Children's Home run by Hampshire County Council in Hampshire

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 make reasonable progress and are actively involved in their care planning. Young people have developed trusting relationships with the staff; they feel respected and listened to.  Education is highly valued by the young people; they attend regularly and accomplish the results they need to further their education.  Engagement in meaningful activities allows the young people to develop self- confidence and social friendships.  The young people live in a safe environment, and the staff teach them to understand how to keep themselves safe. There is a robust response to young people who go missing, consisting of quality engagement by staff with all external professionals involved.  An experienced long-term manager is in post who manages the home effectively by monitoring the young people and overseeing staff practice. The staff are stable, and competent in their duties. They have established quality links with

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The children’s home provision is good because:

professionals.  All previous recommendations and requirements have been met, and only one requirement has been made as a result of this inspection. 

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that 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

6. The quality and purpose of care standard

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Requirement Due date

In order to meet the quality and purpose of care standard in particular, the registered person must ensure; (2)(a) the premises used for the purpose of the home are designed and furnished so as to (i) meet the needs of the child. (Regulation 6(2)(c)(i)) 10 July 2017

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Information about this children’s home

The home is owned and managed by a local authority. It is registered to provide care and accommodation for no more than four young people who have complex behavioural and emotional needs.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 21/09/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness 30/03/2016 Interim Improved effectiveness 01/09/2015 Full Good 27/03/2015 Interim Sustained effectiveness

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Good

Young people are starting to make reasonable progress, while enjoying nurturing relationships with staff who are committed to meeting their emotional and behavioural needs. Young people are actively involved in their care planning, as evidenced by a young person confidently putting forth her view during a pathway meeting.

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Good

The admittance of emergency placements has slightly affected some young people, but they were able to utilise their resilience to overcome any difficulty. A young person’s only criticism of the home: ‘It is hard to identify this as your home when young people do not get a say in who moves in.’ The manager understands the impact of emergency placements, and carefully scrutinises all referrals while trying to find a suitable young person for a long-term placement.

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Good

The majority of the young people have embraced the ethos of the home and have responded positively by having a high level of engagement with staff. Young people have positive views of the staff; they trust them, and feel that their voices are heard. A young person said, ‘the staff are truly supportive and provide a family atmosphere.’ The relationships that staff have formed with the young people have led to some positive outcomes.

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Good

Some young people are excelling academically. They attend college daily, achieve high marks and make friends locally. Staff liaise effectively with school personnel, and reinforce learning opportunities by assisting with assignments and mock exams. Young people without school placements have tuition in place from the local authority as a form of alternative education.

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Good

Staff work with the young people to ensure that health needs are met. Young people were seen attending scheduled appointments. Young people are made aware of the ill effects on health of smoking, or of using drugs and alcohol. Health is monitored and is subject to regular checks as per their local authority assessment.

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Good

The young people are encouraged to develop personal interests that they find stimulating and satisfying. Currently, a young person is participating in a national teen talent competition. This opportunity allowed her to grow in self-confidence and overcome shyness to successfully sing in front of a live audience for the first time. The young person displayed her ability by performing a song during the inspection. Excellent support is provided to the young people for them to learn independence skills for adulthood. Individualised plans ensure that they can budget, and perform everyday tasks such as doing laundry, using public transport and cooking. Young people are fully engaged with staff and actively seek to develop these skills.

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Good

The home provides plenty of space and resources for young people. They proudly showed off their bedrooms, which were decorated to reflect their individual personalities. A requirement has been made for the manager to remove a television with the screen smashed and a broken computer, which have remained in place for a while and may be considered potential hazards.

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Good

Staff working in the home are competent and have a good understanding of the risks associated with the young people. They are clear on what processes to follow should specific concerns arise for the safety or welfare of the young people.

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Good

The manager has close links with the Local Safeguarding Children Board. Staff remain up to date in their training in child sexual exploitation, radicalisation and gang awareness. The manager has utilised her active membership in the neighbourhood watch to familiarise herself with concerns regarding the local area. The comprehensive location risk assessment includes statistical data of crime in the area and its potential impact on young people.

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Good

Individual risk assessments are robust, and highlight the vulnerabilities of the young people. Each risk is carefully assessed with appropriate measures of intervention based on known triggers and previous behaviours. The documents are constantly kept under review in case the concern increases or decreases. This practice has maintained the safety of most young people in the home.

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Good

A young person admitted to the home continues to exhibit risky behaviours despite staff efforts. Strategies to minimise the risk have been unsuccessful due to the young person not complying. Despite this, staff liaise with professionals from the youth offending service and attend regular meetings that help the young person reflect.

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Good

Missing from care has been a chronic problem for some young people residing in the home, based on their history of absconding prior to being placed. If young people do not return to the home, staff search for them in known areas. Procedures are put in place with the local police and local authority duty system to counter the missing episodes. Records indicate that a small number of physical interventions have occurred since the last full inspection. Staff use physical intervention as a last resort to keep all young people safe. Physical intervention has only occurred with young people who were placed in the home on an emergency basis, and whose triggers for negative behaviours were unknown to staff.

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Good

There have been two new members of staff safely recruited since the last inspection. The young people are now involved in the recruitment process, and benefit from individuals with good character and intentions being employed.

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Good

Staff promote a safe environment by routinely conducting checks of health, safety and risk of fire.

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Outstanding

The registered manager has been in post for nine years, and is appropriately qualified along with being a qualified social worker. She and the deputy manager have formed a highly effective management team. Together, they closely monitor the progress of the young people by having considerable knowledge of their individual needs. The young people and staff feel that the manager is approachable, and always takes time to listen.

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Outstanding

The manager is aware of the impact that emergency placements can have on young people who are settled in the home. She scrutinises all referrals, and challenges when she is greatly concerned about the potential disruption to the home.

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Outstanding

Monitoring of the home is meticulous. The manager’s successful evaluation and analysis of the monthly reports by the independent visitor, internal audits, together with additional monitoring, has allowed creative learning to take place, as is evident by the robust development plan that is in place.

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Outstanding

An experienced, qualified staff team is in place. The team members have worked together for several years and established a close rapport with one another. They have very good knowledge of their duties, and provide a cohesive team around the young people.

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Outstanding

Staff feel that the management team provides an extensive amount of support aimed at developing their practice. Staff receive purposeful supervision that provides them with an opportunity to reflect on their duties, and their knowledge of the young people. Regular scheduled team meetings are constructive and cover staff morale, young people and improving practice. Comprehensive training provides opportunities for staff to develop their skills and knowledge. Annual appraisals are completed in a timely manner, to identify achievements and areas for improvement.

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Outstanding

The statement of purpose is a detailed document that reflects the service provided to young people by staff. The ethos of the home is clearly outlined, along with the aims and objectives. The young people’s guide is promptly made available on arrival, along with key information including how to complain and how to access advocacy services.

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Outstanding

Multi-agency working is strong. Excellent professional relationships have been established that have led to improved outcomes for young people. Staff work closely with the police, placing social workers, health professionals and specialised services, and challenge their performance when required.

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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 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

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

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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