Children's home run by Hampshire County Council in Winchester

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:

 Young people develop strong, trusting relationships with the staff.   Young people are well supported to take part in an impressive range of activities and pastimes. Their engagement in these supports their development in many areas of their lives. They have fun and for some, these opportunities enable them to develop friendships with their peers.   Young people make progress in their social and communication skills. They develop their self-care skills and learn about the world around them.   Young people progress in breaking their entrenched, unhelpful behaviours. Some improve sleep patterns, others reduce in their levels of resistance to necessary transitions throughout their day.   There is strong joint working with other agencies, professionals and parents, which ensures that young people have a consistent approach to their care.   Young people’s safety is seen as paramount and they are kept safe because

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The children’s home provision is good because:

their vulnerabilities are known, understood and catered for.   The managers and staff have a detailed understanding of each young person’s individual needs, likes and dislikes and are able to meet these effectively.   The managers and staff are passionate about improving young people’s outcomes through their work with them. 

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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 registered person must compile in relation to the children’s home a statement (‘the statement of purpose’) which covers the matters listed in Schedule 1, with specific reference to ensuring that the information is accurate. (Regulation 16 (1)) 14/11/2016

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Requirement Due date

Ensure that the independent person who visits the home produces a report about a visit which sets out their opinion as to whether children are effectively safeguarded and if the conduct of the home promotes children’s well-being. (Regulation 44 (4)(a)(b)) 14/11/2016

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further, the service should take account of the following recommendations:

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Recommendations

 Any use of mechanical restraint should follow a rigorous assessment process and, as with any restraint, be necessary and proportionate. Wherever such restraint is planned, it should be identified within a broad-ranging, robust behaviour support plan which aims to bring about the circumstances where continued use of such restraint will no longer be required. This is with specific reference to the blanket use of measures that restrict all young people’s movements inside the house regardless of their needs and abilities. (‘Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 47, paragraph 9.45)  The registered person must specify the procedures to be followed and the roles and responsibilities of staff when a child is missing from care or away from the home without permission and how staff should support the child on return to the home. (‘Guide to the children's homes regulations including the

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Recommendations

quality standards’, page 45, paragraph 9.28)  The home’s procedures must take into account the views of appropriate local services and have regard to police and local authority protocols for responding to missing person's incidents in the area where the home is located. (‘Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 45, paragraph 9.29)  Ensure that good staff recruitment practice is clearly evidenced, with specific reference to ensuring that records are maintained of verifying referees and conversations with them about references they have provided. (‘Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.1)  Ensure that the systems for the supervision of staff practice occur for every member of staff at the stated frequency. (‘Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.2)

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Recommendations

 The staff appraisal system should ensure that where reasonable and practical, the views of other professionals who have worked with the staff member over the year and children in the home’s care are taken into account. (‘Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.5)

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Information about this children's home

The home provides a short-break service for young people with learning disabilities, physical disabilities and where appropriate those with autism. Up to five children or young people at a time can stay overnight. The home is owned and managed by a county council.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 24/11/2015 Full Good 12/08/2015 Interim Sustained effectiveness 25/02/2015 Full Good 25/06/2014 Interim Sustained effectiveness

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Good

Staff get to know each young person and their needs well and build trusted relationships with them. Thoughtful planning ensures that young people can maintain relationships with other peers that they get on with. Young people are comfortable spending time in the home because staff are child-centred, listen to them, use their individual means of communication and spend good-quality time with them. A parent said, ‘I know that staff love and cherish her (daughter). They love her unconditionally.’ Another parent said, ‘(The home) has had a positive, happy influence on my son.’ Young people are supported by staff to express what they are finding difficult or to make a complaint. Staff are adept at using communication aids that each young person uses. For example, some young people are able to verbally express their views, while others use pictorial aids or body language and other non-verbal cues. There is now a suggestion box for the young people to use and their ideas are

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Good

considered. Where appropriate, their requests are met. This helps young people to feel that their wishes and views are seen as important. Young people are supported exceptionally well to make the best out of each visit. Staff support young people to participate in decisions about their stays. Care planning for young people’s stays is highly individualised and focuses on supporting them to develop skills in many areas of their lives. Targets are set for staff to work on with young people and once these have been achieved, new objectives are introduced. This ensures that young people develop skills in many areas of their lives, for example in communication, self-care, sleeping routines and table manners. A parent said that her child ‘communicates by various means and staff adapt and are sensitive to her needs’. Young people’s education remains the responsibility of their parents or carers. However, staff support young people to attend school following an overnight stay.

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Good

Staff are ambitious for young people. They liaise effectively with the schools and know how well young people are achieving. Staff know and understand the education targets for each young person and these are incorporated into the care plan for their short-break stays. The solid links with schools and the strong inter- agency working ensures consistency of care across the settings. Young people are provided with an impressive range of informal and stimulating learning opportunities. Care is taken to establish young people’s wishes about the activities that they would like to take part in and thought is given to how these can be used to aid young people’s development. For example, for young people who struggle with change, such as getting out of a vehicle to go into the community, careful planning is undertaken to support them to achieve this. Staff strive to ensure that no young person is disadvantaged and that all young

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Good

people have choice about what they do and the same opportunities as their peers. Over the summer break, young people took part in a range of fun activities in the community. They went to theme parks, country parks and ate out. Staff are equally passionate about ensuring that young people are fully occupied in the house. There is a range of stimulating games and pastimes for them to enjoy and learn from. A parent said, ‘Everyone is friendly and they plan well for activities my son can do on his respite weekend.’ Another parent described how due to her son being more physically challenging there are things that she is unable to do with him now. She went on to say how pleased she is that staff continue to support him to do the things that he loves doing. The short-break stays support young people to develop and maintain their interests and social skills. Young people’s health needs remain the responsibility of their parents or carers but

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Good

staff are trained and competent to support their health needs well. Parents’ wishes about issues such as diet and exercise are adhered to so that there is a consistent approach taken to these regimes. This provides young people with consistency and certainty. Special health needs, such as procedures related to supporting young people who experience seizures, are met by trained and competent staff. The arrangements for the storage and administration of medication are safe. Staff work with other services, such as the child and adolescent mental health services. This joint work includes planning effective support for young people to develop areas that they struggle with, such as poor sleeping habits or transition to adult services. Staff are accessible to parents and keep them informed about their child. Parents spoke about how the staff welcome their calls to the home when their child is staying there. They said that staff also provide them with detailed feedback about

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Good

their child’s stay in the ‘home book’. A parent said, ‘I always get a phone call if there are any issues (my child is non-verbal).’ Another parent said that when she had been away abroad for an extended trip, the manager arranged for her son to talk to her over the phone. She said that this had reassured her and him about each other’s well-being. Staff go over and above to ensure that parents are kept up to date with how their child is. No young people have been admitted since the last inspection but there is a well- established procedure for assessing the needs of newcomers. This includes introducing them to the staff, other young people and the house. Some young people have ceased short-break stays since the last inspection as they have turned 18 years old. Staff provide young people with positive endings to their time in the home, such as by holding a party for them. Staff have ensured as far as possible

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Good

that the information that they have about a young person is collated and passed on to the transition worker within the local authority. One transition worker praised the manager and staff for the quality and depth of information about how the young person functions and what it is like to care for her. Staff expressed frustration about many young people not having an identified service to move on to when they are 18 years old. This is because they know each young person so well and have not been able to directly liaise with new services and support young people to settle into a new arrangement.

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Good

Young people are kept safe during their short-break stay. They are comfortable with staff and their parents are confident about the high-quality and safe care that staff provide. One parent said, ‘Staff have tailored their approach to make (their child) feel safe and comfortable.’ Another parent said that her daughter ‘packs her case ready when she is going for a stay and makes happy noises’. There is an effective approach taken overall to risk management that staff understand and implement. Young people are allowed some level of responsibility for their own safety as is appropriate to their age and level of functioning. There is a range of risk assessments that are reviewed and amended where required. However, individual assessments have not been completed in relation to the blanket use of safety measures, such as the use of high-handled doors and restrictions to young people’s movement in the house. The manager and his staff

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Good

had begun to discuss this issue during a team meeting earlier this year. These discussions need to be progressed to ensure that measures are only used where a young person’s safety and well-being requires these. Young people coming for stays in this home do not get involved in bullying. There are incidents between young people but these are spur of the moment and not as a result of targeted bullying. Staff are alert to the potential that these incidents could develop into something more sustained and effective challenge is given to young people. Where necessary, the grouping of young people staying at the same time is amended. The home’s location assessment highlights risks from issues such as busy roads. These are included in each young person’s risks assessment to inform activity planning. Young people do not go missing from this home and none have got lost when in the community. This is in part due to the high supervision levels when

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Good

going out. The policy and procedure underpinning staff practice should a young person become lost has not been reviewed since 2014. It contains references to out-of-date legislation and guidance. It does not have clear guidance for staff about the timescales for reporting a young person missing to the police and it is unclear if the police have been consulted in the development of the guidance. These shortfalls mean that staff do not have clear instruction about the action that they should take should a young person be lost. Staff training in protecting young people from all forms of exploitation has led to them having a clear understanding about how young people’s disabilities and complex needs make them vulnerable to the risks from all forms of exploitation. Young people are further protected from these types of harm through the high staffing and supervision levels. Supporting young people to manage their behaviour effectively is a strength of this

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Good

home. There is a high value on establishing and maintaining relationships and routines for young people, which provides them with predictability so that they feel safe and secure. Each young person has a clear behaviour support plan that has been developed with their parents and other professionals. Staff follow these so that care is consistent for the young person throughout their day. Staff understand each young person well and this means that they are very good at identifying when a young person may be becoming frustrated. They take immediate action to de- escalate the situation. Staff provide young people with high levels of praise and this helps to encourage young people to develop their ability to manage their behaviour more effectively. The use of physical intervention is rare. There has only been one incident since the last inspection in November 2015. A parent said, ‘Staff are lovely, caring and patient and they know and understand (her son’s) complex ways.’

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Good

The manager and his staff have not been required to respond to any allegations or significant concerns about a young person in their care. Staff are trained and confident about what to do if they have a concern that a young person may be being abused. The safeguarding procedure, which has been recently updated, is detailed, clearly set out and therefore easy to follow. The manager and staff have worked as partners in a child protection plan for a young person and have taken appropriate action when, for example, the young person disclosed some information of concern. All significant events are notified to the appropriate agencies and professionals, and action is taken to ensure that young people’s well-being and safety are assured. Staff recruitment practice ensures that people working with the young people are suitable and safe to do so. There have been significant improvements in evidencing this process since the last inspection, although a record of the outcome of the

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Good

verification of references is not being maintained. This has no direct impact on young people’s safety. The premises are safe for young people to stay in. All required health and safety checks are carried out and any issues needing attention are addressed promptly.

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Good

The manager has run the home since November 2015. He was registered with Ofsted in April 2016. The manager has appropriate experience and qualifications, including a level 5 qualification in management. He has regular supervision to support him in his role. There is a new responsible individual who commenced his role in July 2016. The aims and objectives of the home are underpinned by a statement of purpose which is clear and easy to understand. The home is operated in line with the aims and objectives stated in this document. Some incorrect information, such as the name of the responsible individual and the address for Ofsted, needs updating but these issues have no negative impact on the young people. Young people are provided with a guide to the home which is accessible to them and provides them with a good view about what they can expect during their visits. The manager ensures that the work of staff and functioning of the home is subject

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Good

to careful and ongoing evaluation. His monitoring activities allow for trends and patterns to be fully evaluated and where needed, action is taken. The manager demonstrated a sound understanding of the home’s areas of strength and he has plans in place to address the development areas. External monitoring arrangements have improved since the last inspection. The visitor seeks the views of young people and their parents about the home and these are being included in her evaluation. However, the reports are in the main descriptive and do not clearly set out her view about whether the home promotes young people’s safety and well-being. Since the last inspection, the manager has addressed the majority of the requirements and recommendations. The improvements achieved relate to:  obtaining results of reviews for young people so that internal planning is in line with the fieldwork team plans  supervisory staff competence in supervision staff has been enhanced

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Good

through training provided to them  there is close evaluation of the home carried out by the manager that identifies areas for improvement  staff competence in dealing with young people who have epilepsy has been enhanced through training provided to them  staff have embedded their safeguarding training into their practice to better assure young people’s safety and well-being  good staff recruitment practice is evidenced, although records are not maintained of the verification of references  the views of parents and professionals are obtained and considered by the independent visitor in her monitoring and evaluation of the quality of care. The three recommendations made at the last inspection have been fully met. This has meant that:  young people’s personal evacuation plans have been reviewed and the arrangements suit their needs  the quality of record keeping of incidents has improved so that the records

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Good

clearly show what has happened and the actions taken  targets for young people are routinely monitored and once reached new targets are devised. There are sufficient numbers of staff to provide a high quality of care to the young people. The team is stable, with some staff having worked in the service for a number of years. They welcome new ideas and ways of working to benefit the young people. They build up excellent relationships with the young people and their parents and are child-focused and passionate about their role. A parent described how staff always put her child’s best interests first. Another parent stated that she is ‘very, very happy with them (the staff)’. A third parent said, ‘The staff are lovely.’ Staff use their training effectively to meet the needs of the young people. All but the most recently appointed member of staff are qualified to at least a level 3 diploma standard. Overall support to staff is effective and the team works

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Good

exceptionally well to support the young people during their stays. Supervision is of a good quality and the manager has been trained in supervision skills development. During the inspection, the two deputies were undertaking this training. For a small number of staff, supervision has not been at the stated frequency and while the staff appraisal system is underway the current system does not include gathering the views of other professionals or young people so as to include these important people’s views in staffs’ professional development plans. The manager and staff have very good working relationships with other agencies, professionals and parents. They provide effective challenge when required to other agencies. They work and communicate with other agencies, professionals and parents effectively to ensure that young people’s needs are met and care is consistent across their day. An education professional stated, ‘They (the staff) work

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Good

well with us to ensure young people are seen as individuals and multi-agency approaches make a difference. I'm very happy with the service and the liaison.’ A social work manager said, ‘The manager and staff are really, really good at joined up working and we work together on care plans.’ Young people’s short-break stays in this home are part of the local authority care planning to support young people and their families. A parent said, ‘(The home) is a fantastic facility. We are lucky to have it. Just that one night a fortnight makes such a difference to us as a family. Knowing our young person is understood and looked after gives us the breathing space to carry on.’ Improvements made to the quality of the environment inside and outside of the home incorporate the varying needs of the young people. Some require an environment that is simply decorated due to their sensory needs. Others benefit from a more stimulating environment and the manager and staff have achieved a

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Good

good balance between these. There has also been significant work carried out in the garden. This now provides young people with a pleasant, safe and functional area in which they can play and spend time with staff and other young people.

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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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