worked proactively to help arrange tuition for when they were out of school. The child currently living in the home has no educational placement. Staff work creatively to provide the child with appropriate daily activities. Managers are in communication with the child’s social worker and the local special educational needs service to progress plans. However, this has not happened at the earliest opportunity. Inspection report for children's home: 2778271 3

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

Staff understand children’s needs and vulnerabilities well. They have a good grasp of safeguarding protocols and are guided by plans that are clear and regularly updated in the light of events. There has been one incident when a child was missing from home, and the response of staff was proactive and helpful. This shows that children’s safety is a priority.

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

When there have been allegations against staff, these have been thoroughly investigated by managers, and plans have been put in place to manage potential risks. There is normally good consultation with relevant professionals, such as the local authority designated officer (LADO). However, on one occasion, managers did not update the LADO on the conclusions of their investigation.

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

Strategies are in place to promote and reward positive behaviour. When children have been upset, staff have tried to understand what is wrong and de-escalate situations. When physical interventions have been used, these have been proportionate and followed up with helpful discussions with children. There is timely management oversight of incidents. However, records of the discussions had with staff involved are inconsistent. This means staff have not always had the opportunity to reflect, following difficult incidents. This is pertinent, as there have been some instances where staff have felt unable to manage incidents and have needed to seek guidance from managers.

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

Before new staff come to work in the home, managers carry out a comprehensive range of checks to reduce the risk of unsafe adults working with children.

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

Health and safety procedures are followed, including regular weekly checks, and action has been taken to address issues of concern, such as those identified in the fire risk assessment. This helps to ensure children live in a safe home environment.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The home is managed by a suitably qualified and experienced registered manager, supported by two deputies who are also suitably qualified. Managers are enthusiastic and committed to trying to achieve the best outcomes for children. This makes them good role models for staff.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Staff are suitably qualified. Managers work proactively with their training provider to progress qualifications and mandatory training, such as first aid and training in the provider’s approach to behaviour management. Staff also access training specifically related to the needs of children. This helps to ensure that children receive care from well-informed staff.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Staff are positive about their roles and the support that is provided by managers and colleagues. However, they are not receiving supervision in line with the company’s policies, including during their probationary period. Managers recognise this is an area Inspection report for children's home: 2778271 4 for development. Action taken has resulted in a short-term improvement. However, it is too early to see the impact of this.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Managers consider a range of information before making decisions about children moving into the home. They understand the importance of obtaining full information and consider the potential impact on all the children living together. However, for one child, the decision for them to move in was made without full information being obtained. The child subsequently left the home earlier than planned, which negatively impacted another child in the home. Although managers have identified learning from this, the learning remains untested.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

In general, managers take a child-centred approach when decisions are made for children to move on from the home. Managers and staff work well with others, including children, to help make these moves as positive as possible. However, for one child, managers did not have timely discussions with a child’s placing authority to consider additional support that may have helped prevent the need for the child to move.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Regular monthly visits are carried out by an independent person who seeks feedback from others to inform their scrutiny of the home. Managers consistently and constructively respond to recommendations made. However, the independent person’s report does not include a view about the effectiveness of safeguarding and whether children’s well-being is being promoted, as required in regulations.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

When complaints have been made, the registered manager responds promptly and constructively. Steps are being taken to address concerns. This has helped foster positive relations with neighbours. Inspection report for children's home: 2778271 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, 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 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—

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Requirement Due date

manage and review the placement of each child in the home; and

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Requirement Due date

that the child’s placing authority is contacted, and a review of that child’s relevant plans is requested, if—

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Requirement Due date

the registered person considers that the child is at risk of harm or has concerns that the care provided for the child is inadequate to meet the child’s needs. (Regulation 14 (1)(a) (2)(b)(ii)(e)(i))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that children are only accepted to move into the home when the registered person has received full information about a child’s needs, is satisfied that these can be met and has fully considered the impact that the move will have on other children.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that timely discussions take place with a child’s placing authority if there are concerns that the support in place for a child is insufficient to meet their needs. 8 March 2025

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Requirement Due date

In meeting the quality standards, the registered person must, and must ensure that staff—

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Requirement Due date

seek to involve each child’s placing authority effectively in the child’s care, in accordance with the child’s relevant plans; and 8 March 2025 Inspection report for children's home: 2778271 6 seek to secure the input and services required to meet each child’s needs. (Regulation 5(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that there is communication with all relevant professionals, including the virtual school, to address the educational needs of children who have no educational provision.

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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

helps children to aspire to fulfil their potential; and

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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

lead and manage the home in a way that is consistent with the approach and ethos, and delivers the outcomes, set out in the home's statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child. (Regulation 13(1)(a)(b)(2)(a)(c)) 8 March 2025

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must prepare and implement a policy ("the behaviour management policy") which sets out—

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Requirement Due date

how appropriate behaviour is to be promoted in the children’s home; and

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Requirement Due date

and the measures of control, discipline and restraint which may be used in relation to children in the home.

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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. (Regulation 35 (1)(a)(b) (3)(b)(i)) 8 March 2025

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Recommendations

Inspection report for children's home: 2778271 7  The registered person should ensure that the LADO is updated when required on the progress of investigating allegations against staff. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’ page 44, paragraph 9.18)  The registered person should have systems in place so that all staff, including the manager, 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 61, paragraph 13.2)  The registered person should ensure that the independent person makes a rigorous assessment of the home’s arrangements for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children. In particular, ensure that they report on whether children

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Recommendations

are safeguarded effectively and whether their well-being is promoted. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 65, paragraph 15.5)

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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: 2778271 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: SuperCare Residential Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 2-4 Packhorse Road, Gerrards Cross SL9 7QE

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Christopher Coleman

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Inspector

Jacob Robson, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: 2778271 9 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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