Children's Home run by Fair Ways in Hampshire

Good

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

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The children's home provision is good because:

 The Registered Manager works effectively in partnership with others. She ensures significant events are notified to the appropriate authorities. She understands the strengths and weaknesses of the home and has a meaningful development plan as a result.  Young people develop positive and constructive relationships with staff. Through staff working with parents and other professionals, young people develop a sense of identity and belonging. Their emotional resilience and self-esteem is greatly enhanced.  A stable and consistent staff team have the needs of the young people at the centre of their practice. They advocate strongly for the young people.  Young people, who on occasion make poor decisions, are being kept as safe as possible. Risks are identified and well managed. There are well-coordinated responses to reduce the risk of harm.  Young people are enthusiastic about their education. Staff provide motivation

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The children's home provision is good because:

and support. They are ambitious for young people to succeed with their learning. Young people make good progress in attendance and achievement.  Staff are experienced in de-escalation and distraction techniques to manage challenging behaviours. They use reward to promote positive behaviour and proportionate sanctions to modify negative behaviour. These are effective. Any physical intervention is of low level.  Staff facilitate family contact to make it a positive experience for all. Young people are able to see all those who are important to them.  The Registered Manager is successful in ensuring staff apply the well-written policies in practice.

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Statutory Requirements

This section sets out the actions which must be taken so that the registered person/s meets the Care Standards Act 2000, 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 with the given timescales.

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The protection of children standard

12.—(1) The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe. (2) In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— (a) that staff— (i) assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the child’s relevant plans, and, if necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child, in particular ensure any marks observed on children are fully investigated as to the reason why. 04/07/2015

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The leadership and management standard

13.—(1) The leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that— (a) helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and (b) promotes their welfare. (2) In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to— (c) ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child 04/08/2015

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The care planning standard

14.—(1) The care planning standard is that children— (a) receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home 04/07/2015

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Statement of purpose

16 (3) The registered person must— (a) keep the statement of purpose under review and, where appropriate, revise it 04/07/2015

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needs are met

04/07/2015 5. In meeting the quality standards, the registered person must, and must ensure that staff- (c) if the registered person considers, or staff consider, a placing authority’s or a relevant person’s performance or response to be inadequate in relation to their role, challenge the placing authority or the relevant person to seek to ensure that each child’s needs are met in accordance with the child’s relevant plans, in particular that return interviews are conducted after a missing person episode

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further the service should take account of the following recommendation(s):  provide a homely, domestic environment. (The Guide to the Quality Standards, page 15, paragraph 3.9)

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Information about this children's home

 The home is registered to accommodate up to three young people who have emotional or behavioural difficulties.  A private company owns and operates the home.  The aim of the home is to provide placement stability for 6-12 months for young people with complex emotional or behavioural needs, prior to moving on to other services such as supported living or foster care.  The company has its own educational facility in the nearby locality.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

02/06/2015 CH - Full Good 04/03/2015 CH - Interim declined in effectiveness

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Recent inspection history

03/12/2013 CH - Interim Inadequate Progress

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good

Young people form positive and constructive relationships with staff and especially their key worker. They are able to have meaningful conversations that help them reflect on their behaviour. There are good outcomes in line with the Statement of Purpose. A professional said, ‘the home has managed to stabilise (name of young person) and there appears to be good relationships with staff'. A young person said, 'I love it here, it is much better than foster care'.

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good

Staff work well with education professionals to ensure there is success on young people's chosen courses. An example was working with a local college to ensure the young person had a suitable partner for project work. There is good progress, such as young people, who have not been to school for some time, engaging with their learning.

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good

Staff are competent and know the individual needs of the young people extremely well. They tailor their support to meet the varied interests, such as visiting an armed forces base or ice-skating. Young people engage enthusiastically with activities. They keep themselves fit, for example by going to the gym or swimming.

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good

Staff work well with other professionals and parents to ensure young people are able to see those individuals who are important to them, such as parents and siblings. Young people develop a sense of identity and belonging. They are able to collect personal mementos, such as photographs, to give them an understanding of their history and background. This helps them develop their emotional stability.

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good

Young people are supported well to work towards independence. The Registered Manager ensures there is a pathway plan in place that is under regular review so young people are learning the skills necessary for adult life. Young people give their view about their future at statutory reviews. They speak positively of their future hopes and aspirations.

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good

Staff strongly advocate for young people who are experiencing difficulties. They ensure they receive the support they need to assess their ongoing mental and emotional well-being. Young people benefit from placement stability while all professionals involved in their life consider the options.

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good

Behaviour management is a particular strength. Clear, written behaviour management plans guide well-trained staff. They adopt a calm demeanour. They apply principles of de-escalation and distraction very well; physical intervention used only as a last resort. Strategies are amended, such as staffing ratios at key points of the day to keep everyone as safe as possible.

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good

Young people are kept safe by a staff team who demonstrate a good knowledge of safeguarding practice, for example in the event a young person leaves the home without permission. They do their utmost to locate them in collaboration with other professionals, such as the police. Staff visit known addresses where young people may go. They work with police to consider what further action can be taken, such as police issuing a harbouring notice.

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good

For some young people there are good outcomes and missing from care significantly diminishes. Other young people continue to make poor choices. Staff work hard to assess the push-pull factors. They work with other professionals to pursue an assessment for any underlying psychological reasons for behaviour. Staff support young people to make sense of their history and establish a sense of identity and belonging to try to minimise the need to leave the home. Distraction techniques are used, such as taking young people to places that interest them and providing activities. Other professionals state that staff are doing all they can to keep young people as safe as possible and reduce incidents of missing.

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good

Risk management is good. ‘Live’, up-to-date documents guide staff as to how best to support young people. The Registered Manager pursues high-risk strategy meetings to discuss the ongoing safety of young people. Staff use body maps to record any marks they observe. In one case, there was not a robust written audit trail as to how staff concluded a young person was not at risk.

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good

Young people's emotional well-being is of prime importance to staff. They demonstrate an understanding of how difficult emotions may be presented through behaviour. A calm and measured approach is adopted to diffuse evolving incidents. On occasions the behaviour of young people has an impact on others in the home. Staff are quick to support young people to help them feel safe while they deal with a situation.

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good

Staff challenge young people who use discriminatory language, such as racial abuse. Young people are guided how to treat others with respect. Key workers discuss pertinent issues with young people who are able to reflect on their behaviour and emotions. This gives young people every chance of correcting future behaviour.

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good

Staff have a good knowledge around e-safety. Software helps to keep young people safe as well as staff providing education about risks in the cyber world. Staff ensure there is suitable supervision where required. Young people are able to use electronic devices in the same way as their peers do.

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requires improvement

A Registered Manager, who has a wide range of experience in residential care and a level five management qualification, leads the home. She has been successful in retaining a stable, consistent care team.

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requires improvement

Morale has been on the decline due to the recent extreme challenging behaviours of young people. Staff are supported through regular individual supervision and debrief of specific incidents, and in particular when they have been injured: they describe the process as helpful. The impact of managing challenging behaviour on their own physical and emotional well-being is recognised. However, some staff said they feel they cannot raise every issue with the Registered Manager; they are wary of the response. Staff describe the peer support in the most positive of terms.

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requires improvement

The Registered Manager ensures staff have an annual appraisal. She develops a training plan, matching the personal development of staff with the needs of the young people placed in the home. This includes training in the risk of child sexual exploitation and therapeutic child-care. This training had not been delivered at the time of inspection. Although there are young people in the home who misuse substances, the training plan does not include specific training on drug and alcohol misuse. There is a risk that not all staff are fully trained to meet the current presenting needs of the young people in their care.

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requires improvement

Although the Registered Manager assesses each referral to the home, the care planning process is not fully effective. There are no clear, written, pre-admission assessments or guidance, such as an assessment of compatibility with other young people in the home. It is unclear as to what information is essential before a referral is accepted. This means that important information is omitted, such as health care plans. Although young people are registered with various health professionals and attend routine appointments, there is no formal plan to guide staff. Examples are the in use of an inhaler, management of self-injurious behaviour or the support required to help young people stop smoking.

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requires improvement

The Registered Manager monitors the care well, on a daily basis as well as through more formal statutory reporting. Community meetings provide an additional forum for young people to comment on the quality of care. Equally, group supervision allows staff as a group to express and reflect upon how well the home is functioning. An independent visitor provides an objective view with recommendations that the Registered Manager actions.

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requires improvement

Inter-agency working is strong. The Registered Manager has established close and professional working relationships, such as with the local police. Police visit the home regularly and establish rapport with each young person.

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requires improvement

The Registered Manager passes any concerns on to relevant professionals. An example is alerting the police to an unknown deposit in a young person’s bank account. She ensures other significant events, such as missing from care, are notified to relevant people. Although she is aware that placing social workers do not always conduct return interviews, she has not challenged this on each occasion. There is no written confirmation as to why such an interview need not take place for one young person who is at significant risk. This had not been challenged.

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requires improvement

The Statement of Purpose has recently been reviewed but does not clearly state the range of needs for the young people who can be accommodated. Specific risks presented by young people, such as sexual exploitation or drug misuse, are not mentioned within the criteria for admission. There is a risk of confusion for placing social workers as to the various needs of young people who can be accommodated.

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requires improvement

The home is generally of good order and has a warm, homely feel. Refurbishment work, such as the replacement of the conservatory, is in the development plan. Other parts of the home in poor condition are not scheduled for refurbishment or replacement, particularly some carpets and paintwork.

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requires improvement

The Registered Manager is aware of the impact of behaviour, especially noise or language, on others such as the immediate neighbours. She has responded promptly to any concerns that have been raised and worked with the local police to allay any anxiety.

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requires improvement

Young people keep a copy of their placement plan and know what it says about them. They attend statutory reviews in person to give their views and agree any revisions to the plan.

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What the inspection judgements mean

The experiences and progress of children and young people are at the centre of the inspection. Inspectors will use their professional judgement to determine the weight and significance of their findings in this respect. The judgements included in the report are made against Inspection of children's homes: framework for inspection.

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What the inspection judgements mean

An outstanding children's home provides highly effective services that contribute to significantly improved outcomes for children and young people who need help and protection and care. Their progress exceeds expectations and is sustained over time. A good children's home provides effective services that help, protect and care for children and young people and have their welfare safeguarded and promoted. In a children's home that requires improvement , there are no widespread or serious failures that create or leave children being harmed or at risk of harm. The welfare of looked after children is safeguarded and promoted. Minimum requirements are in place, however, the children's home is not yet delivering good protection, help and care for children and young people. A children's home that is inadequate is providing services where there are widespread or serious failures that create or leave children and young people being

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What the inspection judgements mean

harmed or at risk of harm or result in children looked after not having their welfare safeguarded and promoted.

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people living in the children's home. Inspectors considered the quality of work and the difference adults make to the lives of children and young people. They read case files, watched how professional staff work with children, young people and each other and discussed the effectiveness of help and care given to children and young people. Wherever possible, they talked to children, young people and their families. In addition the inspectors have tried to understand what the children's home knows about how well it is performing, how well it is doing and what difference it is making for the children and young people who it is trying to help, protect and look after. This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000 to assess the effectiveness of the service and to consider how well it complies with the Children's

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Information about this inspection

Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards. the guidance raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted, which is available from Ofsted's website: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted . If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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Information about this inspection

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, workbased learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It inspects services for looked after children and child protection. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . 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,

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Information about this inspection

The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

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Information about this inspection

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Information about this inspection

Store Street Manchester M1 2WD T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted

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