Children's Home run by New Forest Care Limited in Hampshire

Inspection report children’s home: SC363268 1 SC363268 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

This home is owned by a private company. Its statement of purpose specifies that it will provide care and accommodation for up to three children who have social and/or emotional difficulties. The manager was registered with Ofsted on 3 April 2019.

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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: 18 December 2018

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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: SC363268 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

18/12/2018 Full Good 24/01/2018 Full Good 14/11/2016 Full Good 29/03/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report children’s home: SC363268 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— details of any methods used or steps taken to avoid the need to use the measure. (Regulation 35(a)(v)) 01/09/2019

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Recommendations

 Records of restraint must be kept and should enable the registered person and staff to review the use of control, discipline and restraint to identify effective practice and respond promptly where any issues or trends of concern emerge. The review should provide the opportunity for amending practice to ensure it meets the needs of each child. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 49, paragraph 9.59)  The registered person is responsible for deciding what each review should focus on, based on the specific circumstances of the home at that particular time and any areas of high risk to the children that the home is designed to care for, such as missing or exploitation. They will also consider what information or data recorded in the home will form part of the evidence base for their analysis and conclusions. There is no expectation that the registered person will review the

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Recommendations

home against every part of the Quality Standards every six months – registered persons should use their professional judgement to decide which factors to focus on. The review should enable the registered person to identify areas of strength and possible weakness in the home’s care, which will be captured in the written report. The report should clearly identify any actions required for the next 6 months of delivery within the home and how those actions will be addressed. The whole review process and the resulting report should be used as a tool for continuous improvement in the home. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 65, paragraph 15.4) In particular, ensure that action and development plans clearly identify how and what the provider intends to do to improve identified areas of weakness.  Any individual appointed to carry out visits to the home as an independent person

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Recommendations

Inspection report children’s home: SC363268 4 must make a rigorous and impartial assessment of the home’s arrangements for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of the children in the home’s care. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 65, paragraph 15.5) In particular, ensure that reports made under regulation 44 are sent to Ofsted in a timely manner.  Staff need the knowledge and skills to recognise and be alert for any signs that might indicate that a child is in any way at risk of harm. The registered person should ensure that skills in safeguarding are gained, refreshed and recorded in the home’s workforce plan. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 43, paragraph 9.12) In particular, ensure that staff understand their roles and responsibilities in relation to health and safety maintenance matters, and report matters promptly.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are making progress. They are well supported by knowledgeable, skilled and consistent staff. Staff are child focused and each staff member has very good understanding of every child’s individual needs and plans.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

All children have good school attendance, and each child is making great progress within their individual capabilities. Staff help children with their homework and through the varied activities and routines of the home. Each child is encouraged to read daily and the home has lots of books, board games and activities, which promotes learning. The themed evenings which children choose also widen their horizons regarding different countries and their cultures.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support each child to address their physical and emotional health needs. All children are well supported to attend therapy and other activities that help them to explore their emotions, feelings and previous experiences, while also learning positive ways to express their feelings in a safe place and way. Staff support children through the application of their therapeutic approach and conversations that help children to make sense of their experiences and feelings.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported to maintain positive, safe relationships with their families and friends. Those who have not seen family members for a period of time have been well prepared and supported to re-establish positive, safe relationships. Staff understand the importance of these relationships for children, and so they ensure that time spent with family members is planned and considered. This results in positive outcomes for children. Staff encourage children to develop friendships outside of the home through their involvement in lots of community-based activities, clubs and hobbies and fundraising events. Inspection report children’s home: SC363268 5 Staff create lots of opportunities for children to voice their views and contribute their input to decisions made in the home. The frequent lounge parties, key sessions and daily conversations promote these opportunities and enable children’s views to be gained on

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

how the home functions. Staff and children follow clear daily routines which provide everyone with clarity about what to expect. Children and staff share daily experiences, eat together, play games, share bedtime stories, help each other to learn new things and have fun together. This has created a nurturing, caring and welcoming environment where everyone is respected and accepted.

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

Staff have good knowledge and understanding of risk, and what is needed to manage and minimise risk. Children have built good, trusting relationships with staff and they seek their support and guidance when worried or upset.

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

Staff swiftly report and refer concerns to safeguarding agencies. The manager ensures that she has a clear chronology of actions and outcomes for matters that are referred to outside agencies. Managers work well with others to ensure that children are safeguarded, and that their welfare is paramount and is promoted. Complaints and allegations have been well managed and responded to, and records include details of investigations as well as information on the involvement of and discussions with safeguarding agencies. Those making a complaint have been written to and provided with the outcome.

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

Children are provided with lots of good, practical advice and guidance on how to keep safe when in the community. They have lots of opportunities to put into practice what they learn with the staff’s support. Children’s plans provide clear strategies that staff follow consistently. This supports children to learn simple strategies which they themselves can follow.

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

Staff are trained in the home’s preferred approach to behaviour management. Children have clear prompts and strategies that they are learning to use, which helps them when they are upset or angry. Records detail what staff do to support the children when they are in crisis, but records do not include enough information to enable others to clearly understand the staff’s reasons for making changes to the interventions used’. Staff talk with children after incidents and this helps them to understand what happened, what the cause was and how they might respond differently next time. Staff do not explicitly evidence that they ask a child how they feel about interventions used.

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

Maintenance and repairs are generally undertaken swiftly. Children live in a safe physical environment. The inspector noted one example of a fire door with a repeated fault. This was not swiftly reported by the staff who were on duty when it re-emerged; however, it was quickly dealt with when the manager arrived. Inspection report children’s home: SC363268 6

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager was registered in April 2019. She has implemented some changes which have had a positive impact, demonstrating an ability to make improvements and develop staff to work in line with the home’s ethos, as described in its statement of purpose. She has clear expectations regarding the standards she wishes to achieve; this is reflected in how she behaves and role models practice for others.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff are provided with regular, effective supervision and their practice is appraised at least annually. Staff are currently being supported and encouraged to develop their knowledge and understanding of the home’s therapeutic model. Staff complete a wide variety of training courses that equip and prepare them for their role in caring and supporting the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has a clear understanding of the home’s strengths and weaknesses. She can describe the home’s strengths and weaknesses and what she plans to do to improve areas, but this is not supported in a written formal plan of action.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The voice of children is very evident. Children are involved in making all decisions about the home and matters that affect them. They are involved in the selection and recruitment of staff, planning holidays and considering changes made to the interior. This has a positive impact on the children, as they feel valued, and are encouraged to respect and care for their home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Managers and staff have formed positive relationships with outside agencies of the home and this is reflected in children’s plans and through the feedback provided by others. Staff have good-quality, open and regular communication with professionals and families, and there is a clear joint understanding of how best to meet the children’s needs.

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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: SC363268 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:

Amanda Maxwell: social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC363268 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:

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