Children's home run by New Forest Care Limited in Southampton

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC063767 1 SC063767

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New Forest Care Ltd

Monitoring visit Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home provides care and accommodation for up to four children. The statement of purpose states that the home specialises in the treatment of more challenging children, who pose a specific risk to themselves and/or the community, whose placements elsewhere have broken down, or who are at risk of permanent exclusion.

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This monitoring visit

At the last full inspection, on 6 February 2018, the home was given an inadequate judgement. Six requirements were made. These were in respect of the children’s views, wishes and feelings standard, the protection of children, leadership and management, behaviour management records, notification of serious events and the appointment of an independent person. This monitoring visit was undertaken to assess the progress made towards meeting these requirements. Other aspects of the care being provided were examined, as a result of information brought to the attention of Ofsted since the last inspection.

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This monitoring visit

Progress has been made with regards to children being able to access an independent advocate. Children have been given verbal information about the role of an advocate, and two children are now using an advocacy service. However, there is no information held in the home about advocacy services. Children have to ask staff or their social worker to refer them to an advocacy service. Consequently, children cannot yet make a confidential referral to an independent advocate.

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This monitoring visit

Improvements have been made to the assessment and management of risk. Children’s individual risk assessments are now being updated following any significant events and steps have been taken to ensure that staff are familiar with the strategies in place to minimise the potential for children to come to harm. There has been a coordinated response when children go missing from the home. This has ensured that when new risks are identified a multi-agency approach is taken to addressing the concern. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC063767 2 Following the last inspection, leaders and managers produced an action plan that addressed the shortfalls identified by Ofsted. Overall, this is an effective plan, although some of the actions are aspirational and do not specify the steps that will be taken to improve practice. The plan has been monitored and reviewed regularly by senior managers.

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This monitoring visit

Positive steps have been taken to ensure that staff have the knowledge and skills to meet the responsibilities associated with their role. This has included formal training and activities undertaken in team meetings to address the poor practice identified in February 2018. The responsibilities assigned to each care worker’s role are specified in a workbook that the member of staff completes with their line manager. One such record that was examined during this visit had several sections that had not been completed, despite the member of staff having been in the role for several months. However, the registered manager was able to provide evidence that this issue is being addressed.

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This monitoring visit

Systems for monitoring the quality of care being provided are not yet sufficiently developed. The registered manager is still not required to review and assess the effectiveness of staff practice after every significant event. Although the registered manager is now reviewing more incidents, such as the response to children’s missing from home episodes, there is no expectation from senior managers that he will do so. The effectiveness of the quality of care monitoring that is undertaken is variable. The monitoring of physical restraint practice is weak.

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This monitoring visit

The records pertaining to the physical restraint of children have not improved since the full inspection in February 2018. Not all records give a clear indication of the location where a physical restraint took place. None of the restraint records examined during this inspection gave a clear description of how staff had tried to de- escalate volatile situations. Although all of the records indicated that a debrief meeting with the child had taken place, or had been offered after a physical restraint, none of these indicated that the child’s view on the measure taken had been sought. The registered manager’s assessments of how effective a physical restraint has been are limited. Often, the assessment focuses only on whether injury or damage to property was prevented.

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This monitoring visit

Overall, the recording and monitoring of physical restraints indicates a lack of scrutiny and professional curiosity in relation to the standard of restraint practice. A requirement has been made at the last four inspections to address shortfalls in the standard of record-keeping pertaining to physical restraint, and behaviour management. Leaders and managers have consistently failed to address the poor practice that has been brought to their attention.

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This monitoring visit

In addition to the poor recording practice, examples of inappropriate physical restraints of children were identified. In two of the cases examined during this monitoring visit, physical interventions had been used when there was no imminent danger of the child injuring themselves or others, and there was no risk of serious damage being caused to property. In another case, a reasonable explanation for a Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC063767 3 child being restrained on the floor, by up to four staff, for over an hour, could not be given by the registered manager. No evidence was seen to confirm that this was a proportionate intervention.

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This monitoring visit

Following the last inspection, Ofsted asked the organisation to undertake an internal investigation in respect of advice that had been given regarding a child’s medical needs. The organisation completed this investigation but did not consult the child’s general practitioner in order to determine the potential risks to the child, should he be physically restrained.

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This monitoring visit

Effective action has been taken to ensure that serious incidents are notified to the relevant agencies and safeguarding professionals. A referral was promptly made to the designated officer when concerns arose that a member of staff may have used excessive force on a child. The management response to this incident was timely and thorough.

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This monitoring visit

Following the full inspection in February 2018, leaders and managers took immediate action to ensure that the home’s independent person was sufficiently independent to effectively meet the responsibilities of her role. The reports submitted by the independent person, since the last inspection, have provided a high standard of critical scrutiny.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 06/02/2018 Full Inadequate 06/12/2016 Full Good 21/06/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness 22/02/2016 Full Outstanding Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC063767 4

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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 children’s views, wishes and feelings standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

take their views, wishes and feelings into account in relation to matters affecting the children’s care and welfare and their lives.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

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Requirement Due date

ensure that an explanation is given to each child as soon as reasonably practicable after the child’s arrival about—

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Requirement Due date

what advocacy support or services are available to the child, and how the child may access that support or those services and any entitlement the child may have to independent advocacy provision. (Regulation 7 (2)(d)(iii))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that children are provided with information that will enable them to contact an advocacy service in confidence. 21/05/2018

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Requirement Due date

The health and well-being standard is that—

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Requirement Due date

the health and well-being needs of children are met;

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

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Requirement Due date

children receive advice, services and support in relation to their health and well-being. (Regulation 10 (1)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that appropriate medical advice is sought in relation to the physical restraint holds that can be safely used on a specific child. 21/05/2018

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Requirement Due date

The leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that— 21/05/2018 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC063767 5 helps children aspire to fulfil their potential.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

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Requirement Due date

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (2)(h))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that the registered manager monitors and reviews all significant incidents involving children living in the home. Restraint in relation to a child is only permitted for the purpose of preventing—

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Requirement Due date

injury to any person (including the child);

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Requirement Due date

serious damage to the property of any person (including the child).

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Requirement Due date

Restraint in relation to a child must be necessary and proportionate. (Regulation 20 (1)(a)(b) and (2))* 21/05/2018

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Requirement Due date

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—

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Requirement Due date

the date, time and location of the use of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

details of any methods used or steps taken to avoid the need to use the measure;

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Requirement Due date

the effectiveness and any consequences of the use of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

within 5 days of the use of the measure, the registered person or the authorised person adds to the record confirmation that they have spoken to the child about the measure. (Regulation 35 (3)(a)(iii)(v)(vii) and (c))*

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that records specify the location where physical restraints of children take place, what steps were taken to de-escalate the situation, the effectiveness of using the physical intervention and confirmation that the child has been spoken to about being physically restrained. 21/05/2018 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC063767 6 *These requirements are subject to a compliance notice.

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Information about this inspection

The purpose of this visit was to monitor the action taken and the progress made by the children’s home since its last Ofsted inspection.

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Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC063767 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: New Forest Care Ltd

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Children’s home details

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

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Inspectors

Stephen Collett, social care inspector Maria Lonergan, social care inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC063767 8 to 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.

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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