Children's Home run by The Serendipity Centre Limited 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 quality of relationships between staff and young people warm and purposeful. This enables young people to explore and share their concerns, worries and anxieties with trusted adults that care for them.  Young people make good, or sometimes excellent, progress.   Staff support young people to engage in a wide variety of social, educational and recreational activities in and out of the home. Young people attend activities which they enjoy, excel and are interested in. This enhances their life opportunities.  Staff actively support young people to attend school and complete homework and project tasks. They are interested in achievements and attainments made.  Managers have developed good collaborative working relationships with key people involved in each young person’s care. This strong network of professionals and carers around the child ensures effective review and modification of plans in place.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 Young people are helped to explore, in a supportive environment, their skills in how they manage their relationships, communication and self-care.  The ethos of the home as described within the Statement of Purpose is evident in staff practice.  Leaders and managers are inspirational; they effectively communicate high aspirations to young people and staff.

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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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Requirement Due date

The registered person may only use devices for the monitoring or surveillance of children if the child’s placing authority consents in writing to its use. Reg 24.-(1)(b) 31.10.2015

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further the service should take account of the following recommendation(s):

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Recommendations

Children must be consulted regularly on their views about the home’s care. (Guide to the children’s homes regulations 4.11, page 22)

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Recommendations

Records of restraint of restraint must be kept and should enable the registered person and staff to review the use of control, discipline and restraint to identify effective practice and respond promptly where any issues or trends of concern emerge. (Guide to the children’s homes regulations 3.59, page 49)

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Information about this children's home

 The home is registered to care for up to 5 children who have emotional and behavioural difficulties. It has been registered for only a few months, but operated previously as part of a larger registration with its sister home.  The home is privately owned home under the umbrella of a limited company. The company also have a school for young people with educational needs.  The home specifically cares for girls who may have experienced emotional and/or physical trauma as the result of abuse or have a mental health condition.  They support each young person with a therapeutic approach.  The home is located in a quiet residential area within easy access of community based services and resources.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

p.5

good

The quality of care provided within the home is of a high standard, young people are well supported and make progress. This improves their opportunities and life chances for the future. Relationships are good and young people trust key adults and they will seek reassurance and support from them when they are feeling vulnerable. There is opportunity for young people to build these relationships through one-to-one sessions with staff. There are gaps in the frequency of these sessions occurring.

p.6

good

Staff support young people with routines and daily tasks by using communication aids. Routines and visual aids support those whose communication and understanding is impaired or affected at times of high anxiety. Young people are also encouraged to share their views, concerns, worries and feelings through a variety of methods. There are house meetings, worry forms, attendance at their network and planning meetings and one-to-one sessions. Communication support aids are utilised to ensure young people’s voices are heard. The worries and complaint form is visual and encourages all to express themselves. These worries and concerns are then acted on and if required investigated.

p.6

good

The complaints which are raised by young people need are recorded and explored as complaints by the staff currently the response and action is not available alongside the complaint for oversight and review. Complaints raised by young people are recorded and investigated but the outcome and response is not present with the original complaint. This hinders effective review and evaluation.

p.6

good

Contact with families is encouraged and supported as per each young person’s individual plan. Staff facilitate contact with young people, family and friends to enable positive experiences for all. Staff raise concerns and issues regarding contact in network meetings or directly with social workers when required.

p.6

good

Network meetings occur six weekly allowing for regular review of each young person’s needs and care plans. These are collaborative and multi-disciplinary meetings with all key people involved. The strength of these meetings is that young people gain consistent messages regarding aspects of their care across all settings and from all parties. It is seen and viewed by members as a ‘we’ approach to decision making. This also ensures a child focussed approach to planning and meeting the young person needs.

p.6

good

Staff support young people to have good attendance at school and attend all celebrations and parent meetings. Staff encourage educational development within all aspects of home life, for example by supporting young people with reading, project work and other homework tasks. The staff plan weekly activities which also include indirect aspects of learning and education that supports their academic development.

p.6

good

Young people all have health plans which consider all aspects of their physical and emotional needs. Staff supported a young person to have a blood test by providing a social story for the procedure. The aim was to reduce the anxiety and fear which was present. The young person had the procedure with the support of staff and the communication aid. The staff will also make referrals for specific aspects of health care if required.

p.7

good

Young people are learning how to engage with peers and manage difficult situations. This occurs by staff talking and working through individual situations as they occur. The one-to-one sessions and time given to young people allows them to talk through, debrief and reflect on situations. There is also additional education support provided within the organisation which allows for structured sessions to explore feelings, personal experiences, traumas and risk factors which are contributing and impacting on responses to situations.

p.7

good

Activities are provided for everyone, and their daily plans allow for individual needs to be considered. There is a good variety of in-house activities available. The young people were attempting to make the longest loom band during my visit as well as baking, board games and outside activities. There is a focus on individual hobbies, interests and local community activities are accessed as much is feasible. Staff ensure that each young person has their individual key interests and seeks a selection of clubs that offer activities to provide young people with opportunities to make friends and build networks away from the home. One young person has excelled at trampolining and is now supporting other children who attend an additional needs trampoline club at her club. Another young person is showing an interest in trampolining and an alternative club has been sought for her to join in September.

p.7

good

There is a real focus in the home on mealtimes and the young people sitting and sharing a meal together. This is a strength of the home with all young people having input to the menu. The menu is varied and there is an alternative available if the menu choice is not to someone’s likes. Young people also have chores which occur before and after meal times which allow for supplementary pocket money to be gained. Judgement grade

p.7

good

Young people feel safe and secure in the home, risks are identified and addressed. Appropriately trained staff provides awareness of risk factors and how to address issues and concerns as they arise.

p.8

good

The building is well maintained and areas of damage are swiftly repaired and made safe. All aspects of health and safety within the home are completed and comply with requirements.

p.8

good

There are robust plans in for place for when young people go missing, the plans have had input from police and other professionals to ensure they consider each individuals needs and risk factors. Grab sheets are also effective in keeping a running commentary whilst also giving detail and highlighting risk factors. The one episode of missing was well managed and good joint working is evident.

p.8

good

Staff have not addressed the risk factors highlighted as being linked to radicalisation and The Prevent Duty. On further discussion we ascertained that the organisations safeguarding lead is due to attend training regarding this subject and she will then plan for these risk factors.

p.8

good

Staff ensure young people are treated with dignity and respect. They educate and develop self-awareness of risk factors by supporting them to ensure they learn the basics of keeping safe in the home and community. There are e-safety and phone contracts and plans in place to support and educate young people of risk factors.

p.8

good

Behaviour of young people is well managed and supported with behaviour support plans and risk assessments. There has been very little intervention in the form of positive hold or restraint and what has been applied has been well reported and documented. Knowledgeable and trained staff support young people with restraint only as a last resort. A good understanding of what effects a young person’s behaviour is present and support is provided accordingly. Criminalising young people is avoided and good joint working with the local police is ongoing. Regular contact supports education and developing positive relationships between young people and the police.

p.8

good

Incidents and accidents are well recorded within the differing systems in place. The home has an incident log which offers minimal information regarding incidents. This information then leads to an incident report which is more informative but in many cases you cannot see the whole incident from beginning to end and the outcome. The reporting and recording of safeguarding concerns is similar but the log for safeguarding offers more detail. But all other detail is stored away from the home at head office and so the trail from beginning to end of each concern and outcome is not always apparent. There are minor errors with dates on documentation due to this process and documentation is not easily located. Debrief following incidents occurs as recorded but the detail is stored in the young person’s one to one file. This dispersed system hinders the manager’s oversight and evaluation of incidents. The senior management team do meet regularly to discuss all incidents and

p.8

good

safeguarding concerns so the information is located within the organisation.

p.9

good

Exciting rewards are well used to promote positive behaviour and achievements made by young people and this is evident within the reward and sanction log. Sanctions are also recorded, and these are permissible and normally link to the behaviour exhibited. In one case a sanction was retention of pocket money to recompense for damage to property but the level of this sanction was not recorded.

p.9

good

The home has surveillance in place in communal areas and hallways at this time the staff do not have signed consent from local authorities, parents and young people regarding their usage. There is a clear policy in place regarding the usage of surveillance but at this time the staff do not routinely review and consider if it is required for each young person.

p.9

good

Recruitment processes are robust and ensure staff are knowledgeable and skilled while complying with aspects of safer recruitment.

p.9

good

Leaders and managers are positive, knowledgeable people who have a great deal of insight into the young people in their care. The registered manager is the head of care currently and a house manager is responsible for the day-to-day running of the home. The statement of purpose highlights who and what the home can offer to meet young people’s needs and to keep them safe. The location assessment is also completed highlighting specific risk factors for the location of the home.

p.9

good

Leaders and managers are embracing the new regulations and guidance and have completed an assessment of their compliance which is in its early stages and some areas are still to be implemented. A strength of the leadership and management is the network meeting and how this allows for collaborative joined up working to achieve good outcomes for young people. Relationships and others outside of the home are being established and continually developed to benefit the young people. The continual review of plans exploring interventions, strategies and goals to work towards ensures that decisions are child focused and ambitious.

p.9

good

Leaders are effective and robust in managing staff and dealing with practice and performance issues as they arise. Staff receive effective, monthly supervision which explores practice issues, reflection and development needs. A recent medication error was closely reviewed and scrutinised and the impact of the outcome of change to process, policy and training has been applied.

p.10

good

Staff are appropriately trained and the induction process for new staff is robust ensuring all required training is completed swiftly and enables staff to be skilled up for their role.

p.10

good

The home is appropriately staffed with the occasional usage of known bank and agency staff to the home. The organisation is continually recruiting to ensure all posts and vacancies are filled.

p.10

good

The weekly and monthly systems in place allow for robust evaluation of the strengths and weaknesses of the home. This then informs their action and development plans for self-improvement.

p.10

good

Communication with families and others is regular and effective; it was reported that high quality communication between the home and others is proving helpful.

p.10

good

Leaders and managers advocate on behalf of young people and will challenge others if they feels plans being put forward are not in their best interest.

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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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