Children's home run by B.E.S.T Project LTD

Inspection report for children’s home: 2813770 1 Registered provider: B.E.S.T Project Ltd

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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 home provides care for up to two children who experience social and emotional difficulties. There were two children living in the home at the time of the inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

The home registered with Ofsted on 12 December 2024, and the registered manager has been in post since that date.

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Information about this children’s home

This was the first inspection of the home.

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Information about this children’s home

Staff are referred to as ‘adults’ in this report.

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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

Date of last inspection: not previously inspected

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: not applicable

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: not applicable Inspection report for children’s home: 2813770 2

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children enjoy warm and nurturing relationships with adults who understand them well and show genuine interest in their experiences and achievements. The adults devote time to children to help them talk and think about issues of importance to them, such as education, family relationships and future goals. As a result, children feel cared for and valued.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children live in a home that is warm and furnished in a child-friendly manner. Photos of the children and their achievements are displayed and celebrated in the communal areas of the home. The adults help children to personalise their bedrooms in a manner of their choosing. This all supports children to develop a sense of belonging and ownership of their environment.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have positive experiences living in the home. The adults help them to enjoy a variety of activities and new experiences. Children’s individual enthusiasms and interests are understood and promoted by the adults, whether this be an interest in buses, cooking or go-karting.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The adults encourage children to think about, recognise and celebrate their own and others’ unique identities. Events such as cultural cooking nights and discussions about national flags have been used creatively to promote a healthy culture of acceptance and valuing diversity, for both children and the adults.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The adults seek children’s views. Children’s ‘get togethers’, one-to-one times and regular opportunities to give feedback help to ensure that children’s views are heard and that they are involved in decisions about their lives and home. For example, children’s ‘My Path’ plans record their chosen targets for each month and how the adults will support them to try to achieve these.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s moves into the home are well supported. The adults work with children and others in their lives to plan their moves and to help them to prepare. As a result, children have had positive experiences of moving into the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Two children have left the home since it opened as it was decided that their needs could not be met safely. The adults and managers worked closely with the children and professionals to try to address concerns, to help the children to have appropriate move-on plans that they understood and to have a positive experience of moving on. Consequently, although the children experienced change, they were able to move to suitable new homes and were helped to recognise their achievements from their time in the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The adults are proactive in supporting children’s education. They work effectively with education colleagues to support children’s progress and resolve difficulties, providing challenge when required. The adults’ commitment in this area helped one Inspection report for children’s home: 2813770 3 child who moved from another area to have a positive ending with their former school and another to have their views heard when facing an exclusion.

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

There is a strong safeguarding culture in the home, with robust and consistent management oversight of safeguarding practice.

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

The adults have a good understanding of the risks and vulnerabilities that are relevant to children. They are guided by written safety plans and assessments that give clear direction and are kept up to date. As a result, the adults take effective action to safeguard children when needed, such as when children go missing from the home or experience a mental health crisis.

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

The adults follow up incidents of concern sensitively with children to provide them with support to understand risks and to involve them in reviewing their safety plans. This helps children to feel heard and supports their ability to keep themselves safe.

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

The adults and managers work closely with other relevant professionals to manage safeguarding incidents, review the effectiveness of plans and ensure that agreed actions are progressed for children. Managers challenge partner agencies if they are concerned that action to safeguard children is not being carried out. This promotes effective joint working to keep children safe.

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

The adults work sensitively to support children when they are experiencing distress or difficulty. They seek to calm and reassure children and to influence their behaviour positively. Physical interventions are only used as a last resort when required. This approach communicates respect and care to children and provides good role modelling for them.

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

Before new adults are employed, managers conduct thorough checks in relation to their identity, background and previous employment, which reduces the risk of children being cared for by unsafe people.

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

Managers ensure that all necessary health and safety assessments and checks are carried out and kept up to date. This minimises risks in the home so that children live in a safe environment.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home is led by a suitably experienced manager who is engaged in achieving the relevant qualification. The manager has a detailed knowledge of the children and a child-centred, aspirational approach. The adults say that they feel well supported by the manager and that they and senior managers are present and available. This underpins a positive culture of care for the children and the adults.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There is a robust structure of support for the adults. This includes regular one-to-one supervision and appraisal, debriefs after serious incidents, team meetings and Inspection report for children’s home: 2813770 4 opportunities to reflect and consider learning from challenges. The company has a range of incentives, such as ‘well-being Wednesdays’, that are welcomed by the adults. As a result of this support, good progress has been made in forming and retaining a core staff team in this new home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The adults are required to complete a suitable range of training to support them in their roles. They have also completed additional training tailored to the needs of children, such as in relation to mental health and self-harm. Managers have effective systems in place to maintain oversight of training and qualifications and ensure that the adults are up to date. This helps to ensure that children are cared for by well- informed adults.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The adults and managers understand the importance of relationships with professional partners and parents or family members. There is effective and sensitive communication with others that helps children to receive coordinated care and planning. External professionals provided positive feedback about care, safeguarding and communication. One parent was positive about the care of their child but gave critical feedback about aspects of communication. This was shared with managers and considered during the inspection.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Managers have effective systems in place to support oversight of the home and the quality of care, including systems for seeking feedback from children, professionals, family members and the adults employed in the home. Regular monitoring and audits take place and are used constructively to inform changes to the service.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Managers have conducted a thorough review of the experiences of the two children who have left the home. From these reviews, there was learning identified and improvements made, for example to the process of information-gathering about children to inform decisions about whether they should come and live in the home. Managers have supported the adults to take time to reflect on this learning and have been proactive in sharing it with the placing authority concerned. This demonstrates an open learning culture.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Monthly visits are carried out by an independent person. Managers find the input of the independent person helpful, and they always respond constructively to any recommendations. However, this process does not consistently include conversations with children and feedback from others, such as children’s family members and the adults working in the home. Inspection report for children’s home: 2813770 5

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Recommendation

 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 the children in the home’s care. They should work with the independent person so that they have the best opportunity to see and speak to children, obtain the views of staff working in the home and, where appropriate, the views of the relatives of children. (‘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: 2813770 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: B.E.S.T Project Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 109 Rowlands Road, Worthing BN11 3LA

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Inspector

Jacob Robson, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2813770 7 and inspects 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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