Children's Home run by Hampshire County Council 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:

 Staff monitor and respond to the health needs of young people. They are creative in their approach in teaching young people about staying in good health.  Staff give education priority. They form effective links with education professionals. Young people, who have historically struggled with education, engage with their learning. There are innovative approaches to support education in the home outside of the school day.  Young people access the wider community and make friends. They are able to pursue their interests. They develop socially acceptable behaviour.  The Registered Manager ensures other professionals are involved in the care. Young people have easy access to a range of professionals to meet their emerging and complex needs. Staff are skilled to interpret what young people communicate through behaviour.  Staff work extremely well together as a team. They reflect on serious incidents and it informs their practice. They keep detailed records. They

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The children's home provision is good because:

gain valuable insight into the underlying needs of young people and share this with others involved in their care.

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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

7. The children's views, wishes and feelings standard.

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Requirement Due date

In order to meet the children's views, wishes and feelings standard, the registered provider must ensure that:

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Requirement Due date

(1) children receive care from staff who— 28/02/2016 (c) take their views, wishes and feelings into account in relation to matters affecting the children's care and welfare and their lives. This especially applies to considering the provision of a trampoline.

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Information about this children's home

This is a local authority children's home that provides care and accommodation for up to five children and young people with emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

12/03/2015 CH - Interim sustained effectiveness

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Recent inspection history

13/02/2014 CH - Interim Inadequate Progress

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good

Young people enjoy warm and trusting relationships with staff. They say they feel safe. They are confident that they can approach staff with any issue. Staff demonstrate a strong commitment to meeting their needs, such as travelling considerable distance to ensure a young person can engage in the sport of their choice and obtaining tickets to a major sporting event. Outcomes are successful, for example admission into a football academy.

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good

Staff are acutely aware of the vulnerabilities of the young people. They are astute to the group dynamics. They are on hand to diffuse any emerging situations. They listen to young people who say they feel targeted by others. Young people say the staff deal with situations well.

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good

Young people have a voice in their home. They have day-to-day dialogue with staff as well as other forums to express their views. On occasion young people access the formal complaints procedure. Staff listen carefully to their concerns and give a written response. Young people and other adults in their lives have identified the use of a trampoline as a calming strategy.

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good

Key staff take leadership on health. They have innovative practice, working with a local hospital, to teach young people about health. An example is wearing heart monitors for a few days. Results, which are analysed by the local hospital, form the basis of a discussion with young people about healthy living. Staff also work with young people to complete comprehensive learning modules on pertinent issues such as healthy eating, sexual health and smoking. Young people respond positively such as choosing healthy ingredients for meals, being motivated to lose weight and engaging with smoking cessation schemes. Staff ensure they have the person of their choice to accompany them to appointments, such as going to the dentist.

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good

A key strength of the home is the access staff have to a consultant psychologist. Staff provide emotional warmth to young people while having access to professional advice to further their understanding of each young person’s journey. They have the skills to respond appropriately to the emotional, behavioural and attainment difficulties young people present. They demonstrate an understanding of what young people are communicating through behaviour.

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good

Key staff take leadership concerning education. They work closely with education professionals such as the virtual school head. There is close cooperative working to ensure documents, such as the personal education plans, are detailed, up to date and clearly reflect the support needed for academic success. Outcomes are good. Young people engage with their full or reduced timetable, often from a starting point of not being in any education. Staff promote education in the home. They use the interests of young people as opportunities to provide learning. An example is using the body weight of footballers to teach maths. Other people, important to the young people, support and encourage education, family members work with staff to provide appropriate financial reward for school attendance.

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good

Staff ensure young people prepared for their future. The Registered Manager ensures that pathway plans are in place and young people have access to a personal advisor. Young people give their view to planning meetings. Staff compose detailed reports for other professionals to help determine the next steps toward independence. This gives the maximum chance of success. Adults, who were formerly resident in the home as children, stay in contact. They provide positive role models.

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good

Young people have access to a range of activities in the community. They build self-confidence and learn how to behave in a socially acceptable way. A visiting professional to the home said how they had observed a young person several times in the community and there was no anti-social behaviour. Young people make friends in the local community. They feel comfortable to invite them to their home for a meal.

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good

A placing social worker said that promoting contact with individuals who are important to the young people has gone very well. She stated, ‘staff have formed a positive and reliable relationship with the birth family showing that all services and family are working together’. A family member reported that staff notify of any incidents and communicate extremely well. Young people can contact friends and relatives when they want to, as well as enjoying more structured contact. Staff advocate for them to have contact with others, such as with their adult siblings, while keeping them as safe as possible.

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good

Staff use detailed risk assessments that guide them how to keep young people as safe as possible. They follow these diligently, reviewing significant incidents with the clinical psychologist. The professionals involved in the young people’s lives give careful thought to their emotional well-being and how this influences behaviour. They review strategies. There are successful outcomes, such as a reduction in challenging behaviour. Staff use a positive reward system. Young people were upbeat about this. They respond well to the positive affirmation. Staff who are qualified to teach the home’s behaviour management programme work at the home. They are on hand to give advice. All staff understand the statutory framework around the use of any physical intervention. Responses are proportionate and appropriate. Psychology reports inform the behaviour management plans. The plans are very detailed and clearly show staff how to interact with young people who are in a heightened state

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good

of anxiety. The use of physical intervention has significantly diminished recently; in part due to the behaviour management plans working and, in part due to some young people being discharged as their needs could no longer be met.

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good

Staff respond robustly to any young person who goes missing from the home. They report events to others, such as the police, in a timely way. They follow young people and try to make contact when their whereabouts is unknown. They keep detailed records that now include a written record of return interviews. In one case, a young person continued to make poor choices and had to go to secure accommodation. The Registered Manager has made face-to-face contact with a recently formed missing, exploited or trafficked team (MET) within the local authority. Missing from care was not a current issue at the time of inspection.

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good

Staff keep young people as safe as possible in the cyber world. They discuss the risks with professionals and other people who are important in the young people’s lives. They put bespoke arrangements into place, depending on the risks for the young person, for internet access. This includes access through personal electronic devices. Software and education form part of the safeguarding process as well as trusting relationships, whereby young people will share with staff what they have been doing online.

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good

Staff are trained and aware of child protection and safeguarding issues. They understand the process in the event of any concern. They follow it diligently with close involvement of other safeguarding experts when necessary. The Registered Manager keeps clear chronological records, as recommended at the last inspection.

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good

The Registered Manager follows safer recruitment practice. She employs adults deemed to be suitable to work with children.

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good

The Registered Manager considers referrals in consultation with others. She examines records, holds discussions and arranges visits. Compatibility with other young people living in the home is considered. Staff are on hand to diffuse any situation when young people are settling in the home. They support young people, who say they feel targeted by others, very well. Staff help young people to develop assertive skills. Young people demonstrate maturity. They are able to prevent potential situations from escalating. In one case, the Registered Manager ended the placement of one young person whose behaviour was having a negative impact on others. Judgement grade

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good

Staff reflect on their practice in the event of a placement breakdown. They give consideration whether to do things differently next time, for example challenging the practice of other professionals. Placing social workers speak positively of the experience of the young people in the home. One said the staff had provided more insight into the young person’s personality than anyone else had been able to gather. She spoke highly of the document provided for a move to a new placement, describing it as ‘absolutely incredible.’

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good

The Registered Manager has led the home well during an unsettled and challenging period. She has provided support, guidance and advice during a difficult time in addition to formal supervision. Staff spoke positively of this. A member of staff said of the leadership team, ‘They are not managers, they are leaders.’ Staff spoke highly of the morale and peer support, citing they are not a team but a family.

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good

Communal areas have had some superficial damage. A repair and repainting programme was underway during the inspection. Bedrooms observed were of high quality and young people had personalised them. The Registered Manager is aware of the need for better placement stability to meet, in full, the aims in the Statement of Purpose to provide long-term care.

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good

The Registered Manager ensures there is robust monitoring of the home. An independent visitor provides a monthly report. The manager takes any recommendations seriously. She produces a six-monthly report in accordance with statutory regulations. She sends this into Ofsted, as required at the last inspection. She notifies significant incidents to the appropriate authorities.

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good

Staff have forged excellent relationships with other professionals, such as the police. They carefully explain the needs of the young people. As a result, other professionals are able to adopt a well-planned and sensitive approach in the best interest of each young person. The Registered Manager has ensured the whole staff team have had the opportunity to meet and understand the role of the MET team.

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good

Staff have a broad range of training. In addition to core training, they have specific training for individual needs, such as self-harming behaviour. They demonstrate a thorough knowledge of the pertinent issues and the most up to date thinking in how to manage complex emotional needs. The Registered Manager is showing good leadership. She has met the previous requirements and recommendations made at the last inspection.

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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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