Children's home run by East Sussex County Council in Lewes

Inspection report for children's home: SC373958 1 SC373958 Registered provider: East Sussex County Council

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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 home is operated by a local authority. It provides care for up to three children who may experience social and emotional difficulties. There were three children living in the home at the time of the inspection.

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Information about this children's home

The manager registered in December 2024.

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Information about this children's home

Staff are referred to as adults throughout the report.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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outstanding

How well children and young people are helped and protected outstanding

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outstanding

The effectiveness of leaders and managers outstanding

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outstanding

The children's home provides highly effective services that consistently exceed the standards of good. The actions of the children's home contribute to significantly improved outcomes and positive experiences for children and young people who need help, protection and care.

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outstanding

Date of last inspection: 21 October 2024

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outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children's home: SC373958 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

21/10/2024 Full Good 05/03/2024 Full Good 06/10/2022 Full Good 26/05/2021 Full Outstanding Inspection report for children's home: SC373958 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children receive exceptional care from adults committed to their well-being. The manager and adults provide them with warmth and nurture. As a result, these children thrive. Children respond to this and develop trusting relationships with the adults that care for them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The children have complex and diverse needs. Adults work well with them to ensure that they receive the best possible care and support. This results in significant improvement in the lives of all the children. Adults’ professional practice is exceptional. This includes focused work with the children, such as helping them to better understand their life experiences. One child has become more settled and has improved their ability to manage their emotions. The challenging incidences of another child has decreased significantly.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The children have made excellent individual progress in various areas of their lives. Adults understand the complex health needs that some of the children have. They work in close partnership with a range of professionals to ensure that the children’s needs are consistently met to the highest of standards. For instance, adults receive specialist training to manage the epilepsy of one child. As a result, the adults can immediately respond to the child’s needs. Additionally, adults work tirelessly to support another child with significant personal care needs. Adults celebrate the smallest progress which encourages this child.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Adults understand the importance of education. They go to great lengths to ensure that the children have a positive learning experience. All children attend school daily. This is a significant achievement for some children. The adults have positive working relationships with the school professionals and there is a strong sense of working together for the benefit of the children. Adults ensure that there is regular communication. Consequently, adults understand children’s daily experiences and help them to process any difficulties they have. The manager and education lead are strong advocates for the children.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Adults work effectively to ensure that children have an improved sense of stability. There is success through the consistency of routines and boundaries, and the ways in which the adults work with the children. For example, one adult skilfully and sensitively reassured a concerned child of their place in the home. This promoted stability for the child. The children invest in their home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

A significant strength of this home is the adults’ commitment to hearing the voice of the child. Children make choices about their home and the design of their bedrooms. Adults provide children with a range of opportunities to express their views and wishes. This includes regular house meetings. The manager ensures that there is a response to any requests and encourages children to share their thoughts. Inspection report for children's home: SC373958 4 Children have exceptional experiences. Adults encourage them to take part in a range of activities that help them to develop their individual interests and talents. These include swimming, arts and crafts, and baking. One child attends Guides and another has developed an interest in horse riding. A child has also developed an interest in trains. To support this, one adult with connections to a London train station arranged for the child to spend a day there learning about it. The highlight being an opportunity for the child to

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

There is thorough planning when children move into and out of the home. Committed adults ensure the best possible experiences for children. When one child moved in at short notice, some of the adults came in on their day off to prepare the child’s bedroom. This was to ensure that it was in the colours that this child liked. When one young person moved on to independent living, there was the best possible planning. The adults maintain a relationship with this young person and provide support as needed.

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

Adults keep the children safe, and professionals are confident about this. Children’s safety and well-being are central to adults’ practice. The adults understand the procedure for raising concerns about the safety of a child. The manager works effectively with the relevant safeguarding agencies when this is required.

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

Detailed risk-management plans support adults to understand the risks that children face. Adults know how to work with the children to help minimise risks and do this exceptionally well. Strong working relationships with a range of professionals also help to reduce risk.

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

Adults have a thorough understanding of how to support children who go missing from the home and there is an excellent response to these incidents. For instance, adults work with a range of professionals. They have a deep understanding of the positive effect that working together can have on a child in these circumstances. Adults ensure that children who go missing from home can discuss any concerns that they have on their return. One child, who has been missing from home said, ‘This [the home] is the only place that I have felt loved.’ Adults have received specialist training around exploitation. They work closely with children to help them learn how to keep themselves safe.

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

Adults have a secure understanding of bullying. They work with the children to ensure that they understand the impact that this can have.

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

Adults’ practice and highly effective planning have led to sustained improvement in the children’s lives. Excellent responses to children’s behaviours make a difference. For example, one child with anxieties about having to leave the home can manage these feelings better and speak to adults. Additionally, another child with complex behaviours has started to respond to adults. One professional said that the child is, ‘More settled and less watchful and possibly more able to express their feelings.’ Inspection report for children's home: SC373958 5

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

A strong and effective management team leads this home. The well experienced and skilled manager is aspirational for the children and adults. He has high expectations of what the children can achieve. He ensures that children have opportunities to make progress in all areas of their lives. The manager role models a positive approach to the care of the children. The adults are responsive to this.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager has an excellent understanding of the experiences that children have and the progress that they make. There is a strong team of adults who are committed to the growth and development of the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager provides an environment that encourages adults to grow and develop professionally. This is an exceptional area of work. He ensures that adults receive regular, good quality reflective supervision. Additionally, adults receive reviews of their development every six months. The manager recognises good practice. This helps to motivate the adults that work here. Two adults have been nominated for outstanding work in the borough.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager knows the strengths of the service and has clear ideas for continual development. He involves the children in the development of the home and is responsive to their suggestions. For example, the children requested a ‘Topsy Turvy’ day where they were the adults and vice versa. This gave the adults further insight into the children and how they think.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager and adults have excellent close working relationships with a range of professionals. They work with families and partner professionals to ensure the best possible care and support for the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager and his team take effective steps to be inclusive and celebrate diversity. A range of activities help to keep diversity and the celebration of difference at the forefront of practice. Culture evenings are popular with the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

No requirements or recommendations were raised during the inspection. Inspection report for children's home: SC373958 6

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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: SC373958 7

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Children's home details

Registered provider: East Sussex County Council

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Children's home details

Registered provider address: County Hall St Anne's Crescent, Lewes, East Sussex BN7 1UE

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Inspector

Vevene Muhammad, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: SC373958 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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