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

Inspection report children‘s home: SC035593 1 SC035593 Registered provider: New Forest Care 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 provides care and accommodation for up to four children. The home‘s statement of purpose states that it 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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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager left in August 2018 and the new manager has applied to be registered with Ofsted.

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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 requires improvement to be 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: 24 October 2017

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children‘s home: SC035593 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

24/10/2017 Full Good 02/03/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness 26/10/2016 Full Outstanding 11/01/2016 Interim Improved effectiveness Inspection report children‘s home: SC035593 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 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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Requirement Due date

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)(2)(h)) 30/11/2018

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Requirement Due date

For the purposes of paragraph (3)(b), an individual who works in the home in a care role has the appropriate qualification if, by the relevant date, the individual has attained— the Level 3 Diploma for Residential Childcare (England) (―the Level 3 Diploma‖); or a qualification which the registered person considers to be equivalent to the Level 3 Diploma.

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Requirement Due date

The relevant date is— in the case of an individual who starts working in a care role in a home after 1st April 2014, the date which falls 2 years after the date on which the individual started working in a care role in a home; or in the case of an individual who was working in a care role in a home on 1st April 2014, 1st April 2016.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person may defer the relevant date if the individual— does not work, or has not worked, in a care role in a home for a prolonged period; or works, or has worked, in a care role in a home on a part-time basis. (Regulation 32 (4)(a)(b)(5)(a)(b)(6)(a)(b)) 30/11/2018

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Requirement Due date

The registered provider must appoint, at the registered 30/11/2018 Inspection report children‘s home: SC035593 4 provider‘s expense, a person (―the independent person‖) to visit and report on the children‘s home carried on by the registered provider.

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Requirement Due date

If the registered provider carries on more than one home, the registered provider may appoint the same person as the independent person for all or any of those homes.

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Requirement Due date

Subject to paragraphs (4) and (5), the registered provider may not appoint the following as an independent person— if the registered provider is a local authority, a person who is employed by that local authority in connection with the carrying on of the authority‘s social services functions (as defined by section 1A of the Local Authority Social Services Act 1970(a)) relating to children; if the registered provider is not a local authority, a person who is employed for payment by the registered provider; a person involved in preparing the care plan of any child placed at the home, or a person responsible for managing or supervising that person; a person responsible for commissioning or financing services provided by the home; a person with a financial interest in the home; the responsible individual (if one is nominated); or a person who has, or has had, a connection with— the registered person; a person working at the home; or

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Requirement Due date

a child, which the registered provider considers to give rise to doubts about that person‘s impartiality (for the purposes of producing the independent person‘s report – see regulation 44).

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Requirement Due date

An employee of the registered provider is not, by reason only of that employment, disqualified under paragraph (3)(a), (b) or (g) from appointment as an independent person if the employee is employed solely to examine and scrutinise critically— the way that a home is carried on or managed; and the quality of care provided for children.

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Requirement Due date

If the registered provider is a local authority, a person appointed by the authority as an independent reviewing officer is not, by reason only of that appointment, disqualified under paragraph (3)(a), (c) or (g) from appointment as an independent person in relation to a home carried on by that authority or any other authority. The independent person must declare any actual or potential Inspection report children‘s home: SC035593 5 conflict of interest (whether of the type mentioned in paragraph (3) or otherwise) to the registered provider without delay and, if reasonably practicable, before conducting a visit to the home.

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Requirement Due date

If the registered provider becomes aware of a potential conflict of interest in relation to the independent person before or during the independent person visiting the home (see regulation 44), the registered provider must— make arrangements to cancel the visit without delay; and appoint a different independent person to visit the home. (Regulation 43 (1)(2)(a)(b)(c)(d)(e)(f)(g)(i)(ii)(iii)(4)(a)(b)(5)(6)(7)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that an independent person visits the children‘s home at least once each month.

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Requirement Due date

When the independent person is carrying out a visit, the registered person must help the independent person— if they consent, to interview in private such of the children, their parents, relatives and persons working at the home as the independent person requires; and to inspect the premises of the home and such of the home‘s records (except for a child‘s case records, unless the child and the child‘s placing authority consent) as the independent person requires.

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Requirement Due date

A visit by the independent person to the home may be unannounced.

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Requirement Due date

The independent person must produce a report about a visit (―the independent person‘s report‖) which sets out, in particular, the independent person‘s opinion as to whether— children are effectively safeguarded; and the conduct of the home promotes children‘s well-being.

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Requirement Due date

The independent person‘s report may recommend actions that the registered person may take in relation to the home and timescales within which the registered person must consider whether or not to take those actions. (Regulation 44 (1)(2)(a)(b)(3)(4)(a)(b)(5)) 30/11/2018 Inspection report children‘s home: SC035593 6

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Recommendations

 Records of restraint must be kept and enable the registered person and staff to review the use of control, discipline and restraint to identify effective practice. (‗Guide to the children‘s homes regulations including the quality standards‘, page 49, paragraph 9.59) In particular, ensure that records detail how staff move from one form of restraint to another.  The registered person must ensure that there is a workforce plan in place. (‗Guide to the children‘s homes regulations including the quality standards‘, page 54, paragraph 10.8) In particular, ensure that there are agreed timescales for the induction of staff covering shifts in the home.  The registered person is responsible for leading a team which provides high quality care for all children living in the home. (‗Guide to the children‘s homes regulations including the quality standards‘, page 52, paragraph 10.4) In particular, ensure that keywork sessions offer advice and guidance.

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Recommendations

 Ensure any allegation of harm or abuse is addressed in line with the home‘s child protection policy. (‗Guide to the children‘s homes regulations including the quality standards‘, page 44, paragraph 9.17) In particular, ensure that records detail all action taken by the managers and staff.  The Statement of Purpose should be child-focused, indicating how the home provides individualised care to meet the Quality Standards for children in their care. This should be sent into Ofsted. (‗Guide to the children‘s homes regulations including the quality standards‘, page 15, paragraph 3.5)

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people are provided with highly individualised care and support by a committed staff team. The staff put the young people first and, as a result, the young people begin to reach their potential.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people have a strong voice in this home and are empowered to make decisions, both about how the home is run and about their own lives and futures. Staff have built secure relationships with the young people, who trust and confide in them. The young people have fun with the staff and respond well to the use of humour.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Some young people have made exceptional progress, their aggressive behaviour has reduced and they have been able to form attachments. They now enjoy living in a group environment. The staff understand that at times young people may require additional Inspection report children‘s home: SC035593 7 emotional support and are proactive in providing this. The young people benefit from the care they are given and from the range of activities and opportunities they enjoy. One social worker commented, ‗He is like a different child and it‘s a pleasure seeing him do so well.‘

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

All the young people are in full-time education, and for some this is a huge achievement. Some young people, who now attend college, are gaining independence and enjoying meeting new friends.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The staff support and advise young people on how to be independent and to keep themselves safe and to manage unsafe behaviours and relationships. However, keywork sessions do not consistently enable young people to develop their own skills to make safe decisions or to develop their own strategies to manage difficult situations.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Contact arrangements are well managed, and staff support young people to have contact with those who are important to them. Contact arrangements are frequently reviewed to ensure that contact is meaningful and safe.

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

Risks are well understood by staff, who recognise and respond well to any concerns. When concerns are identified, staff take immediate action to notify and work with all the necessary safeguarding professionals. However, actions taken are not always clearly recorded and records do not indicate if any further action is needed.

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

The staff respond well when young people go missing. Missing from home episodes are reviewed to help prevent further incidents occurring. For example, staff explore, with the young person and the wider staff team, possible triggers for them going missing and what they might do to avoid it in future.

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

Staff were quick to identify concerns over the possible grooming and exploitation of a young person. They worked closely with other professionals to ensure the safety of that young person and the other young people living in the home. This prevented other young people from being exploited.

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

When restraint has been used, it has been appropriate to do so. The manager is reviewing the restraint practice in the home, particularly to avoid restraining young people on the floor. No young people have been restrained since June 2018. Records of restraints are completed but are not always sufficiently detailed.

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

Expectations about young people‘s behaviour are clear and consistent and young people know what behaviour is acceptable. Young people understand the reasons for any sanctions used and said they feel these are fair and reasonable. Inspection report children‘s home: SC035593 8

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

Since the last inspection, the team leader has been promoted to acting manager. She is currently applying to be registered with Ofsted.

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

The manager and senior staff have a child-centred approach. Since taking up the post, the manager has begun to review the strengths and weaknesses of practice in the home. Internal monitoring arrangements are not robust enough to fully identify and support improvements.

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

Staff feel that the home is settled and that they work well as a team. There is sense of joint ownership, with staff striving to achieve consistency in their care of the young people and wanting the best for them. Staff retention is good, and this enables young people to form attachments with the adults looking after them. Agency staff are not used, as staff from other homes in the organisation cover shifts when needed. However, not all of these staff have an induction into the home to ensure that they have the knowledge and skills to work with the young people.

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

Young people‘s placements are well planned, and the staff think carefully about the beginnings and endings of placements. Staff give good consideration to the needs of the young people already living in the home when new young people move in.

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

Staff receive a good level of training to ensure that they have the skills to support young people in the home. However, too few members of the staff team have achieved the required level 3 qualification. The manager has plans in place to address this.

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

The independent visitor reports lack professional curiosity and do not fully identify or evaluate the response to safeguarding concerns. It is unclear whether the independent visitor is providing sufficient challenge to the management team.

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

The home‘s statement of purpose has been reviewed since the last inspection and the new manager is reviewing this document again to ensure that it is individual to the home. The revised statement of purpose had not been sent to Ofsted. Inspection report children‘s home: SC035593 9

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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: SC035593 10

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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

Emeline Evans, social care inspector Inspection report children‘s home: SC035593 11 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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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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