Children's home in Portsmouth

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 registered manager listens carefully to the advice of other professionals and acts upon it. He makes bespoke arrangements for staff, whom children and young people have become attached to, to be available to them on a regular basis.  The registered manager involves children and young people in the risk management process. He listens to what they say and to what other professionals, such as education professionals, say. He makes changes to the environment to ensure the ongoing safety of children and young people.  Staff are professional and resilient in their approach. They use physical intervention as a last resort and do not involve the police unnecessarily.  Staff place children and young people at the centre of practice. They listen to what they are communicating through words and behaviour and consider the underlying emotional disturbance.  Staff work with other professionals to agree strategies to manage

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The children's home provision is good because:

challenging behaviour and long-term plans to give children and young people stability and consistency.  Staff are patient working with children and young people who are not engaging. They gently coax them to make the right decisions and to use their time constructively.  Staff contact other agencies to ensure that return interviews take place after an episode of a young person going missing. Such events are not a current issue in the home.  Staff support children and young people to have contact with their families and other individuals who are important to them. Friends are able to visit the home and to share a meal.  The registered manager and senior officials in the council have worked with the neighbours to maintain relationships.

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions which must be taken so that the registered person(s) meet(s) 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 ensure that a record is made of the outcome of any investigation of a complaint. (Regulation 39(3)) 15/01/2017

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Requirement Due date

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; and the name of the person who used the measure. within 48 hours of the use of the measure, the registered person has spoken to the user about the measure; and has signed the record to confirm it is accurate. within five days of the use of the measure, the registered person adds to the record confirmation that they have spoken to the child about the measure. (Regulation 35(3)(a)(iv)(vi)(b)(i)(ii)(c)) 15/01/2017

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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

 Continually and actively assess the risks to each child and the arrangements in place to protect them. Especially ensure that risk assessments reflect all current known risks and the control measures in place. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 42, paragraph 9.5)

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Recommendations

 Convene a statutory review as soon as possible after an emergency move has taken place and prepare the placement plan. (‘Guide to the children’s home regulations including the quality standards’, page 58, paragraph 11.13)

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Information about this children's home

The home is managed by a local authority. It provides accommodation for three children or young people, irrespective of gender, who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. The service has recently relocated to the present location and re-written the statement of purpose to reflect a reduction in the number of children and young people accommodated. This is part of a county-wide review of the residential accommodation provision. This was the first inspection since the move into the new home.

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Recent inspection history

This is the home’s first inspection at this address.

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Good

Children and young people have realistic and appropriate influence on their care. They have daily dialogue with staff as well as regular key work sessions and house meetings. Staff explain to them why they cannot accommodate some of their requests, such as access to electronic devices. Children and young people know how to access the formal complaints procedure if necessary. They have made one complaint since the home opened. Although this has been resolved, the registered manager has not recorded the formal outcome. Staff arrange for each child or young person to have an advocate. This is a home where children and young people have a clear voice. Some children and young people are in full-time education, and their attendance at school is good. This is an improvement from their previous placements. Education professionals have excluded other children and young people permanently, due to their behaviour. Staff work hard to find alternatives, including residential schools.

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Good

The registered manager has re-accommodated children and young people when such placements have broken down. This means that the sense of failure and rejection that children and young people feel is not exacerbated. They have some stability and are cared for by staff with whom they are familiar. Staff empathise with the emotional disturbance of the children and young people in their care. They understand that physical aggression and verbal assaults mask underlying pain. Staff gently coax children and young people to make the right decisions daily. They patiently encourage them to engage in positive and constructive activities, especially when they are refusing education. Staff are innovative in their approach, for example, by using shopping lists to teach mathematics and art to teach history. They are building relationships with the children and young people to bring them to a point when they will accept individual

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Good

therapy. Staff are on hand to help the children and young people to develop their capacity to manage any conflict with others living in the home. Staff are supportive of relationships that are important to the children and young people. They are able to have friends to visit, who often stay for a meal. This has eliminated the desire for children and young people to run away to see those who are important to them. Family members are welcomed into the home as well as having contact over the telephone. Some children and young people elect to have overnight stays with extended family members. They sustain important relationships, such as with an aunt or cousin. A family member said, ‘The staff have been marvellous with [Name of child]. They are good at listening and explaining everything.’ Family members are able to identify staff that the children and young people feel particularly attached to. One young person was able to move to a

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Good

different county to be nearer to his family. Staff support children and young people toward independence. They enjoy learning how to cook and to bake. Staff combine activities with learning, such as working out the required ingredients and cost. Children and young people are able to develop their confidence by activities such as walking back from a local shop on their own. Staff support children’s and young people’s health needs. They understand their fears, for example of dental treatment, and arrange for the adult of the child or young person’s choice to go with them to appointments. Children and young people are able to receive the health treatment that they need. Staff also encourage children and young people with their personal care. They make good progress in, for example, caring for their hair on a regular basis.

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Good

The registered manager is an approved behaviour management trainer for the county. He trains staff in the home’s behaviour management techniques. Staff use physical intervention only as a last resort and demonstrate a good knowledge of de-escalation and distraction techniques, using them when presented with extreme oppositional behaviour. Although staff encapsulate relevant details of incidents in email correspondence, formal records lack some detail that is required by the children’s homes regulations. In particular, the violent incident report for one high- risk intervention lacks details about the duration of the restraint and the names of all the staff involved in it. The registered manager did not sign the record within the specified timeframe to confirm its accuracy or that the child had been spoken to about the event. Staff only call the police if necessary. They use their experience and skills to

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Good

manage situations in the home. Children and young people are not criminalised. On one occasion, a child was detained in custody overnight even though the home had an appropriate adult available. Senior leaders in the council are investigating the circumstances of this. A placing social worker said, ‘[Name of child] has complex needs and challenging behaviour. Staff effectively safeguard [Name of child] and work in a consistent way. They have managed behaviour that other specialist settings have been unable to manage.’ The registered manager has a good risk management process in place. He has demonstrated good practice, such as involving children and young people in their own risk management plan. Staff demonstrate a thorough understanding of the risks to children and young people. They understand the control measures and apply these in practice. Prior to the home’s relocation, a requirement to assess the

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Good

level of risk was made. This has been met. However, in one case, a risk assessment does not reflect known risks and the current control measures to ensure that the risks remain low. The registered manager, with other professionals, assesses the risks of the internet and electronic devices to each individual child or young person. For some children and young people, access is limited for their own safety and well-being. Although they find this difficult, staff carefully explain the reasons why, and that the approach is under review. Staff follow the agreed protocols when a child or young person goes missing from care. They are clear when to initiate the local missing person’s policy with the police, dependent on the age and vulnerability of the child or young person. Children and young people are welcomed back into the home. Staff ensure that an independent return interview takes place. Missing from care is not a current issue

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Good

in the home. The registered manager works with other professionals in the event of an allegation to ensure a proportionate approach. In some cases, members of staff are able to continue working while there is reflection on events and any lessons to be learnt. All necessary health and safety checks are in place. Children and young people live in a safe environment. The registered manager understands the importance of safer recruitment practice. There have been no new staff since the home opened at the new address.

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Good

A registered manager in post has the necessary experience and qualifications. A competent deputy manager and the senior management structure in the local authority provide support. The registered manager is responsible for another children’s home nearby. He carefully planned the move to the new address and involved staff and young people. Staff morale is good even though there was a reduction in the overall staff team, due to the move to a home accommodating fewer children and young people. The registered manager has updated the statement of purpose to reflect the new arrangements. The registered manager listens to the advice of other professionals and acts on professional assessments. Of particular note are the arrangements he has put in place to ensure that a child who has underlying attachment issues is able to continue a constructive relationship formed with an appropriate adult. The registered manager has been successful in employing such an individual in a

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Good

bespoke way, especially to maintain this relationship. An independent visitor monitors the home effectively. The registered manager responds to her clear recommendations to ensure that there is continuous improvement in the quality of care. He also provides a monitoring report to his senior management, and he provided this to Ofsted during the inspection. There is thoughtful and careful analysis of the home with sufficient independent and management oversight. On occasion, the registered manager accepts an emergency placement. He ensures that the necessary referral information is in place. However, a scheduled review did not take place and there was no explanation of the reasons why. The placement plan has not been prepared within five working days of the start of the placement. Child looked after plans were not available during the inspection, due to a technical problem with the information technology. The registered manager recognised this

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Good

and has clear plans to improve the system, so that there is fast and easy access in the future. Staff benefit from the support given through regular supervision from their line management structure. Although their line managers document this, they do not record that specific physical interventions, warranting a professional dialogue, are discussed. Line managers discuss training needs and ensure that staff are up to date with their training. The registered manager has taken swift action in response to a complaint from a neighbour. He has analysed particular incidents that may have had an impact on the neighbours. He involves council officials in a joint approach to communicate with neighbours, taking their concerns seriously. Neighbourly relations are maintained.

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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 children looked after 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 that 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 whom 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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