Children's Home run by New Forest Care Limited in Hampshire

Interim inspection report children’s home: 1246449 1 Registered provider: New Forest Care Ltd Interim inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The home was registered in February 2017. It is registered to provide care for up to four children and young people who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. The home offers short stays (usually of around three months) for young people in crisis. The home is based in a semi-rural location and uses a variety of settings (for example, lodges and caravans) which young people may stay in or move between during their time here. Ridge Farm is an administrative base, but may accommodate all children, if required. Children and young people are cared for using a high (two-to-one) staff ratio.

p.1

and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged good at the last full inspection. At the interim inspection, Ofsted judges that it has sustained effectiveness.

p.1

and young people since the most recent full inspection

Young people who reside at the home make good progress and swiftly develop constructive relationships with staff. They take part in well-planned daily programmes of activities. Staff support young people through an individualised approach and high staff ratio. Young people reduce their engagement in risk-taking behaviours and begin to establish positive routines. They benefit from the structure, routines and good quality interactions with staff. Interim inspection report children’s home: 1246449 2 The registered manager is currently absent, and the organisation has nominated a day- to-day manager in the interim. The interim manager, with guidance and support from senior managers, is managing the home effectively.

p.1

and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff formulate detailed plans and risk assessments prior to new admissions to the home. Risk assessments include information provided by others at the time of referral. A risk assessment viewed did not fully explore the impact of known historical information and risk-taking behaviours. It does not detail all strategies used by staff to manage and minimise risk.

p.2

and young people since the most recent full inspection

Episodes of missing are well managed through a coordinated and collaborative approach. Young people are welcomed back to the home, and staff explore their welfare, reason and whereabouts on return. Leaders and managers have reviewed restrictions and monitoring systems of young people at night, with additional strategies used in the outreach locations used. However, plans for when young people go missing do not provide individual management approaches and strategies to follow. Staff do have a ‘missing policy’ which provides a general approach in the event of an episode of missing.

p.2

and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff are trained in the home’s preferred behaviour management approach. They record incidents with a description of the behaviour and staff actions and interventions to de- escalate and manage behaviour. Managers and staff review and debrief incidents in the weekly staff meeting, although this is not formally recorded. Managers do not record their overview or monitoring of the incident and interventions.

p.2

and young people since the most recent full inspection

Managers have not notified other professionals, as required in regulation, following serious incidents.

p.2

and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff have a clear understanding of their responsibilities with regard to safeguarding young people. They have reported and referred allegations and complaints to others, as required. One concern raised was referred, but records lack a clear evidence trail from instigation to outcome of the event. A young person raised a complaint, but records lack evidence to show that the young person was given an outcome to their concern.

p.2

and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff generally receive monthly supervision from their line manager, although some staff have not received regular supervision.

p.2

and young people since the most recent full inspection

Leaders and managers have acted on and implemented some of the recommendations set at the previous inspection. They have amended and updated the ‘Children’s Guide’ to inform young people how to make a complaint and make contact with the Children’s Commissioner.

p.2

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

28/06/2017 Full Good Interim inspection report children’s home: 1246449 3

p.2

Recommendations

 Children must be listened to and enabled to report any allegations at the earliest opportunity. Staff should report any allegation of abuse immediately to a senior manager within the home. Any allegation of harm or abuse must be addressed in line with the home’s child protection policy. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 44, paragraph 9.17) Specifically, to ensure that records detail the action taken and outcome in response.

p.3

Recommendations

 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 quality standards’, page 45, paragraph 9.28)   Records of restraint must be kept and should enable the registered person and staff to review the use of control, discipline and restraint to identify effective practice and respond promptly where any issues or trends of concern emerge. The review should provide the opportunity for amending practice to ensure it meets the needs of each child. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 49, paragraph 9.59)

p.3

Recommendations

 A record of supervision should be kept for staff, including the manager. The record should provide evidence that supervision is being delivered in line with regulation 33(4)(b). (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.3)

p.3

Recommendations

 The registered person should have a system in place so that all serious events are notified, within 24 hours, to the appropriate people. The system should cover the action that should be followed if the event arises at the weekend or on a public holiday. Notification must include details of the action taken by the home’s staff in response to the event. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 63, paragraph 14.13)

p.3

Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people. Inspectors considered the quality of work and the differences made to the lives Interim inspection report children’s home: 1246449 4 of children and young people. They watched how professional staff work with children and young people and each other and discussed the effectiveness of help and care provided. Wherever possible, they talked to children and 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.

p.3

Information about this inspection

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.

p.4

Information about this inspection

Using the ‘Social care common inspection framework’, this inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000 to assess the effectiveness of the service, how it meets the core functions of the service as set out in legislation, 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’.

p.4

Children’s home details

Registered provider: New Forest Care Ltd

p.4

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: West Shore House, West Street, Hythe, Southampton SO45 6AA

p.4

Children’s home details

Registered manager: Adam Heggan (currently absent)

p.4

Inspector(s)

Amanda Maxwell, social care inspector Interim inspection report children’s home: 1246449 5 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, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

p.4

Inspector(s)

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, 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 http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.5

Inspector(s)

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

p.5

Inspector(s)

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

p.5