Children's home run by Andover And District Mencap in Test Valley

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged good at the last full inspection. At this interim inspection, Ofsted judges that it has declined in effectiveness.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Children and young people do not engage in risk-taking activities and there have been no incidents when a child has gone missing since the last inspection. Each child and young person has a personalised risk assessment which identifies how to care for them in the best way. However, during this inspection a safeguarding concern was identified which the manager had been unaware of. There was no record available of the concern during the inspection or of the actions that staff took. As a result, it is not evident that safeguarding procedures were followed correctly in order to protect the child.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Children and young people receive personalised care from staff who have had bespoke training to meet their complex and diverse needs. Their care plans and risk assessments ensure that staff have the information that they need to provide suitable care. To improve quality of care further, the service is in the process of introducing new formats for care plans which are more detailed and comprehensive.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff provide plenty of opportunities to ensure that children and young people enjoy their stays at the service. Children and young people are able to access the local area on a regular basis and have been shopping, eaten out, visited the farm and attended local celebrations. They are in the process of making artwork to be displayed on the organisation’s float at the local carnival. This helps to develop their social experiences and supports integration into the wider community. During children’s and young people’s stays, staff promote their hobbies and interests, including music, arts and crafts, cricket and football. Staff ensure that children and young people are able to continue attending their social groups while staying at the home. For example, staff take a child to their Stagecoach sessions. This ensures that disruption is kept to a minimum and children and young people experience positive, enriching activities.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff are attuned to children’s and young people’s different methods of communication. Staff are skilled in using various communication methods, allowing children and young people to share their views and preferences. The service has introduced regular children’s meetings. These have been successful in allowing children and young people to choose new furniture and the colours for the redecoration of the home, evidencing that children’s and young people’s views are central to the service.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff are adept at understanding children’s and young people’s behaviours and are extremely successful in de-escalating and distracting the child or young person. As a result, there have been no physical interventions or sanctions since the last inspection.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Two young people have begun using the service since the last inspection. Staff work closely with parents and other professionals to gather as much information as possible about the child or young person prior to their first visit. Staff use this information effectively to tailor children’s and young people’s care plan to their specific needs. Their transition into the service includes short visits with family, tea-time visits and overnight stays. These allow children and young people to get to know the service, the staff, and other children and young people to promote a successful transition. However, the service does not record an impact risk assessment that considers children’s and young people’s needs and how they may affect each other while staying together at the service.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Managers and staff have forged effective working relationships with external colleagues, and these have positively contributed to children’s and young people's well-being. Staff regularly attend children’s and young people’s local authority reviews and have challenged others on behalf of the child or young person to ensure that they receive the support that they are entitled to.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

At the last inspection, a requirement was made regarding fire safety. This concerned fire doors and personal emergency evacuation plans (PEEP). While staff have taken action to ensure that all children and young people have a recorded PEEP, the bedrooms upstairs, where children and young people sleep, do not have fire doors. It was previously agreed by the fire safety officer that these did not need to be installed until the service’s planned structural refurbishment was completed. The planned refurbishment is no longer taking place, yet the fire doors have not been installed. This compromises the fire safety of the home and, as a result, the requirement for fire safety is repeated.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

A recommendation was made at the previous inspection regarding improving the quality of the environment. Staff have developed links with local volunteer organisations that have redecorated parts of the home and garden. As a result, the building is more homely, lighter and airier. Children’s and young people’s artwork is displayed around the home, supporting them to feel valued and part of the service.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

An independent visitor attends the home each month and produces a report with recommendations to support improvement within the service. However, the report does not contain the visitor’s opinion on whether children and young people are adequately safeguarded and that their welfare is promoted as per regulations. A requirement regarding employment checks was made at the previous inspection. Due to records being kept off site, employment records were not inspected but will be examined at the next inspection. This requirement is repeated.

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Information about this children's home

The home provides short-break residential care for a maximum of four children and young people with learning difficulties and associated physical disabilities. It is a four-bedded unit owned and managed by a local branch of a charitable organisation.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

17/12/2015 Interim Sustained effectiveness

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Recent inspection history

11/03/2015 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 ‘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

In order to meet the protection of children standard, the registered person must ensure that staff— (2)(a)(vii) are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies. 14/09/2016

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Requirement Due date

In order to meet the fire precautions regulation, the registered person, after consultation with the fire and rescue authority, must take adequate precautions against the risk of fire, including the provision of suitable fire equipment in the children’s home. (Regulation 25 (1)(a)) 13/01/2016

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Requirement Due date

In order to meet the fitness of workers regulation, the registered person may only employ an individual to work at the children’s home if full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2. (Regulation 32 (3)(d)) 13/01/2016

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further, the service should take account of the following recommendation(s):  When considering new placements, the registered manager should fully consider the impact that the placement will have on children and young people. In particular, the registered manager should evidence their judgement of compatibility between children and young people. (‘Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 56, paragraph 11.4)  Any individual appointed to carry out visits to the home as an independent person must make a rigorous and impartial assessment of the home's arrangements for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of the children in the home's care. In particular, to provide a commentary within their report on their opinion on whether the home effectively safeguards and promotes children’s and young people's welfare. (‘Guide to the children's homes regulations

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Recommendations

including the quality standards’, page 65, paragraph 15.5)

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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 ‘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 0300 123 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, work- based 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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