Children's home run by Arc-HD Services Ltd in Eastleigh

Outstanding

The children’s home provides highly effective services that consistently exceed the standards of good. The actions of the home contribute to significantly improved outcomes for children and young people who need help, protection and care.

p.2

The children’s home’s provision is outstanding because:

 The staff team provides an excellent standard of care to young people. Staff work relentlessly to ensure that the support that the young people receive enables them to flourish and develop successfully.  The manner in which staff get to know about young people, their lives and what is most important to them, is impressive. They are attentive, nurturing and respectful. As a result, young people develop confidence and trust in the staff team, which enables exceptional relationships to grow.  The admissions process for young people moving into the home is comprehensive and highly effective. The registered manager makes certain that staff understand young people’s needs and establish relationships with them before they move in. This approach is important in ensuring that this is a smooth process.  Staff carefully consider the needs of young people living in the home to ensure that they are well matched with each other as well as with the ethos

p.3

The children’s home’s provision is outstanding because:

of the home.  The home is calm, and staff talk to young people in a caring and dignified way. The registered manager uses current research and different therapeutic models effectively to inform and support the staff team in developing their own care practices. As a result, the care planning arrangements are extremely well developed and comprehensively address the individual needs of each young person living in the home.  A multi-agency therapeutic team successfully supports the staff team and the young people. Professional clinicians from the multi-agency team provide clinical supervision and excellent support to the staff team, and ensure that the young people have very good and regular access to specialist help, including child mental health services. The registered manager is insistent that services are set up prior to young people moving in so that there is no drift in meeting their complex mental health needs.

p.3

The children’s home’s provision is outstanding because:

 The staff team has an exceptional understanding of the complex needs that challenge the young people. The unique manner in which staff respond to these needs helps the young people to manage their behaviour more effectively. Young people make excellent progress, which includes making safer choices about their lives and relationships.  The registered manager dedicates his time to young people, ensuring that they get the highest quality of care possible. The monitoring systems in place are effective and complement a strong ethos of reflective practice. Staff embrace this philosophical ethos and are fully engaged in learning and critique that is improving the care young people experience.

p.3

Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further, the service should take account of the following recommendation:  Improve the locality risk assessment for the location of the home to include information about the wider local areas that young people spend time in (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 64, paragraph 15.1).

p.5

Information about this children’s home

This children’s home is registered to accommodate three young people who have complex emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. A multi-disciplinary team supports young people with their mental healthcare needs. This home is owned by a private organisation that operates another children’s home in the locality.

p.6

Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 10/03/2016 Interim Improved effectiveness 11/11/2015 Full Good 19/01/2015 Interim Sustained effectiveness 24/09/2014 Full Good

p.6

Outstanding

Young people make excellent progress in the home to enable them to achieve a good quality of life. Staff highly value young people and provide them with love and nurture to help them to develop their confidence, resilience and self-worth. Young people have an exceptionally positive experience of living in the home. They benefit from meaningful relationships with each other and with members of staff.

p.7

Outstanding

Staff understand the individual needs of the young people exceptionally well. This is because they have a robust system in place when introducing new young people into the home. The responsible persons gather considerable information about young people and what has brought them to needing support from the home. Staff invest heavily in the introductory process and visit young people on many occasions to start developing and building relationships with them before they come to live in the home. They understand that this investment is critical if young people are to benefit from the care and support provided. This approach is highly successful.

p.7

Outstanding

Young people contribute significantly to improving the quality of their surroundings by helping to choose soft furnishings, decorations and personal items for the home. Each young person has their own highly personalised living area that includes their own bedroom, bathroom and lounge. Young people enjoy and value having their own living space to retreat to when they need to. In addition, young people enjoy lots of outside space to play in and help to look after the chickens and ducks.

p.7

Outstanding

The responsible persons have achieved a therapeutic environment that is described accurately in the home’s statement of purpose. Staff evidently understand their role and how their approach makes a positive difference to helping young people to aspire and achieve well. The care and therapeutic support provided to the young people by the staff team is outstanding and informed by current learning and research. The registered manager uses information learned from research to help him to develop care plans that are unique and attuned to the needs of young people.

p.7

Outstanding

A multi-agency team around the young people provides them with the extensive emotional support they require effectively. Staff receive specialist training in understanding and supporting young people who have mental healthcare needs and are at risk of self-harm. This training helps them to work effectively with the young people to meet their individual needs and provide appropriate levels of support. The staff team successfully helps young people to develop and maintain relationships with their family and friends. Staff support and enable young people to visit their own family at home. For some, this may be something they have not done for some time. Families appreciate this level of support and one parent said, ‘My child is coming home to stay and I feel so supported by the staff.’ Staff keep in regular contact with families to keep them up to date on the day-to-day progress of their children. Staff encourage young people to make positive, social friendships in

p.7

Outstanding

The emotional support that the staff provide to young people focuses on helping them to achieve stability so that they are able to start thinking about their future. This work starts with the basic skills required, such as getting up in the morning, eating a healthy diet and developing social skills. The longer young people live in the home the more they achieve. Some young people are now in employment and others have started to engage in learning when this has previously been a challenge for them.

p.8

Outstanding

Young people routinely have access to activities in the community and participate in those that interest them, such as horse-riding. Staff strive to provide young people with as many different experiences as possible and help them to explore their interests and hobbies. The registered manager ensures that special trips out are catered for and factored within the budget. This enables young people to go out on impromptu meals out as well as planned music concerts that turn into full sightseeing city breaks. They also enjoy and benefit from an annual holiday, which young people plan with the staff.

p.8

Outstanding

When young people move out of the home this is planned in a purposeful way with them and with other agencies to ensure that the young people get the right level of support that they need. Staff develop an individualised plan with the young person to ascertain what level of support they feel they may need to help them to move out of the home successfully and settle into their new home. These plans offer structured support from the staff in the home, which gradually reduces as the young people become more independent. The staff team keeps in touch with the young people when they move on and remain key figures in their lives.

p.8

Outstanding

Each young person has a wealth of documentation about their needs, challenges and the risks that they may display. Staff create comprehensive risk assessments together with the young people, who help to determine which strategies staff can use that will help them to make safer choices and keep them safe. The staff team monitors these plans effectively and keeps them under review so that they evolve as the young person’s needs change. Staff successfully support young people to reduce the amount of risk they put themselves in. Young people become significantly safer living in this home, and they develop a very good understanding of risk, which helps them to mature and develop independence.

p.8

Outstanding

The extensive training programme delivered to staff provides them with knowledge and skills that focus on keeping young people safe. This includes training about understanding self-harm and mental health, keeping young people safe from sexual exploitation and understanding attachment disorder. Staff use the skills they learn from their training to provide an individualised approach to each young person and their care needs.

p.9

Outstanding

The staff team’s approach to supporting young people who self-harm is highly nurturing and caring. Staff are comfortable talking to the young people and gently challenge them to consider the effect of their risk-taking behaviour. Staff talk openly with young people and listen to them effectively about their views on self- harm. Staff help them to work through their emotions and to talk more openly about their worries. This home specialises in supporting young people to manage self-harm and understand the reasons behind it.

p.9

Outstanding

Young people receive prompt first aid and medical treatment when necessary. The records about self-harm incidents are comprehensive and detailed, including what may have triggered the self-harming behaviour. Staff record incidents of self-harm in a dignified manner, showing respect to young people whose views are always ascertained. The registered manager monitors these records with rigour to establish any patterns of behaviour that may be emerging. A child and adolescent mental health service (CAMHS) professional said, ‘Since the young person has been at the home, they are self-harming less and their mental health has improved. It is down to the supportive environment that the staff provide.’

p.9

Outstanding

The staff team uses the expertise and skills of other agencies, such as CAMHS, to a high level to help them to understand the particular mental healthcare needs of the young people. In addition, the responsible persons commission a multi-agency team, which comprises a mental health nurse and clinical psychologist. These professionals are on hand to provide support to the staff team and establish well- informed strategies to help meet the needs of the young people.

p.9

Outstanding

When young people go missing from the home staff talk to them to ascertain the cause for this and the support they need so it does not happen again. Robust protocols are in place that provide staff with clear direction about what to do if a young person goes missing. Staff search extensively for young people and liaise with the local police force until they are found. Because of the exceptionally positive relationships with young people, staff feel comfortable to express their concerns and worries to them when they have been missing, which shows a very real and nurturing response. An independent person always comes to talk to the young people when they return home. Through effective monitoring systems, the registered manager is able to identify that episodes of missing increase when young people have just moved into the home. Once young people settle, the missing incidents stop.

p.9

Outstanding

The exceptionally positive relationships that staff form with the young people are a significant protective factor in helping to keep them safe. Young people are confident in talking to staff about their anxieties and telling them about what makes them feel unsafe. Young people talk openly to staff about concerns relating to social media and the internet when this has previously been difficult for them. Staff routinely educate young people about the different risks associated with accessing the internet and how to enjoy using it more safely.

p.10

Outstanding

Staff work through problems and anxieties with the young people so that they can achieve a solution together. There is an air of calm in the home. Staff are kind, they show patience and care when supporting young people with tasks that they may find difficult, such as getting up on time. In instances like this, staff are dignified and caring in their approach, offering cups of tea or enticing young people with small incentives that will help them to make their day better. Young people are praised for positive behaviour and their achievements, however small. This strategy works well to support the young people and promote positive behaviour. Staff do not use physical intervention, restraints or sanctions as behaviour management techniques.

p.10

Outstanding

Staff are clear about their responsibilities to protect young people. Staff understand the child protection policy and know how to report a safeguarding concern. The registered manager has an effective system in place for recording, reporting and monitoring safeguarding concerns. Liaison with professionals, such as the designated officer and social workers, is effective. Information is shared swiftly with them to avoid delay and ensure that young people are protected from harm. The registered manager takes guidance from these professionals and they work together to ensure that young people are safe. Safeguarding records are comprehensive. They detail the outcome of any concern as well as further actions staff need to be aware of.

p.10

Outstanding

The registered manager and staff team have a good understanding of the local area in relation to any potential risk young people may be exposed to. There is a ‘safe area’ assessment in place that identifies potential risks in the local community, including information gathered from the local police force and other professional agencies. This risk assessment does not include knowledge of other areas that some of the young people visit regularly during their time away from the home.

p.10

Outstanding

Fire drills take place regularly and staff record how effectively the evacuation from the home was undertaken. Staff also conduct regular health and safety checks throughout the home. The registered manager recruits staff using safer recruitment guidelines. These actions all contribute to the protection of the young people living in the home.

p.10

Outstanding

The registered manager is suitably qualified for this role and has extensive experience in caring for vulnerable young people. The supervision of the registered manager is regular and is undertaken effectively by one of the directors of the company. The registered manager takes responsibility for his own learning and development, including keeping up to date with new initiatives and research in social care. Senior leaders are highly motivated and successful at driving forward improvements to the quality of care.

p.11

Outstanding

New staff receive a robust induction to their role, which includes a four-week period being an additional member of staff to enable them to shadow experienced staff and build relationships with young people. As a result, the registered manager inducts new staff exceptionally well, prioritising the needs of young people to give them time to build trust with new staff before they need to rely on them more heavily.

p.11

Outstanding

The training programme for staff is extensive and is tailored to meet the needs of young people. When staff identify a new training need, the responsible persons are quick to source training that will meet this need. Mandatory training is completed regularly and includes safeguarding, first aid and the safe administration of medication. The registered manager is forward thinking and drives the home’s workforce plan to ensure that staff continually develop, with new skills and current initiatives.

p.11

Outstanding

The registered manager supervises all staff in the home effectively and motivates supervision to focus on the needs of young people, their progress and achievements. This level of oversight provides the registered manager with an excellent understanding about the quality of work the staff undertake and their performance. As a result, staff are supported effectively and say that they gain access to support at any time. Staff meetings are well attended, and staff are so committed to the young people that they even attend meetings on their days off to ensure that they keep their knowledge up to date. Similarly, these meetings focus on the young people living in the home and their changing needs, and provide opportunities for staff to share strategies and ways of successfully working with the young people so that all the staff learn together. The staff team is provided with regular opportunities to meet as a group with the clinical psychologist. As a result,

p.11

Outstanding

they are provided with an excellent forum to talk about the impact and effect of their work with young people as well as receiving clinical supervision.

p.12

Outstanding

The registered manager appraises each member of staff’s performance at least annually. The views of young people are highly regarded by the registered manager who captures these views to inform the appraisal process. The staff team also contributes to this process and their views are sought about their colleague’s performance. Staff embrace this open system for critique and self-reflection. This system provides an excellent opportunity for staff to learn from others, develop their practice and ensures a safer environment in which to care for young people.

p.12

Outstanding

The registered manager is committed to ensuring that young people get a consistent approach to their care from staff. The rota system provides consistency for young people. This system is well organised and staff are clear about which young person they are supporting. Staff retention is high and the registered manager is highly effective at providing young people with stability.

p.12

Outstanding

The responsible persons place significant emphasis on providing young people with a home they feel safe and secure in. They deliver the home’s ethos in the statement of purpose exceptionally well. The responsible persons prioritise the needs of young people. The process for considering referrals and accepting them is managed carefully and effectively. This ensures that the staff introduce the most suitable young person to the home who will complement the rest of the group. Risk assessments that consider the impact young people may have on each other are skilfully thought through. A grandparent described the registered manager as ‘amazing’ when talking about how he is supporting their grandchild.

p.12

Outstanding

Highly effective monitoring and oversight of the care provided takes place regularly. The development plan has young people’s needs at its heart and focuses on what needs to happen to create a positive environment in which they can feel safe. The registered manager reviews the development plan regularly and uses examples of evidence-based practice in the social care field to build into the therapeutic ethos of the home and the care staff are delivering.

p.12

Outstanding

Staff have well-formed relationships with other agencies, such as the local police force, local authorities and health services, so that they can contribute to young people’s care plans. The registered manager and his team advocate effectively for young people to ensure that they receive the service from other professional agencies that they need.

p.12

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’.

p.13

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

p.13

What the inspection judgements mean

harmed or at risk of harm or result in children looked after not having their welfare safeguarded and promoted.

p.13

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

p.14

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 .

p.14

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 children looked after 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,

p.15

Information about this inspection

The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.15

Information about this inspection

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

p.15

Information about this inspection

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted

p.15