Children's Home run by Autism Sussex Ltd in Bexley

Inspection report for children's home: 1264841 1 Registered provider: Autism Sussex 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 home is run by a charitable organisation on behalf of the local authority and provides short-break services for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

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Information about this children’s home

There are currently 32 children accessing the service on a rotational basis. There were 2 children staying at the home for short breaks at the time of the inspection. The home and the manager registered with Ofsted in December 2017.

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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: 22 October 2025

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outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: outstanding

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outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children's home: 1264841 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

22/10/2025 Full Outstanding 28/01/2025 Full Good 13/12/2023 Full Good 07/03/2023 Full Good Inspection report for children's home: 1264841 3

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Summary of findings

Children benefit from highly motivated, nurturing and ambitious staff. The committed, stable workforce provides exceptional and consistent care, so children have been able to form positive relationships and feel safe when accessing their short breaks. Children have made significant progress in their life skills and community participation. Managers and staff are aspirational for all children and ensure consistent and high-quality care.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children have child-focused plans that illustrate their needs and aspirations, which are translated into achievable goals. Creative and innovative staff have developed a Talking Mat so children can indicate their needs in the moment. Children also have individualised communication plans that illustrate their preferred methods of communication. This helps to reduce children’s frustrations that can lead to distress and behaviours that challenge.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children with complex health and social care needs have made significant progress from their individual starting points through developing life skills such as cooking, making a hot drink and baking. Children’s ambitions are prioritised and thoughtfully considered. For example, one child expressed an interest in working in social media, so they were supported to produce a video for Autism Acceptance Month. This was showcased in the organisation and on social media. Children’s achievements are recognised and celebrated, no matter how small.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children have been helped to make sustainable progress by being supported and encouraged to take part in social and recreational activities, such as trips to the seaside, nature walks, using sensory equipment and engaging in arts and crafts.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children have their own individualised daily schedules, so staff are fully aware of their routines and support needs. This helps children to settle when they arrive for their short break so they can fully participate and enjoy their activities.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Managers actively promote inclusivity. Children’s diversity and cultural and religious needs are sensitively considered, such as their skin and hair care and dietary needs. Children are supported to celebrate religious festivals, such as Eid and Diwali, and to participate in Black History Month.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children’s meetings use a range of communication tools so children can actively participate and contribute to service developments. Inspection report for children's home: 1264841 4

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

Children receive highly effective help and protection from compassionate, experienced and skilled staff who understand their needs. Children have individual risk assessments that are reviewed and amended to reflect children’s changing needs.

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

Children’s support plans help staff to understand what children find helpful when they are feeling distressed. This ensures children receive effective and timely tailored support to reduce behaviours that might be harmful to themselves or others.

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

Staff recognise children’s triggers and know how to engage children to reduce behaviours through effective and appropriate support and intervention strategies. Proactive safeguarding practice and highly effective planning have successfully managed and minimised risks in the home and community. As a result, there have been no safeguarding notifications, incidents of physical intervention, consequences or children going missing from home since the last inspection.

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

Staff understand child protection and whistleblowing and whom they need to speak with should they have concerns.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The efficient, experienced and highly effective registered manager is ambitious for children and consistently considers new ways of working to develop the service. This includes recently introducing ‘My Aspire’, which is a document to capture children’s goals and track their progress, so achievements are clearly evidenced and celebrated.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered manager has developed a positive and supportive working culture that has created the conditions for success, so staff and children are able to thrive. The registered manager has high expectations of staff and ensures that practice in the home is consistent with the home’s ethos as set out in the statement of purpose. Managers provide consistent and highly effective services for children. The quality of care has led to sustained improvements in the lives of children receiving short breaks in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The managers and staff know the children extremely well. Children’s records are reviewed and updated on a regular basis, so they reflect children’s current needs. Parents are actively encouraged and supported to review their child’s records to ensure a consistent approach to the care being provided at home and during the short break. Managers promote effective partnership and collaborative relationships with parents and carers, so they feel assured that their child is being well cared for during their stay.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff create detailed reports that fully illustrate children’s progress. Staff attend multi- agency meetings to share information about their observations of children during their short break. Staff contributions ensure that assessments and plans are up to date and reflect children’s current needs. Inspection report for children's home: 1264841 5 Children benefit from managers advocating on their behalf to ensure their needs are met. Feedback from social workers provides evidence that children have positive experiences and receive high-quality care during their short breaks. A social worker told the inspector, ‘We have developed a strong collaborative partnership built on open communication and a shared commitment to the wellbeing of the children in their care.’ Staff actively engage in community-based activities to raise the profile of the short- breaks provision. This helps parents to understand what services are available locally for

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Leaders have created a comprehensive workforce development plan that captures the organisation’s ambitions going forward. Staff have access to a learning and development programme, including research-based topics that are shared in team meetings to inform practice. This provides staff with an opportunity to reflect on current practice themes related to disabled children. Managers have been highly effective in the retention of staff.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

No requirements were made following the inspection

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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: 1264841 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Autism Sussex Ltd, Sussex House, 19 High Street, Battle TN33 0AE

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Inspector

Nicki Shaw, His Majesty’s Inspector Inspection report for children's home: 1264841 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.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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