Children's Home run by The Serendipity Centre Limited in Hampshire

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged good at the full inspection. At this interim inspection Ofsted judges that it has sustained effectiveness . Young people continue to make good progress while living at the home. They are developing positive strategies and ways to manage and self-regulate their behaviours and emotions. Staff support young people to explore their previous experiences and traumas. They encourage young people to express their feelings and emotions in a safe way while developing strategies to manage their anxieties. All young people are attending and engaging in full-time education. Staff work closely with each education provider to collaboratively support young people with their education and development plans. Young people access the local community utilising a variety of local services and provisions. Staff offer a wide range of activities in and out of the home and support and encourage each young person to follow their personal interests and hobbies.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff support young people to meet their basic physical and emotional health needs. One young person is overdue an annual review of her health needs, although managers have requested this from local services. Staff support young people to meet complex healthcare needs, they make referrals as required and seek advice and information from a variety of healthcare professionals. Young people are supported well to transition on from the home; staff are educating and equipping them for adulthood. They are assisting them to learn basic self-care and life skills including budgeting and cooking. Staff continually review and assess young people’s progress. Young people are fully involved in the decision-making process about next steps and changes to care plans. Young people are fully involved in all decisions made in the home. Young people regularly raise concerns and worries with staff. Staff explore and act on each of

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

these and record their actions and the outcomes to each concern raised. Staff provide meaningful education and advice through one-to-one sessions with young people. They assist young people to develop skills and strategies to make positive choices and manage difficult situations. An example is education about positive and healthy relationships. Staff provide essential advice and guidance to young people about the impact of risk-taking behaviours. Staff offer weekly house meetings to young people although recently staff have struggled to motivate young people to attend. They are exploring a variety of improved ways to encourage young people to meet to talk through house issues and make choices about menus and group activities. Staff apply an effective and robust approach to safeguarding in the home. Staff record concerns and detail actions and responses to each concern. Concerns are reviewed by the home’s safeguarding officer, who refers and reports to others as

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

required. One matter was referred on to the designated officer, but the home’s records do not reflect the full details, actions and outcomes of the concern. Risk assessments detail a wide variety of risks and what is required of staff to minimise and manage risk. New areas of risk have arisen as plans have changed, and plans have not been updated to reflect and consider the new risks. Staff have sought additional advice and guidance from others, creating separate plans of approach to follow if a young person is in crisis. This information has not been transferred into the young person’s main risk assessment and plan. Staff respond to negative behaviours in a positive and calm manner. The quality of records detailing incidents and physical interventions has improved. There continue to be gaps in seeking young person’s views following an incident. Staff have always sought a young person’s view following a physical intervention being used but have

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

not applied the same consistently to all incidents. Records are evaluated and monitored by the manager. There is no clear system in place for other senior staff to follow if the manager is absent from the home. The impact of this is that some records have not been evaluated and monitored in a timely manner. Young people receive lots of rewards which celebrate positive behaviour and achievements. When staff have given sanctions for negative behaviour, the recording of this is not specific enough. For example, a record did not state for how long a young person would have a computer ban in place. Staff have not routinely explored with young people their views and feelings about sanctions given or how effective the sanction has been. There have been changes in staffing in the home and it is currently carrying staff vacancies. Managers and leaders have recruited new staff who are due to start working in the home. To cover staff vacancies, staff worked additional hours and

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

bank and agency staff have been used. It was identified on inspection that some of the recording systems used in the home create duplication in information. This is contributing to some of the minor errors in records which occur, as some aspects have been completed and other duplicate records have not been completed. Due to this, the senior managers have decided to review and streamline some of the current recording systems being used.

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Information about this children’s home

The home is registered to care for up to five children who have emotional and behavioural difficulties. The home is privately owned by an organisation which also owns other homes and a school. The home specifically cares for girls who may have experienced emotional and/or physical trauma as a result of abuse or have a mental health condition. They support each young person with a therapeutic approach. The home is located in a quiet residential area within easy access of community-based services and resources.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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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, the 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 In order to meet the children’s views, wishes and feelings standard, the registered person must ensure that each child: (2)(b)(i) is enabled to provide feedback to, and raise issues with, a relevant person about the support and services that the child receives, in particular with regard to the imposition of a measure of discipline. (Regulation 7(2)(b)(i)) 01/04/2017

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Requirement Due date

Behaviour management policies and records (3)The registered person must ensure that: (a) 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 (iv) a description of the measure and its duration; (vii) the effectiveness and any consequences of the use of the measure. (b) 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, must: (i) have spoken to the user about the measure. (c) Within five days of the use of the measure, the registered person or the authorised person must add to the record confirmation that they have spoken to the child about the measure. (Regulation 35(3)(a)(iv)(vii)(b)(c)) 01.04.2017

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further, the service should take account of the following recommendations:  Staff should continually and actively assess the risks to each child and the arrangements in place to protect them. Where there are safeguarding concerns for a child, their placement plan, agreed between the home and their placing authority, must include details of the steps the home will take to manage any assessed risks on a day-to-day basis. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 42, paragraph 9.5) Specifically, ensure that all risks are explored within risk assessments.  The registered person is responsible for ensuring that all staff consistently follow the home’s policies and procedures for the benefit of the children in the home’s care. Everyone working at the home must understand their roles and responsibilities and what they are authorised to decide on their own

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Recommendations

initiative. There should be clear lines of accountability. Each home must have clear arrangements in place to maintain effective management when the manager is absent, off duty or on leave. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 54, paragraph 10.20)

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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 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 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 focused on the effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of children and young people since the most recent full inspection. This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000 to assess the

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Information about this inspection

effectiveness of the service and to consider how well it complies with the Children’s 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 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 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,

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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

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

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Information about this inspection

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

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