Children's home run by Fair Ways in Southampton

Inspection report children’s home: SC385809 1 SC385809 Registered provider: Fairways Care (UK) Limited

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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 to accommodate up to three young people. It also has its own educational facility nearby. The home is operated by a company which is a wholly owned subsidiary of a registered charity.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager has been in post since October 2016.

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Information about this children’s home

Inspection dates: 26 to 27 September 2018

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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outstanding

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

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outstanding

The effectiveness of leaders and managers outstanding

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outstanding

The children’s home provides highly effective services that consistently exceed the standards of good. The actions of the children’s home contribute to significantly improved outcomes and positive experiences for children and young people who need help, protection and care.

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outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC385809 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

12/07/2017 Full Good 14/11/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness 15/06/2016 Full Good 21/12/2015 Interim Declined in effectiveness Inspection report children’s home: SC385809 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 registered person must ensure that 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— a description of the measure and its duration; a description of any injury to the child or any other person, and any medical treatment administered, as a result of the measure. (Regulation 35 (3)(a)(iv)(viii)) 15/11/2018

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Recommendations

 Staff should continually and actively assess the risks to each child and the arrangements in place to protect them. Where there are safeguarding concerns for a child, their placement plan, agreed between the home and their placing authority, must include details of the steps the home will take to manage any assessed risks on a day to day basis. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 42, paragraph 9.5)

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Recommendations

 In addition to the requirements of this standard, the registered person has specific responsibilities under regulation 34 to prepare and implement policies setting out: arrangements for the safeguarding of children from abuse or neglect; clear procedures for referring child protection concerns to the placing authority or local authority where the home is situated if appropriate; and specific procedures to prevent children going missing and take action if they do. The policy on protection of children from abuse and neglect should include arrangements in relation to dealing with allegations involving staff in the home, e-safety and to counter risks of self-harm and suicide. All policies should be reviewed regularly and revised where appropriate. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 44, paragraph 9.19) In particular, ensure that the procedure is clear about who can make referrals to

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Recommendations

the designated officer in the local authority. Inspection report children’s home: SC385809 4  When establishing the home, the registered person must ensure that it is suitably located so that children are effectively safeguarded and can access services to meet needs identified in their relevant plans (see regulations 12(2)(c)). Under regulation 46, the registered person should review the appropriateness and suitability of the location and premises of the home at least once a year. The review should include the identification of any risks and opportunities presented by the home’s location and strategies for managing these. Providers should refer to the non-statutory advice about the location assessment process: Children’s homes regulation amendments 2014: Advice for children’s homes providers on new duties under regulations that came in to effect in January and April 2014. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page

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Recommendations

64, paragraph 15.1) In particular, the supporting documentation should include additional information reflecting the level of detail known by staff.  Ofsted, as the regulator of children’s homes, can at any time scrutinise the fitness of a Responsible Individual, either through inspection or as a stand-alone event. Regulation 26(7)(b) requires the Responsible Individual to have the capacity, experience and skills to supervise the management of each children’s home that they are Responsible Individual for. This includes being able to demonstrate that they have the essential skills needed to develop the leadership and management of homes within their remit such that the homes have the capacity and capability to meet the Quality Standards. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 60, paragraph 12.4) In particular, ensure that the manager’s monitoring reports enable oversight of

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Recommendations

the development of the service by the responsible individual.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Young people have made and sustained changes that have enabled them to achieve their aims that were set when they moved into the home. Some young people have moved into foster care at the age of 16 years (within the wider organisation). Others have moved home in line with their expressed wishes. A parent said, after their child had been in the home for just a short time, ‘I can see my child doing well there. We are going in the right direction to get [X] home.’ A young person described the difference staff have made: ‘I feel happy, a huge change. I am more confident in myself. I am starting to think about how my behaviour affects others.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The quality of relationships between staff and young people is excellent. Staff engage young people sensitively so that they develop an effective connection with them. A young person said, ‘There is a lot of talking here. It’s helpful. Staff listened and helped me see Mum’s side of the story. They helped improve our relationship.’ Staff recognise that young people’s emotional needs must be met so that they can make progress in all areas of their lives. Young people know that they are held in mind by staff who are Inspection report children’s home: SC385809 5 committed to promoting their well-being at every opportunity. A social worker said there is evidence of commitment to the young people placed: ‘Most of the staff there have formed close, connected relationships with [X].’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Young people who have lived in the home for a reasonable time are now engaged in education and making strong progress. Others, who have been out of education for some time before moving in, are being gently reintroduced to routines and a timetable. A parent commented, ‘They are listening to him with the gradual introduction to education. They seem the type to go with what my child is tuned in to; it seems to be working.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Young people enjoy good health, with staff support and encouragement to attend routine and specialist health appointments, when necessary. Young people manage their own medication once they have participated in a positive risk assessment. Staff have access to the therapy team for support and advice on working with young people. This has proved effective in identifying young people’s specific needs and informing proactive challenge and decision-making in the best interests of young people. This has been necessary when referral information has not accurately described a young person’s needs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Transitions are very well planned and sensitively managed, at a pace that suits the young people. Staff visit young people, and young people visit the home at times that suit them, including overnight. This gives them opportunities to be actively involved in choosing decor and furnishings for their rooms, as well as getting to know people. A parent said, ‘Staff have made a really good job of welcoming my child. Good communication got us off to a good start.’ Young people’s planned moves on are exceptionally well supported and planned, and are always informed by their views and wishes. For some young people this means that staff enable a lengthy transition that is in keeping with the therapeutic ethos of the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Young people learn a range of skills that they will need in their adult lives. These include self-care, shopping, cooking, budgeting and flat-pack furniture building. One young person said, ‘Staff teach me responsibility.’ Another said, ‘Staff always give encouragement, at every level, even if it is just to go for a walk.’

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

Staff understand risk well and are confident in their judgements to enable young people to take age-appropriate risks. They support and educate young people effectively who consequently develop an awareness of the risks they may be exposing themselves to. As a result, most young people reduce their risk-taking behaviour. A young person said, ‘Knowing people were upset and did care made me stop going missing so much. They told me they cared, and I believed them.’ Where risks are not reducing for a young person, and the manager and her team consider that the risks are unmanageable in the home, they take prompt action that is in the best interests of the young person. Inspection report children’s home: SC385809 6 The leadership team applies a dynamic risk assessment process. Actions taken in the light of increasing risk have proved successful in risk reduction. These have included prompt additional staff training. The lengthy supporting documentation does not truly

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

reflect the strength of the risk assessment process.

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

Staff understand the importance of building positive relationships with young people to achieve effective behaviour management. The phrase from their training, ‘no correction without connection’, is well understood and implemented by them. Their consistent responses to young people are informed by relevant training and the meaningful implementation of the embedded therapeutic ethos. Staff are encouraged to ‘positively ignore’ low-level behavioural concerns. This successfully minimises unnecessary challenge and reduces potential confrontation. As a result, the use of physical intervention and sanctions is low. Where restraint has been used, one record does not fully cross-reference and does not show that the young person was offered medical assistance. Another well-used phrase from training, ‘strike when the iron is cold’, gives young people space to reflect on and learn from undesirable behaviour. Staff lead

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

positive listening and learning discussions and are confident to share with young people how their actions made them feel. This open discussion supports the development of positive relationships between staff and young people. Young people are confident that there is always someone to talk to, who will listen to them and take what they have to say seriously.

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

The registered manager has good relationships with the safeguarding designated officers in the local authority. In most cases the manager reports allegations and seeks advice appropriately. In one case there was some confusion about the reporting process, and the guidance for staff lacks clarity. The action required by the designated officer was in line with that taken by the organisation, so there was no detrimental impact on a young person.

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

The house is very well decorated and maintained. Staff know the potential risks associated with the location of the home. However, some of the supporting information lacks the clarity and detail that staff articulate very well.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered manager is suitably qualified and experienced. She is also passionate and dedicated and communicates her child-centred vision for the service to her team very well. This has underpinned the development of a strong team which shares her vision. She is determined to ensure that staff have what they need to provide the level of support that young people require. She and her senior team achieve this through regular supervision, both individually and as a group (the latter with the involvement of a member of staff from the organisation’s therapy team), team meetings and relevant training. Staff are encouraged to recognise and share, in a safe space, the impact that their work may have on them and how their life experiences may influence their work. In addition, the manager uses relevant research, which she shares with placing social workers, to inform care planning for young people. Inspection report children’s home: SC385809 7

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager knows the staff and the young people very well. Staff are deployed according to the needs of the young people. As a result, staffing levels vary appropriately. The on-call system works well to provide additional support, if needed.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The established, qualified staff team has been trained in, has an excellent understanding of, and uses the therapeutic model that informs its care of young people. This enables the staff to achieve the aims and objectives of the recently updated statement of purpose for the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager knows the strengths and weaknesses of the home very well. She challenges and acts where necessary, both internally and externally. The manager is conscientious in her monitoring of the service and uses independent reports very effectively. However, the resulting written reports are overly descriptive and lack the strong analysis, evaluation and drive for continuous improvement evident in discussion with the manager and her seniors. This may inhibit the oversight of the service by the responsible individual.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager is described by others as consistent, supportive and transparent in her communication. This forms the basis of very effective working relationships with other professionals, young people, their parents and her team. She models this communication style effectively so that staff adopt a similar approach in their interactions.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The whole staff team demonstrates an active and well-considered approach to the promotion of tolerance, equality and diversity. Staff are creative in how they engage young people in understanding, accepting and celebrating difference; they do this through cultural events and exploring young people’s heritage.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager requires staff to ascertain young people’s views, wishes and opinions, and act on them. This has led to the development of the garden with a chicken coop, vegetable patch and summerhouse created and maintained by young people working in partnership with staff. Inspection report children’s home: SC385809 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: SC385809 9

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Fairways Care (UK) Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Fairways House, Mount Pleasant Road, Northam, Southampton SO14 0QB

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Inspectors

Maire Atherton, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC385809 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 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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