Children's Home run by Rubicon Children and Family Services Ltd in East Sussex

Inspection report for children’s home: 2666309 1 Registered provider: Rubicon Children and Family Services Ltd Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is privately owned and provides care for up to four children who experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

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 in April 2024.

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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

Overall judgement at last inspection: outstanding

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2666309 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

10/07/2024 Full Outstanding 15/08/2023 Full Good 05/07/2022 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2666309 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children experience planned and child-focused moves into the home. The children and staff engage positively and naturally. The children approach staff for advice and comfort, and staff are skilled in responding to their needs. The children say they feel safe and can go to staff if they have any concerns.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children understand their rights and entitlements. Staff regularly talk to them to ensure that they understand what support is available and how to access it.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children access activities and places of worship in the local community. Staff have supported one child in maintaining a job and have helped another child to create a CV and actively seek employment.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is family oriented and feels warm and comfortable. It is decorated and maintained to a good standard. Staff help the children personalise their bedrooms. The home and garden have an array of toys and activities for the children to enjoy.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s health needs are responded to. The manager escalates concerns when there are barriers to the children accessing appropriate medical intervention for either physical or mental health conditions. They filed a formal complaint due to delays in the children’s access to necessary support from child and adolescent mental health services.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff advocate for the children to access education. There have been some delays in the children’s access to education. In these situations, staff maintain the children’s daily routines while encouraging them to develop their interests and skills for adulthood.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Family members of the children say that staff work with them effectively. Staff support family time well, and the children are encouraged to maintain relationships with those who are important to them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff understand the home’s model of care and engage in interactions using the preferred approaches. Children generally receive natural consequences for their actions and behaviours. These principles have not been adhered to when restrictions on children’s pocket money have been imposed when they have not finished their chores. The children’s social workers and parents were not consulted regarding this practice. The senior leadership team identified this practice, leading to its cessation and the return of children's pocket money.

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

Safeguarding is well managed by staff. They record incidents well, and there is clear management oversight. Staff respond appropriately to safeguarding concerns. Managers provide the children and staff with opportunities to reflect and debrief following any Inspection report for children’s home: 2666309 4 incidents. All safeguarding issues are shared with appropriate agencies and professionals, which provides an additional level of external scrutiny.

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

All staff are trained in the home’s physical intervention model. Physical intervention is used only as a last resort to keep the children safe. Incidents of physical intervention are clearly recorded, and staff and children are offered the opportunity to reflect and debrief following these.

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

Health and safety aspects of the home, including regular monitoring and maintenance, are managed effectively. Records are clear and well documented.

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

Medication is stored and administered appropriately by trained staff. Medication errors are rare. When they occur, medical advice is sought, social workers are informed, and staff receive further competency training.

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

The use of bedroom door monitors is appropriate and responds to the children’s needs and levels of risk. The children and social workers are fully informed and consent for these measures to be in place. However, this use of surveillance is not kept under regular review, and parents are not adequately consulted over these measures.

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

The manager maintains comprehensive employment practices to ensure that suitable staff care for the children. However, they do not have sight of the original Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) certificates for new staff. This has not had any direct or negative effect on the children or their experiences.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is suitably qualified and experienced, providing a stable presence. The manager is aware of the home’s strengths and areas for development and has effective monitoring systems in place.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Parents and professionals are complimentary about the care and support for the children. The manager and staff promote open communication, and professionals say that the children are making progress in their care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff are proud to work in this home. The induction process is clear and helps staff transition into their roles. Staff say that the manager and staff team are welcoming and supportive. Staff value the support and opportunities available to them and feel that their development is promoted.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff have access to a core training schedule. Staff have not always completed regular refresher courses when they are due. Additional specialist courses are available and promoted throughout the staff team. Staff have regular appraisals and progressive development plans.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Supervision is not always provided on a regular basis. The manager now records the reasons for these gaps, and staff say they can contact the senior leadership team for Inspection report for children’s home: 2666309 5 advice and guidance as needed. However, not all staff can readily access their supervision records.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There has been some instability in staffing due to ill health and changes in personal circumstances. The manager is aware of this and has made every attempt to minimise the potential negative effects on the children. The manager continues to make efforts to recruit to the staff team, being proactive in their response to the vacancies. Inspection report for children’s home: 2666309 6

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that the views and involvement of parents are frequently sought for children who are not looked after, including when reviewing the use of door alarms. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 22, paragraph 4.8)  The registered person should ensure that the recruitment of staff safeguards children and minimises potential risks to them. This includes ensuring that they have oversight of full employment checks, specifically in relation to DBS checks. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.1)  The registered person should ensure that both the person giving the supervision and the staff member receive a copy of the supervision record. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.4)  The registered person should ensure that staff are familiar with information-sharing

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Recommendations

requirements relating to the children they care for. This specifically relates to sharing information about any consequences for children with the placing authority. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.7)

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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: 2666309 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Rubicon Children and Family Services Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Clark Brownscombe, 2 St Andrews Place, Southover Road, Lewes BN7 1UP

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Inspector

Cassie Martin, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2666309 8 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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