Children's Home run by Hampshire County Council in Hampshire

Inspection report children’s home: SC033174 1 SC033174 Registered provider: Hampshire County Council Interim inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This local authority children’s home provides care and accommodation for up to five children and young people who have social and/or emotional difficulties. The manager has been registered with Ofsted since 2017.

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Information about this children’s home

Judgement at last inspection: Requires improvement to be good

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Information about this children’s home

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged requires improvement to be good at the last full inspection. At this interim inspection, Ofsted judges that it has improved effectiveness. Leaders and managers have addressed all the requirements and recommendations made at the last inspection. Due to improvements in young people’s pre-placement impact risk assessments and placement matching, the home environment is more settled and young people’s stability has improved. One young person said, ‘I feel safe here.’ The staff team sensitively prepares young people before they move into the home. Prior to young people’s arrivals, staff visit them at their current carers, offer initial visits and overnight stays alongside familiarisation with the home’s routines and boundaries. This helps young people to build trusting and positive relationships with staff before they move in. Since the last inspection, one young person has moved on successfully from the home.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

This well-planned move included comprehensive care planning, independence preparation and staff’s continued informal outreach support. This has provided the Inspection report children’s home: SC033174 2 young person with the confidence and skills to live independently. Successful partnership working with other professionals helps staff to provide good ‘joined-up’ care and support to the young people in the home. A newly appointed virtual school headteacher was recently invited into the home to further develop effective working relationships. Education is prioritised in the home. If young people are waiting for a school placement, an ‘in-house’ daily timetable of formal learning, combined with trips to museums and tutoring, helps young people maintain their routines and learning opportunities. The home has a close working relationship with the police community support team. The registered manager ensures that the ‘beat officer’ visits the home when young people

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

are new to the home. Over an informal cup of tea, the beat officer introduces himself to the young people, and offers them advice and support about his role and support services. The registered manager is a good advocate for young people. She has challenged a school for failing to offer subjects suitable for one young person’s chosen career aspirations. If young people experience challenges or exclusion at school, the registered manager supports young people at their re-integration meetings. The registered manager has a wealth of experience. Her understanding of the experiences of young people who are looked after is shared with the local authority ‘children in care team’ and she contributes to the local authority’s ‘in-house’ social care team inspections.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

20/08/2018 Full Requires improvement to be good 05/09/2017 Full Good 21/11/2016 Full Good 29/03/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness

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Recommendations

 Regulations 35-39 detail the records that must be kept in children’s homes. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 62, 14.3) In particular, the registered manager must ensure that young people’s case records include their photographic ID. Inspection report children’s home: SC033174 3

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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

This inspection focused on the effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of children and young people since the most recent full inspection.

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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’.

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Hampshire Council, 3rd Floor, Elizabeth II Court North, The Castle, Winchester, Hampshire SO23 8UG

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Inspector

Victoria Jones, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC033174 4 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

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