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

Inspection report children’s home: SC485529 1 SC485529 Registered provider: New Forest Care Ltd

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This children’s home accommodates a maximum of three children who have complex emotional, behavioural and educational difficulties. The home is privately owned and also includes a local educational establishment that resident children attend. Children have access to the organisation’s therapeutic services.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

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good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

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good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

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good

Date of last inspection: 15 November 2016

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: declined in effectiveness

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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Key findings from this inspection

 Staff understand the young people’s needs and demonstrate pride in them.

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Key findings from this inspection

 Daily meetings are used to resolve any issues and to plan the evening’s Inspection report children’s home: SC485529 2 activities.

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Key findings from this inspection

 Young people enjoy stimulating activities that enhance their overall experiences.

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Key findings from this inspection

 Links with the organisation’s therapists and school staff provide a consistent approach and give staff the necessary support to help young people to make good progress.

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Key findings from this inspection

 Young people’s safety is prioritised. Good links have been developed with the agencies to safeguard the young people and staff.

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Key findings from this inspection

The children’s home’s areas for development:

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Key findings from this inspection

 Supervision has not occurred monthly as outlined in the organisation’s policy.

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Key findings from this inspection

 Managers have not consulted young people as part of the review of the children’s guide.

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Key findings from this inspection

 Formal written agreements are not in place to ensure that young people agree to safe use of all online devices.

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Key findings from this inspection

 Communication with placing authorities is not effective in agreeing a care plan for young people.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

15/11/2016 Interim Declined in effectiveness 25/05/2016 Full Outstanding 05/01/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness 14/07/2015 Full Outstanding Inspection report children’s home: SC485529 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

In order to meet the children’s views, wishes and feelings standard the registered person must ensure that staff— 7(2)(c) keep the children’s guide and the home’s complaints procedure under review and seek children’s comments before revising either document. 31/05/2018

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Recommendations

 Children’s reasonable preferences in relation to day-to-day arrangements should be met with consideration given to safeguarding, particularly in relation to the use of technology. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations, including the quality standards’, page 17, paragraph 3.21) In particular, update one young person’s guidance in relation to their own responsible use of technology and review the current practice of young people’s use of staff’s mobile phones to play games.  The registered person should ensure that they and their staff engage proactively with the placing authority to contribute fully to the relevant plans for the child’s care on an ongoing basis. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations, including the quality standards’, page 56, paragraph 11.3)  The registered person must have systems in place so that all staff, including the manager, receive supervision of their practice from an appropriately qualified and

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Recommendations

experienced professional, which allows them to reflect on their practice and the needs of the children assigned to their care. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.2)

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Inspection judgements

Inspection report children’s home: SC485529 4

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people form positive relationships with staff. They engage in meaningful conversations that help them to reflect. Key-work sessions include agreeing actions, which are then implemented by staff. Regular young people’s meetings take place each evening. This ensures that any issues are discussed and resolved, wherever possible, prior to the evening activities. Young people listen to meditation apps as part of their bedtime routine, and as a result they settle better.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

A range of activities are available for young people. Effective risk assessments and close staff supervision ensure young people’s safety while in the community. Staff enable young people to develop new skills through shared interests. A staff member has taught one young person to skateboard. This young person was observed during the inspection at the local skateboarding park, proudly demonstrating his newly acquired skill.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The ethos of the home is therapeutic, with counselling input for young people from the organisation’s therapist. The therapist consults with staff about the underlying psychological reasons for young people’s behaviour and how best to support them. This increases staff’s knowledge and confidence regarding the young people’s emotional needs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people attend the organisation’s school. Staff support young people to attend regularly and young people make steady academic progress. Staff liaise closely with school staff to ensure a consistent approach. Both young people reported having a good day at the school during the inspection. They were rewarded by the staff with praise and cakes.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Different cultures are celebrated through creative theme nights, which include learning about different customs, beliefs and where countries are in the world. The communal rooms are well used; plans to adapt a room as a games room and/or calm space will further enhance the facilities on offer.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people make progress towards their agreed targets. One young person is significantly more confident in social situations and is more able to interact with the public. Another young person is able to manage unsupervised time in the community. Staff encourage young people to become more independent in preparation for when they leave the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff worked with the placing authority to move one young person to an appropriate placement and ensure a successful transition. A transition plan, including supporting visits to the foster placement and keeping in touch with the young person after the move, helped the young person to settle. Inspection report children’s home: SC485529 5

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Young people are kept safe by a staff team that shows a good knowledge of whistle- blowing policies and procedures, which are followed in practice. Safeguarding issues are identified and reported to the local authority when necessary. On the rare occasion when policies are not followed or when there was a delay in reporting a safeguarding matter, internal investigations have been undertaken. As a result, appropriate actions are taken and lessons learned.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Comprehensive risk assessments, combined with staff vigilance and awareness and close supervision of young people, ensure that they are kept safe in and out of the home. Young people rarely go missing. When they do, the staff follow them or locate them quickly. Young people return after a short time; none have gone missing overnight.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Records of physical restraints are subject to review by managers and experienced trainers to ensure that interventions are implemented safely and appropriately. While the use of restraint remains high, there has been a decrease in incidents. Young people are clear that they understand why these measures have been used as part of the debriefing process. Young people are learning to manage their own behaviour with staff’s support.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Staff understand safer internet use policies. They provide young people with education about the risks in the cyber world. Measures, such as using software to restrict access to unsuitable sites, are in place. However, there is no written agreement to formalise roles and responsibilities for one young person’s use of an electronic device, which has access to the internet. Although supervised, there is no clear protocol is in place with regards to the young people’s use of staff mobile phones to play games.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

The managers have established effective partnerships with the local community police officer. He has visited the home to give guidance about the law and possible consequences of behaviour towards others for one young person. This was an effective response to a serious incident.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager is experienced and has oversight of this home and sister homes. A manager is now employed to undertake the day-to-day running of the home. He is applying to be registered with Ofsted and has increased his responsibilities within the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff recruitment procedures are thorough and seek to minimise the potential for unsuitable adults to be employed in the home. Appropriate induction programmes and relevant training prepare staff effectively to meet young people’s needs. A new staff member said, ‘This was a change in career; I have had the right support to become confident.’ Staff pass their probation once they can demonstrate resilience and expertise in managing the young people’s complex needs. Inspection report children’s home: SC485529 6 Staff spoken to speak positively of the managers, the organisation and the training and support they receive. Staff engage well with the young people and demonstrate pride and appropriate affection towards them. One staff member said, ‘I love working here, I have a smile on my face every day.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff are provided with supervision, although this has not always been sufficiently frequent or in line with the provider’s policy. The registered manager is addressing this. There are examples of good-quality discussions, providing staff and their line manager with opportunities to discuss personal development, the home and young people. Discussions with regard to safeguarding issues ensure that any training needs are identified.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff attend team meetings and share their views with managers. The meetings are constructive and cover a variety of topics, including safeguarding, development of the home and young people’s care plans and emotional needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

A detailed statement of purpose gives a description of the service and how this is to be provided. A guide is available for young people; however, they have not been consulted during a review of this document. This is a missed opportunity to gain their views and input.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Managers and staff communicate with professionals involved in the young people’s care about their daily lives. This ensures that there is a good sharing of information with regard to the young people’s social and educational needs. However, the placing authorities raised concerns about communication in relation to the young people’s plans and how these are implemented. More proactive working relationships would ensure that all professionals are working together to an agreed outcome.

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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: SC485529 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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Inspector:

Suzy Lemmy, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC485529 8 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:

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

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