Children's Home run by The Rose Road Association in Southampton

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 home provides good quality care to children and young people. Each child and young person makes good progress upon arrival at the home.  Staff are knowledgeable and skilled in meeting the needs of children and young people.  Warm, caring relationships between staff and young people have created an environment which is child focused.  Staff respond to young people‟s complex health needs in an effective and competent manner.  Each child and young person has a key adult who they trust and confide in, enabling them to feel safe.  Staff encourage and facilitate children and young people to engage in stimulating activities.  Children and young people make choices about their routines and key aspects of the care that they receive. They are happy and state that they have fun when at the home.  Staff support children and young people to learn key skills to promote their independence.  Parents and professionals report having positive, supportive relationships

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The children's home provision is good because:

with staff.  Staff are enthusiastic and committed to providing each child and young person with respect and dignity.

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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 within the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

The children's views, wishes and feelings standard requires the registered person to ensure that staff— help each child to prepare for any review of the child's relevant plans and to make the child's views, wishes and feelings known for the purposes of that review (Regulation 7 (2)(vi)). 1 August 2016

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Requirement Due date

The protection of children standard requires the registered person to ensure that staff— assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking in to account information in the child's relevant plans, and, if necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child (Regulation 12 (2)(a)(i)). 1 August 2016

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Requirement Due date

The leadership and management standard requires the registered person to use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home (Regulation 13 (2)(h)). 1 August 2016

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Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children receive effectively planned care in or through the children's home. In particular, the standard requires the registered person to ensure— that each child's relevant plans are followed; that staff help each child to access and contribute to the records kept by the registered person in relation to the child (Regulation 14 (1)(a) (2)(c)(f)). 1 August 2016

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Requirement Due date

Employment of staff The registered person must ensure that all employees— undertake appropriate continuing professional development; receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience (Regulation 33 (4)(a)(b)). 1 August 2016 Behaviour management policies and records The registered person must ensure that— within 24 hours of the use of a measure of control, discipline or restraint in relation to a child in the home, a record is made which includes— a description of the measure and its duration; the name of the person who used the measure ("the user"), and of any other person present when the measure was used; within 48 hours of the use of the measure, the registered person, or a person who is authorised by the registered person to do so (“the authorised person”) has spoken to the user about the measure (Regulation 35 (3)(a)(iv)(vi)(b)(i)). 1 August 2016

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Requirement Due date

Notification of a serious event The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if— a child protection enquiry involving a child— is instigated or concludes (Regulation 40 (4)(d)(i)(ii)). 1 August 2016

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further, the service should take account of the following recommendations:  The children's guide should help children to understand what the day-to-day routines of the home are, how they can access advocacy support or independent advocacy if eligible and how to contact the Office of the Children's Commissioner („Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards‟, page 24, paragraph 4.22).  The registered person must not automatically use the views of parents as a proxy for children's views. Children will have their own perspective and arrangements should be in place to engage with them directly. In some cases, the view of a relevant person, such as a social worker or IRO, might be included in discussions where the person is interpreting or advocating on behalf of a child („Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards‟, page 24, paragraph 4.25).

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Information about this children's home

The home is registered to provide care for up to 12 children with learning disabilities. The home is owned by a charitable organisation. They aim to provide support and continuity of care for children through the provision of regular, planned short breaks. The home is also registered with the Care Quality Commission.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

21 December 2015 Interim Sustained effectiveness

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Recent inspection history

19 March 2015 Interim Improved effectiveness

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Good

Children and young people have made good progress from their initial starting points. Progress is in „small steps‟, with staff consistently supporting young people to learn and develop new skills. Children and young people state that they have fun and enjoy themselves when they attend the home. Staff follow care plans and risk assessments, which provide practical detailed information. Families are fully involved in the care planning and review process. Those with complex needs have detailed additional plans and protocols to guide and support staff in meeting individual needs of children and young people. Staff have not transferred and updated all key information provided by others in to the care plans. Staff support children and young people to attend school or their individual education setting during their short break at the home. Staff have good relationships with education providers and attend meetings and reviews. Education

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Good

providers have given key information and advice to staff, this has promoted the consistency of care provided. Staff meet the individual health needs of each child and young person through the care provided. They support children and young people to follow key plans, regimes and protocols that promote their physical and emotional well-being. There has been involvement from key professionals to meet specialist needs. This is evident in the knowledge and responses of staff towards children and young people with complex healthcare needs. Staff have been creative in guiding others, providing key information in plans, specifically photographs, which detail how to use key pieces of equipment. Staff have not ensured that all key documents and guides have been reviewed by medical professionals. Children and young people require varying levels of assistance with personal care tasks. Staff provide good quality support and care to children and young people

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Good

ensuring that they maintain children‟s and young people‟s dignity and privacy at all times. Children and young people have developed positive relationships with staff that they trust. Children and young people will seek out known staff for interaction and support. Staff set, review and amend key goals for children and young people to work towards achieving. Children and young people are learning important personal and social skills that are promoting their independence. Staff supported a young person to prepare a hot main meal and another child was encouraged to feed himself. Children and young people are making choices daily in the home. They state which bedroom they prefer to use, what they want to eat at meal times and which activities they want to engage in. Staff encourage children and young people to sit together at meal times to interact with each other. Staff focus on meal times and food and encourage all children and

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Good

young people to try new things and experiences. Those children and young people who receive nutrition via an alternative method are also included in meal times if they enjoy the social aspect of it. Staff use a variety of communication systems to gain an understanding of how young people feel while at the home. Skilled, knowledgeable staff communicate with young people through their relationships, observation, language and other forms of communication. Staff gain a view about children‟s and young people‟s choices, views and feelings. Staff do not routinely seek children‟s and young people‟s views to incorporate into the reviews of their care. Staff generally gain these views from children‟s and young people‟s parents and carers. The children‟s and young people‟s guide is colourful and visually stimulating for children and young people. The guide is not available in other communication forms and does not detail all the required aspects.

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Good

Staff support children and young people to maintain contact with their families. Staff have implemented a „daily observation sheet‟, which is sent home to parents and carers to provide essential information. Staff send photographs home to families of children and young people engaging in activities, providing a visual story for families. Parents and carers are also welcome to visit the home, providing updates and key information to staff. During the inspection, several parents visited the home to share important details and information with staff. Staff provide a good variety of inclusive activities to children and young people. The home has a hydro pool. Using this is a favourite activity as well as accessing the sensory garden, which provides sensory and physical stimulation. Staff encourage children and young people to make choices about the activities that they take part in, the ethos of the home being to „have fun‟. Staff also offer

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Good

children and young people opportunities to explore new and exciting activities. Staff encourage children and young people to sit together at meal

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Requires improvement

The environment is a safe one, with staff having good understanding and knowledge to keep children and young people safe. Children and young people have good relationships with staff, with each child and young person having a key adult that they trust. Staff provide personal care to children and young people, treating them with privacy, dignity and respect. Children and young people feel safe and request assistance when needed. The home‟s systems for managing the environment are robust with all key checks occurring as required. The home has recently undergone some improvements to bathing areas and the medication area, with the aim of improving the size and access. Staff report, record and refer concerns to others when needed. Staff have good knowledge and understanding of safeguarding policy and procedures, with all concerns raised and recorded. The records do not detail actions and outcomes. There has been no review or monitoring applied to the records. Staff have not

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Requires improvement

notified Her Majesty's Chief Inspector when a child protection investigation has been instigated or concluded. Staff have effective working relationships with the local safeguarding board. The staff training has incorporated information provided by the local safeguarding board. Staff have considered the many risk factors and vulnerabilities that young people present. Detailed plans provide practical informative strategies to minimise risk and to support young people with managing risky behaviours. However, this detail has not transferred to further plans and risk assessments. Staff have not routinely reviewed, updated and monitored plans and assessments. Staff use additional equipment to support them in caring for children and young people and all of the relevant assessments and plans detail how to complete these tasks and what is required to minimise risk. Staff have all received lifting and handling training to support them in these tasks.

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Requires improvement

Behaviour support plans are present for some young people, providing a clear plan of distraction and de-escalation strategies. Staff have used physical intervention as a last resort. Staff are trained in the home‟s preferred method of approach although some staff have not completed refresher training which is due. Staff record incidents, providing detail about the interventions used. There has been one incident when physical intervention was required. The length of time that it was applied is not recorded, the young person was not offered a debrief; there has been no review or monitoring applied to the record. Staff have appropriately responded to and recorded accidents. All staff are first-aid trained with many having additional levels of skill to meet specific emergency needs. Staff have not recorded any sanctions applied since the last inspection. Staff do not have systems in place to record sanctions and rewards.

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Requires improvement

Staff have responded to complaints as per the home‟s policy and procedure. The home uses an electronic system for all of its records and these are chaotic and disorganised, making it complex to review, monitor and evaluate. Responses to complainants are not contained within the records. Children and young people have not made any complaints. No allegations have been made since the last inspection of the home. Staff have completed a review of the area in which the home is placed and this is due to be reviewed. Staff use monitors and alarms at night to support in managing children‟s and young people‟s health needs, with parents and carers having given consent for these. Staff have improved the area in which medicines are stored, with one person on shift taking responsibility for giving medication. The staff report a reduction in administration errors. Staff use a robust system for managing and administrating

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Requires improvement

medication. Staff members who are trained to give medication have not received any competency training and the senior managers are reviewing this. Staff have good, robust practice with regard to recruitment and safer recruitment.

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Requires improvement

The home has been without a registered manager since March 2016. Currently, the home is in a period of uncertainty due to these changes. The deputy manager has been managing the home daily in the interim. The staff have been committed and focused in ensuring that children and young people are well cared for while at the home. Managers have not implemented systems to ensure that review, monitoring and evaluation of the home are completed. This inspection was completed while the home was also being inspected by the Care Quality Commission. Staffing is at the required levels and, following ongoing recruitment, levels of agency staff have reduced with a lower number of shifts covered by known agency staff. Leaders and managers have not applied consistent monitoring and evaluation of areas within the home. Independent visits of the home have occurred, providing an additional layer of scrutiny. Reports have identified areas to improve and develop. Managers are in

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Requires improvement

the initial stages of developing action plans to address key areas identified. Leaders and managers have not applied robust scrutiny to the monitoring of care plans. They have not amended and updated care plans and risk assessments to reflect known information and risk. Staff have detailed knowledge of children‟s and young people‟s needs, but this is not reflected in all records. Parents and carers have effective trusting relationships with staff and they report feeling well supported by staff. Staff are child- and family-centred in their approach, valuing the relationships with children, young people and their families. Staff regularly communicate with parents and contact with parents is at a level which the parent has agreed. Staff have been flexible and supportive to families in times of crisis, offering practical support and advice to them. Staff are developing relationships with stakeholders and staff members attend

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Requires improvement

some reviews of children‟s and young people‟s plans. Staff provide written feedback for reviews and planning meetings which they are unable to attend. Leaders and managers intend to develop these working relationships further. Staff have developed good links with others in the community and they access many of the local services and activities. Staff have not received regular supervision regarding their practice. Senior managers have not implement succession plans to ensure that all staff received supervision while there has been no registered manager in post. Staff have had their practice reviewed annually. Staff have participated in a varied programme of training, with regular updates of some key topics. During the inspection, fire training and first aid training were taking place. Not all staff have received refresher training in the home‟s preferred behaviour management strategy. Staff who have been employed for longer than two years by the home do not all

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Requires improvement

possess the required qualification. Staff are being supported to achieve this, though currently action plans for each staff member are not available. The home‟s statement of purpose requires review and update.

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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 that 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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