Swanwick Lodge

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC038719 1 SC038719

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Hampshire County Council

Monitoring visit Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This secure children’s home is operated by a local authority and is approved by the Secretary of State to restrict young people’s liberty. The home can accommodate up to 16 children aged between 10 and 17 years who are placed by local authorities under section 25 of the Children Act 1989.

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Information about this children’s home

Under section 25 of the Children Act 1989, admission of any child who is under 13 years of age requires the approval of the Secretary of State.

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Information about this children’s home

The commissioning of health services in this home is the statutory responsibility of NHS England under the Health and Social Care Act 2012. Education is provided on site in dedicated facilities.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager was registered with Ofsted in August 2017.

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This monitoring visit

This children’s home was judged to have declined in effectiveness at the interim inspection carried out on 14 February 2018. The purpose of this visit was to monitor the progress made in relation to the six requirements raised at the inspection.

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This monitoring visit

6. The quality and purpose of care standard.

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This monitoring visit

The quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who understand the home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children; and use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC038719 2 In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to— ensure that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed and furnished so as to enable each child to participate in the daily life of the home. (Regulation 6(1)(a)(b) and (2)(c)(ii))

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This monitoring visit

The requirement stated that, in particular, the provider should repair the heating system and ensure that all areas of the home are suitably warm when used by children. Also, staff should ensure that high standards of cleanliness are consistently maintained throughout the home and should encourage and support children to take pride in their home, in particular their bedrooms.

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This monitoring visit

The management of the home has not fully addressed this shortfall and therefore the requirement is repeated. While the heating in the home has been improved and repaired, the décor and cleanliness in some rooms and communal areas is poor. The garden has been poorly maintained and there are brambles and nettles in abundance which the children could take hold of, and which could cause injury to themselves or others. Graffiti in some of the rooms has not been removed, and some areas have been stained by food or drink which has been thrown on walls and not cleaned off. A food preparation area had cobwebs which had not been cleaned from walls, and there was dust in air grilles around the home. This lack of cleanliness undermines efforts made by members of staff to make the home feel welcoming and caring.

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This monitoring visit

12. The protection of children standard.

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This monitoring visit

The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

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This monitoring visit

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— 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. (Regulation 12(2)(b))

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This monitoring visit

The provider was asked in particular to ensure that the home’s risk assessments include how staff should manage the potential risk when using portable heaters, including the individual risks posed to specific children.

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This monitoring visit

This requirement has been fully addressed. Risk assessments are clear as to what steps to take if there is a need to use portable heating devices. Members of staff have a good awareness of potential risks to the children and how to manage them, especially with regards to self-harm. There has been no need to use portable heaters since the heating has been repaired. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC038719 3 13. The leadership and management standard.

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This monitoring visit

The leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and promotes their welfare.

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This monitoring visit

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to— use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13(1)(a)(b) and (2)(h))

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This monitoring visit

This was with particular reference to managers ensuring that they maintain oversight of day-to-day practice to make sure staff are maintaining high standards of care for young people.

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This monitoring visit

This requirement has not been met and is being repeated. The monitoring of the decor and cleanliness in the home has not been effective. The daily checks carried out by staff, and overseen by managers, have failed to ensure that cleanliness and homeliness are maintained to a good standard. The monitoring system has lacked rigour and shortfalls have not been noted or addressed.

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This monitoring visit

13. The leadership and management standard.

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This monitoring visit

The leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and promotes their welfare.

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This monitoring visit

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to— ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child. (Regulation 13(1)(a)(b) and (2)(c))

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This monitoring visit

This was with specific reference to ensuring that prior to the use of agency staff, their experience, skills and employment history have been rigorously assessed to ensure that they are suitable to meet the needs of this complex, challenging and vulnerable group of children.

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This monitoring visit

This requirement has been addressed. There has been considerable effort made to recruit suitable staff, and attention has been given to ensuring that they have the correct experience, skills and training to meet the needs of the children.

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This monitoring visit

The registered person must ensure that all employees receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience. (Regulation 33(4)(b)) Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC038719 4 This requirement is repeated. While records show that all members of staff receive regular supervision, the records fail to show that this is a meaningful process which considers whether key elements in the role are being explored or considered. Some records are brief and superficial and do not evidence that the supervision process is effective.

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This monitoring visit

40. Notification of serious incidents to HMCI.

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This monitoring visit

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if an incident requiring police involvement occurs in relation to a child which the registered person considers to be serious; or there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40(4)(b)(e))

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This monitoring visit

This requirement has been addressed. Managers in the home are swift to notify Ofsted of any events which they consider to be serious. This ensures that practice issues and information can be evaluated and shared with other agencies, such as the Department for Education.

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This monitoring visit

During the visit, inspectors observed interactions between members of staff and children. These were friendly and relaxed, and it was clear that the children were at ease in the company of staff.

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This monitoring visit

An inspector met with children to seek their views on living at this home. Feedback was very positive and the children said that they enjoyed staff company and felt safe. One child said that she would mark the home as ‘11 out of 10!’, and reported that she does not want to leave. Another child, despite only being at the home for just over a week, named a number of staff whom she felt she could talk to and whom she seeks out for company.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 14/02/2018 Interim Declined in effectiveness 25/04/2017 Full Requires improvement to be good 08/11/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness 24/05/2016 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC038719 5

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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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Requirements Due date

The quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children; and use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential.

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Requirements Due date

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

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Requirements Due date

ensure that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed and furnished so as to enable each child to participate in the daily life of the home. (Regulation 6(1)(a)(b) and (2)(c)(ii))

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Requirements Due date

In particular, staff should ensure that high standards of cleanliness and homeliness are consistently maintained throughout the home. 31/10/2018

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Requirements 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 helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and promotes their welfare.

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Requirements Due date

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

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Requirements Due date

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13(1)(a)(b) and (2)(h))

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Requirements Due date

This is with particular reference to managers ensuring that they maintain oversight of day-to-day practice to make sure staff are maintaining high standards of care for children, especially with regards to the cleanliness and homeliness of the building. 31/10/2018 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC038719 6 The registered person must ensure that all employees receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience. (Regulation 33(4)(b))

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Requirements Due date

Specifically ensure that records of supervision show that practice related supervision is effective and meaningful. 31/10/2018

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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.

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Hampshire County Council

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: The Castle, Winchester, Hampshire SO23 8UG

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Inspectors

Paul Taylor, social care inspector Teri Peck, regulatory inspection manager Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC038719 7 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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