Children's Home run by HeadStart Residential Care Ltd in East Sussex

Inspection report for children’s home: 1275500 1 Registered provider: HeadStart Residential Care Ltd Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is registered to provide care for up to two children, including children who have learning disabilities. There was one child living in the home at the time of this inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted on 21 October 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: requires improvement to be good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 1275500 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

04/03/2025 Full Requires improvement to be good 01/11/2023 Full Good 14/03/2023 Full Good 26/01/2022 Full Outstanding Inspection report for children’s home: 1275500 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Since the last full inspection in March 2025, there have been no changes to the home’s occupancy. One child continues to live in the home and is making sustained progress. In recognition of this progress, the child’s deprivation of liberty order has not been reinstated. To ensure continued safe oversight, the registered manager maintains regular and effective collaboration with the child’s allocated social worker, including structured four-weekly meetings to review risk management strategies. The child now has full-time access to the kitchen, with appropriate staff support, which helps to build independence skills and supports the child to feel part of a nurturing, family-style environment.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Care plans for the child are highly individualised and centred on key motivators. They are therapeutically informed, incorporating the provider’s model of care alongside staff training specifically tailored to the child’s diagnoses and needs. The plans include clear, practical strategies to support staff in building positive relationships with the child, such as a dedicated section titled ‘How you can be my friend’. Therapeutic approaches are well integrated, with occupational therapy-based targets and strategies designed to support the child’s sensory needs. Consequently, the child receives informed support from a knowledgeable staff team.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child attends the linked school full time and is making positive progress towards meeting individual educational targets. Senior leaders hold high aspirations for the child and are working to increase their time spent in the classroom, particularly in academic subjects such as English, to support a more balanced and comprehensive learning experience. The registered manager is proactively addressing the current pattern of late arrival through incentive planning, a strategy that has previously proven effective in motivating the child.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Since the last inspection, staff have strengthened their practice in monitoring and recording the child’s weight, in line with the child’s health statutory plan. This enables the early identification of any significant changes and supports timely and appropriate responses. Additionally, staff have introduced a ‘snack box’ as an innovative way to encourage the child’s independence with food choices, reducing the need for direct staff prompts. The child is actively involved in selecting preferred foods and brands. The registered manager maintains oversight to ensure the snack options remain balanced and promote healthy eating.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff recently planned and supported the child to visit two museums in London. As part of the trip, staff supported the child to travel on public transport and enjoy a meal in the city. This experience represents significant progress for the child and highlights staff’s commitment to thorough planning. The day was carefully organised to ensure it was both enjoyable and purposeful, helping the child to develop social and independence skills. Inspection report for children’s home: 1275500 4

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

The registered manager carries out post-incident debriefs with staff to reflect on what went well and what could have been done differently, always keeping the child’s experience at the centre. He seeks guidance from trained professionals and shares relevant findings with social workers and local authorities to ensure transparency. This approach helps staff to learn and develop their practice so that they are better equipped to respond to children’s needs in future situations.

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

Safer recruitment practices are sound. When international references are difficult to obtain, managers take additional steps, such as requesting character references and carrying out risk assessments. These measures help ensure that children are cared for by appropriate and trusted adults.

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

The health and safety manager, who is suitably qualified, carries out regular audits within the home. These audits are shared with the registered manager, and identified recommendations are monitored and implemented. There is good evidence of regular fire safety testing, and both the child and staff demonstrate a clear understanding of how to evacuate the home safely.

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

The registered manager has collaborated closely with the child’s allocated social worker and the local authority designated officer when allegations against staff arise. An individual protocol addresses common distress-related behaviours, reflected in the child’s behaviour and therapy plans. However, actions to reduce and manage allegations against staff lack clarity. The threshold for reporting allegations and the monitoring of themes in incident reports is not always clear. So far, this has not affected the child’s safety or well-being, but these areas require strengthening to prevent potential safeguarding risks.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Managers hold regular supervisions with staff to support reflection on their practice with the child and clarify their roles. New staff receive targets linked to probationary requirements, while individual development plans help senior staff further enhance their skills and knowledge. There is a strong focus on professional growth, including modelling child-first language and recognising good practice. The head of care is reviewing the supervision policy and working with managers to strengthen target setting. These efforts ensure that children are supported by confident, skilled staff who can meet their needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The child’s complaints are taken seriously and are investigated thoroughly by the registered manager. Clear action plans are developed following each review, including defined timescales and expected outcomes. Where appropriate, staff take the time to speak with the child to explain their reasoning while also acknowledging where communication could have been improved, for example through more considered Inspection report for children’s home: 1275500 5 language. Staff are proactive in seeking to repair and maintain positive relationships following any concerns or misunderstandings.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Significant changes to the home’s environment are underway as part of the registered manager’s development plan. These improvements focus on enhancing the manager’s office and staff sleeping areas to create more comfortable and functional spaces for work and rest. This work is largely being carried out while the child is at school to minimise noise, disruption and any potential risk, helping to maintain a calm and safe environment for the child’s well-being.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

In January 2025, the head of care commissioned an external fire risk assessment, recognising that one had not been completed for some time. The assessment identified several areas requiring improvement to meet regulatory standards, including the condition of some fire doors. Most recommended actions from this assessment were completed within appropriate timescales. A follow-up assessment, specifically focused on the fire doors, was carried out in April 2025. However, at the time of the inspection, the findings from this assessment had not been shared with or reviewed by the registered manager. This indicates a gap in oversight, which has limited the manager’s ability to address the remaining fire safety risks in a timely manner. An action plan is now in place, and priority works are scheduled for prompt completion.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

All the previous requirements and the recommendation from the last full inspection have been met. Inspection report for children’s home: 1275500 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 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

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

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Requirement Due date

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(b) (2)(h))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered manager must have access to, and maintain oversight of, any externally contracted work. This includes ensuring that relevant risk assessments and action plans are in place to reduce identified risks as necessary. 1 September 2025

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that children are listened to and enabled to report any allegations at the earliest opportunity. Staff should report any allegation of abuse immediately to a senior manager within the home. Any allegation of harm or abuse must be addressed in line with the home’s child protection policy. In particular, the registered manager must devise a clear plan and risk assessment to manage the child’s distress-related behaviours effectively, including how any allegations against staff will be addressed and responded to. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations including the quality standards’, page 44, paragraph 9.17) Inspection report for children’s home: 1275500 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: 1275500 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: HeadStart Residential Care Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 30-34 North Street, Hailsham BN27 1DW

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Scott Fasciolo-Barnes

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Inspector

Kelly Monniot, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 1275500 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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