Children's Home run by My Future Matters Ltd in East Sussex

Inspection report for children’s home: 2736855 1 Registered provider: My Future Matters Ltd

p.1

Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

This home was registered with Ofsted in April 2024. The home can care for up to three children who may have social and emotional difficulties. At the time of the inspection, one child was living in the home.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The registered manager post is currently vacant.

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

p.1

good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

p.1

good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

p.1

good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

p.1

good

Overall judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

p.1

good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2736855 2

p.1

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

06/08/2024 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children’s home: 2736855 3

p.2

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff at the home share a clear and consistent ethos towards the care and support of children. Staff use a trauma-informed approach to help them to recognise how children often communicate through behaviour. As a result, staff work in a supportive and empathetic manner that promotes learning and development for children in their care.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child currently living in the home is on a slow and steady journey towards reintegrating back into education. Staff support this sensitively, recognising the immense challenge that this can be for children who may have been out of education for significant periods of time. Staff are supporting the child to build their confidence through exploring creative outlets and keeping active.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff work closely with professionals around the child to ensure that they share common goals. The child’s voice is central to this planning and staff ensure that they identify the child’s interests and ambitions and support them to achieve their goals.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child lives in a beautiful home which staff maintain to a high standard. The child spoke about how it can be hard for it to feel genuinely like a home at times. Staff explored this and ensured that they integrated the child’s thoughts about ‘what makes a home a home’ into staff practice.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

There had been two recent departures from the home and staff reflected honestly and constructively about the challenges that contributed to these placement endings. Staff have used this learning to enhance their referrals, matching and admissions processes to increase the likelihood of more successful outcomes for children moving into the home. Staff provide ongoing support to all children when they leave the home. This ensures some continuity and consistency for children leaving the home and helps them know that staff care about them.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child currently living in the home is being supported to engage in leisure activities and follow their passion for creative projects such as sewing and making clothes. Staff ensure they are available to enable the child to enjoy constructive free time both in and outside the home.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff provide thoughtful, individual care for children to ensure that their needs are met. Children are consulted and involved in identifying their own gaols and targets. Staff have a strong focus on promoting education, health and well-being for children.

p.3

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

Staff have managed some complex and demanding situations with children who were at risk through going missing from the home. During these incidents, staff practice has been positive, and they have adhered to approved plans and strategies as laid out in Inspection report for children’s home: 2736855 4 children’s plans. As a result, children have returned to the home safely and as soon as practically possible. Staff talk to children when they return home to make sure they are safe and well. The child currently living in the home has now significantly reduced episodes of going missing.

p.3

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

Staff have a particularly good grasp of the child’s vulnerabilities. They have clear strategies to manage risk and work tirelessly to ensure that they keep the child as safe as possible. Staff recognise that the child is expressing the desire for more autonomy and free time. They are collaborating with other professionals to allow the child to take reasonable risks and have opportunities for them to develop more independence.

p.4

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

Leaders have effective systems for managing allegations or concerns about staff. Communication with external agencies that work together to safeguard children is strong. The provider notifies relevant parties in a timely manner of any significant events.

p.4

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

Staff have effective training in relation to the specific risks identified for the child currently living in the home. Staff are clear on the system for reporting concerns internally and externally. They are confident and well prepared for their safeguarding roles.

p.4

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

Leaders have effective oversight of all incidents to reflect with staff on what practice works and what staff could improve. The learning from this is used to inform and improve risk management plans for children.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders’ passion and vision for the home are clear. They share a well-defined ethos of care and support which they communicate very effectively to their staff. They ensure that staff have the right training and professional development opportunities to support their learning. This has created a very consistent approach from the staff to their work with children.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders have been successful in creating a genuinely therapeutically informed environment. They have forged strong links with like-minded providers and organisations to benefit from their experience and knowledge in this field. The focus on research- based ways of working ensures that staff have the best tools to really understand the factors that influence the children in their care. Leaders ensure that they maximise contact time with staff in practice supervision, team meetings and clinical supervision to enhance staff skills and understanding.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders have an effective oversight of practice and use their internal and external monitoring systems to create clear, effective plans for continuous improvement.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders advocate effectively for children. They ensure that children’s interests are served in external meetings and consultations. Leaders are confident to seek clarification from Inspection report for children’s home: 2736855 5 external organisations around any decisions involving children to ensure that children’s best interests are served.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders proactively promote a culture of acceptance and inclusivity. They encourage children and staff to celebrate difference and ensure that they also promote an inclusive environment to work in.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

No requirements or recommendations were made as a result of this inspection.

p.5

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: 2736855 6

p.5

Children’s home details

Registered provider: My Future Matters Ltd

p.6

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Unit 38, Sussex Innovation Centre, Science Park Square, Falmer, Brighton BN1 9SB

p.6

Inspector

Peter Jackson, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2736855 7 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.

p.6

Inspector

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.7

Inspector

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.7

Inspector

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.7

Inspector

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.7