Children's Home run by Arc-HD Services Ltd in Hampshire

Inspection report children’s home: 1258831 1 Registered provider: Arc HD Services Ltd

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Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is registered for up to two young people with emotional and/or behavioural difficulties and mental disorders. It is privately owned by a small company that also owns two other homes. The home is located in a rural location but it is within easy reach of local services and facilities. The aim of the home is to offer a therapeutic environment, which is safe, nurturing, encouraging and supportive. The home was registered in 2017, and this is its first inspection.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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requires improvement to be good

How well children and young people are helped and protected requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The children’s home is not yet delivering good help and care for children and young people. However, there are no serious or widespread failures that result in their welfare not being safeguarded or promoted.

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requires improvement to be good

Date of last inspection: first inspection

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: not applicable

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: 1258831 2

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Key findings from this inspection

This children’s home requires improvement to be good because:

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Key findings from this inspection

 The home is in its first year of registration and not all young people are yet making good progress.  Staff have not yet sourced education, training or employment for a young person.  Leaders and managers have not sought consent for first aid treatment or gained an annual health assessment for a young person.  Young people are not at risk of harm, but some areas of safeguarding practice require prompt improvement and review to ensure that this remains true.  Staff have not always ensured that chemicals are stored securely.  Risk assessments do not reflect current need and risk.  Leaders and managers have not yet developed systems to regularly review and monitor the quality of care provided in the home.  Leaders and managers have not acted in a timely manner to address areas of weakness.

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Key findings from this inspection

 Staff are caring and nurturing in their approach with young people. They are knowledgeable about the needs of those in their care.  Young people report that they feel safe, secure and like living at the home.  The home is well presented and homely, with young people able to personalise their lounges and bedrooms.  Young people are engaged in the planning and preparation of healthy meals and enjoy a well-balanced diet.  Staff access a wide variety of training relevant to their role.  Leaders, managers and staff have good, open and effective relationships with young people’s families.  Staff access regular and effective supervision. Inspection report children’s home: 1258831 3

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered person(s) must take to meet 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 education standard (1) The education standard is that children make measurable progress towards achieving their educational potential and are helped to do so. (2) In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— (a) that staff— (iv) help each child to understand the importance and value of education, learning, training and employment; (v) promote opportunities for each child to learn informally; (ix) help each child who is above compulsory school age to participate in further education, training or employment and to prepare for future care, education or employment; (x) help each child to attend education or training in accordance with the expectations in the child’s relevant plans. (Regulation 8(1)(2)(a)(iv)(v)(ix)(x)) 01/04/2018

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Requirement Due date

The protection of children standard (1) The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe. (2) In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— (a) that staff— (i) assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the child’s relevant plans, and, if necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm 01/04/2018 Inspection report children’s home: 1258831 4 to the child; (vi) take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare; and (b) that the home’s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm; (d) that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed, furnished and maintained so as to protect each child from avoidable hazards to the child’s health. (Regulation 12(1)(2)(a)(vi)(b)(d))

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Requirement Due date

The leadership and management standard (1) The leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that— (a) helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and (2) In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to— (f) understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home; (h) use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13(1)(a)(2)(f)(h)) 01/04/2018

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Recommendations

 The Care Planning Regulations set out that the responsible local authority (meaning the local authority that looks after the child) must make sure that its looked-after children are provided with appropriate healthcare services. The health of looked-after children must be assessed at regular intervals and the child’s care plan must include an individual health plan setting out the approach that the placing authority will follow, and the desired outcomes required to meet the child’s health needs. These outcomes, recorded in the health plan, will be the basis on which the registered person will be expected to meet regulation 10(2)(a)(i) in the health and well-being standard for each looked-after child in their care. Details of the local authority’s responsibilities for the health of its looked-after children are set out in Children Act 1989: Care planning, placement and case review. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality

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Recommendations

standards’, paragraph 7.4, page 33)  The specific responsibilities of the home towards supporting the health and well- being of each child should be agreed with the placing authority and recorded in Inspection report children’s home: 1258831 5 the child’s placement plan. It is the joint responsibility of the registered person and the placing authority that this is agreed at the time of placement. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, paragraph 7.7, page 34)

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improvement to be good

Young people have resided in the home since it opened, though not all make good progress yet. The home is homely and welcoming, enabling young people to feel at ease, relax and be comfortable. Staff and young people quickly form good-quality positive relationships through the one-to-one approach of staff.

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improvement to be good

Staff explore and source education, training and employment for young people, but have not done this for one young person in a timely manner. They maintain good effective relationships with education providers and support young people to attend as required. Those in education make good academic progress.

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improvement to be good

Staff support young people to gain healthcare support with referral to specialist services when required. Leaders and managers have not gained the required consents for emergency treatment or first aid or ensured that young people have an annual healthcare assessment.

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improvement to be good

The voice of young people is sought; staff work closely with young people and frequent purposeful conversations occur. Young people talk to staff about their wishes, feelings and aspirations and the highs and lows of each day. Young people are encouraged to personalise their bedrooms and living spaces. They choose their weekly menus and activities. Staff seek the views of young people through questionnaires, though they have not informed young people of how they intend to act on the findings.

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improvement to be good

Staff provide some education and advice through the regular one-to-one sessions with young people, although the records of these do not evidence what education, advice or healthcare support is provided to assist young people to reduce or stop smoking.

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improvement to be good

Young people are encouraged to follow and pursue their interests and hobbies. They are engaged in daily activities in the community and are supported to maintain and develop friendships with others outside of the home. Staff have not been successful in motivating all young people. Staff were not persistent in the initial stages to challenge and encourage young people to engage and establish positive healthy routines of activity.

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improvement to be good

Young people are encouraged to assist with the care of the home’s chickens. Staff support young people to have pets and learn how to care for and look after them.

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improvement to be good

Staff facilitate and assist with family contact. They follow detailed contact plans which help to ensure that contact between young people and families is well managed for all Inspection report children’s home: 1258831 6 parties.

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improvement to be good

Young people feel safe and secure at the home; they are forming relationships of trust with staff and seek their support and guidance when worried or upset. Staff assist young people to explore ways to manage their emotions and to develop strategies and skills to enable them to work through the challenges they face.

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improvement to be good

Staff have good knowledge and understanding of the home’s safeguarding policy and procedures. However, staff have not acted robustly or followed the home’s policy and procedure when concerns have arisen. Staff have not referred allegations made regarding historical care and records have insufficient detail about actions taken, the rationale for them, the outcomes or of further work required.

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improvement to be good

Leaders and managers have completed detailed pre-admission risk assessments which explore the compatibility of peers alongside the skill of staff to meet young people’s needs.

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improvement to be good

Staff formulate thorough robust risk assessments that explore all known risk factors on admission. Staff have not reviewed or updated risk assessments to reflect progress young people have made. Staff have not created risk assessments for new behaviours or activities which young people have engaged in since admission.

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improvement to be good

The home provides a safe place for those who have previously resided in very restrictive environments. Staff have not reviewed the restrictions that are in place to clarify whether they continue to be required or meet need.

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improvement to be good

There have been no episodes of going missing from the home; staff have formulated clear plans to follow if required. They also have knowledge of their responsibilities and actions in the event.

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improvement to be good

Staff manage behaviour well. Staff are trained in the home’s preferred method of behaviour management. Staff support young people to de-escalate and manage their behaviours and anxieties. Clear plans detail triggers, behaviours and practical strategies to support a young person to calm. Staff have not used any physical intervention to date but have positively used a wide variety of de-escalation strategies. Staff reward positive behaviour rather than giving sanctions. They reward young people for positive behaviours through praise, rewards and issuing certificates.

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improvement to be good

Young people have good understanding of the complaints process. They are reminded of this in one-to-one sessions and through information available in the home. The home has not received any complaints to date.

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improvement to be good

The home environment is well maintained, presented and safe; however, at the time of the inspection, cleaning chemicals were not stored securely. Inspection report children’s home: 1258831 7 Medication systems and processes are thorough, with medication stored securely as required.

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improvement to be good

Safer recruitment processes are followed and records meet the expected and required standard. Managers have not completed individual risk assessments as recommended through information gained during the recruitment process.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The home is in its first year of registration. The manager and team are in the early stages of forming and developing as a team. The staff team includes some members who are very experienced in social care and others who are new to the profession.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The registered manager is yet to develop robust systems that effectively and critically review, monitor and evaluate the quality of care provided in the home. The monthly system used does not identify all areas of weakness. The home’s development plan has been updated and reviewed but does not provide challenge or specific detail regarding timescales for aims and objectives to be achieved.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Leaders, managers and staff have formed good collaborative relationships with others outside of the home. They maintain regular contact with each young person’s key network of people, which has a positive impact on individual plans. There is a lack of evidence to show that managers have advocated on behalf of young people.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The home is staffed with a diverse team and managers have not needed to use agency staff. Newly inducted staff report that they are well supported through an induction period that includes a variety of core training, shadowing opportunities and more frequent supervision. Records lack evidence to show that new staff access a more frequent pattern of supervision.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Established staff access a wide variety of training specific to their role. The ‘focus training’ sessions have explored attachment, anxiety and gender identity. Staff who successfully complete probation are enrolled on the required qualification. Staff access regular effective supervision which encourages staff to review their performance and development needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Leaders and managers have applied thorough robust scrutiny and challenge to the performance of staff. They complete investigations when concerns arise, with clear development plans and interventions in place to support staff to meet clear targets.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The manager has completed a review of the quality of care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The ethos of the home as described in the statement of purpose is evident in the home. Staff are caring, supportive and have empathy for those in their care. Staff follow the home’s chosen style of research-based practice, which is having a positive impact on young people who reside in the home. Inspection report children’s home: 1258831 8

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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 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.

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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’. Inspection report children’s home: 1258831 9

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Arc HD Services Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Arc HD Services, Wessex House, Upper Market Street, Eastleigh SO50 9FD

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Inspector

Amanda Maxwell, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: 1258831 10 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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