Children's Home run by Hampshire County Council in Hampshire

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged Good at the full inspection. At this interim inspection Ofsted judge that it has improved effectiveness .

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home provides long-term, stable placements where children feel settled and safe. Staff have an excellent knowledge of each child, their personal histories and how past experiences have influenced the child’s behaviour. Staff use their knowledge to develop individualised strategies of support for each child to help them in their social, emotional and academic development. As a result, children grow in confidence, increase their self-esteem and are able to improve their attendance and academic achievement in education. Children enjoy good relationships with staff. They feel comfortable with them and can trust them. As a result, they are able to discuss any concerns with staff and know that these will be addressed by staff. Staff have a clear understanding of children’s needs, have insight into the reasons why they engage in harmful behaviours and know how best to support them. Staff use their positive

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

relationships with children to underpin behavioural expectations in the home. Staff use a restorative justice approach as well as other strategies to encourage children to reflect upon their choices and the consequences of their behaviours. This has been successful in reducing self-harming behaviours, ‘missing’ incidents and challenging behaviour. Staff address bullying or targeting-type behaviour quickly and effectively through close monitoring of relationships between children residing in the home. This has improved relationships within the home and provided opportunities for children to develop their social skills. The registered manager has implemented the use of a comprehensive matching tool to consider whether any new referrals would be suitably placed with the existing resident group. This ensures that the placement is appropriate and sustainable and will not have a detrimental effect on children already living in the

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

home. Children’s transitions into the home are done in a structured and planned way. Staff ensure they obtain as much information as possible about the child to devise a comprehensive plan of care prior to their admission. Staff take time to meet other professionals involved in the child’s care to increase multi-agency working, sharing of information and consistency of support to the child. Children have opportunities to meet with staff on several occasions prior to living at the home and are able to visit the home and meet other residents. Because each child’s transition into the home is well planned, their move is successful and they settle well into their new home. Children receive support in maintaining contact with their families where that is appropriate. They have also been able to improve relationships and have a sense of belonging within their families. Managers have forged very effective working relationships with external

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

colleagues, and these have positively contributed to children’s well-being. Staff hold monthly meetings with other professionals involved in caring for each child. This allows professionals to jointly discuss and monitor the child’s development and devise collaborative strategies to ensure children receive consistent support.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff have an excellent understanding of the risks posed to children. As a result, risk assessment are detailed, comprehensive and inform staff of the actions they must take to reduce or eliminate risks. Actions to minimise risks are regularly reviewed by staff to ensure they remain effective. This enables them to successfully safeguard children and meets a recommendation made at the previous inspection. When a safeguarding concern is raised, managers act quickly to arrange a high-risk strategy meeting with all other professionals involved. These are used effectively to assess the risks to children and identify actions to jointly manage the risks and protect the child. Staff responses to children going missing has vastly improved. Staff now take proactive steps when a child is missing and will search for them and try to establish their whereabouts. Missing incidents are monitored and staff work closely with the police’s missing person’s co-ordinator to

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

reduce incidents of missing. As a result, a requirement made at the previous inspection has now been met. The registered manager has taken action to address all the recommendations made at the previous inspection. This includes revising the home’s location review, which now evidences consideration of the risks posed by the local area and community. Supervision records now demonstrate that staff have access to regular formal, informal and group supervision to encourage reflective practice to improve the care provided to children. No requirements or recommendations were made as a result of this inspection.

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Information about this children's home

The home is owned and managed by a local authority. It is registered to provide care and accommodation for no more than four young people who have complex behavioural and emotional needs.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

27/03/2015 CH - Interim sustained effectiveness

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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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Recommendations

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

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What the inspection judgements mean

At the interim inspection we make a judgement on whether the home has improved in effectiveness, sustained effectiveness, or declined in effectiveness since the previous full inspection. This is in line with the Inspection of children's homes: framework for inspection.

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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 focused on the effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of children and young people since the most recent full inspection.

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Information about this inspection

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 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

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

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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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