Children's home run by Wessex College Limited

Inspection report for children‘s home – monitoring visit: 1253583 1

p.1

Wessex College

Monitoring visit Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

 The home can provide care for up to four children aged over 11 years who may have experienced trauma and/or abuse, and who may have attachment difficulties.  This home is one of six homes operated by a private organisation. The organisation also owns a school and a farm, which children from this home may attend.  The accommodation is split between two adjoining houses. Both houses have two bedrooms for children. At the time of the inspection, two children were living in the home.  Since the previous inspection, a new manager has started in post and has applied to register with Ofsted.

p.1

This monitoring visit

The home was judged as inadequate at the last full inspection, on 25 and 26 June 2019. This monitoring visit was undertaken to review the actions taken by the provider to make improvements and to comply with the requirements set following the last inspection.

p.1

This monitoring visit

A new manager and deputy manager are in post. Both present with highly positive attitudes and a focus on ensuring that children experience good care. They are working hard to facilitate the required improvements.

p.1

This monitoring visit

Recently recruited staff now make up a large proportion of the staff team. Managers ensure that newly recruited staff work alongside more experienced team members. In addition, managers work shifts to oversee the performance of the team and to role model good practice. Throughout this visit, the staff demonstrated impressive skills during their interactions with children. Inspection report for children‘s home – monitoring visit: 1253583 2 Improvements have been made across all of the areas that were identified as shortfalls by Ofsted at the last inspection. However, it is early days in the home‘s improvement journey; further work is required to develop and embed the changes. Managers are realistic about how far they have come, and have a good understanding of what they need to achieve.

p.1

This monitoring visit

Ofsted will continue to monitor the performance of the home, and will review the remaining requirements from the previous inspection at the next full inspection.

p.2

Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 25/06/2019 Full Inadequate 30/07/2018 Full Requires improvement to be good 14/12/2017 Full Good 12/09/2017 Full Inadequate Inspection report for children‘s home – monitoring visit: 1253583 3

p.2

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.

p.3

Requirement Due date

5: Engaging with the wider system to ensure children‘s needs are met

p.3

Requirement Due date

In meeting the quality standards, the registered person must, and must ensure that staff—

p.3

Requirement Due date

seek to secure the input and services required to meet each child‘s needs.

p.3

Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that the manager actively seeks to receive information shared in independent return home interviews. 09/08/2019

p.3

Requirement Due date

6: The quality and purpose of care standard

p.3

Requirement Due date

The quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who—

p.3

Requirement Due date

understand the children‘s home‘s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children and;

p.3

Requirement Due date

use this understanding to deliver care that meets children‘s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential.

p.3

Requirement Due date

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

p.3

Requirement Due date

provide personalised care that meets each child‘s needs, as recorded in the child‘s relevant plans, taking account of the child‘s background;

p.3

Requirement Due date

provide to children living in the home with the physical necessities they need in order to live there comfortably;

p.3

Requirement Due date

ensure that the premises used for the purposes of the home 09/08/2019 Inspection report for children‘s home – monitoring visit: 1253583 4 are designed and furnished so as to—

p.3

Requirement Due date

meet the needs of each child; and enable each child to participate in the daily life of the home.

p.4

Requirement Due date

(Regulation 6(1)(a)(b)(2)(b)(iv)(vii)(c)(i)(ii))

p.4

Requirement Due date

The positive relationships standard is that children are helped to develop, and to benefit from, relationships based on—

p.4

Requirement Due date

an understanding about acceptable behaviour; and

p.4

Requirement Due date

positive responses to other children and adults.

p.4

Requirement Due date

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

p.4

Requirement Due date

meet each child‘s behavioural and emotional needs, as set out in the child‘s relevant plans;

p.4

Requirement Due date

help each child to develop socially aware behaviour;

p.4

Requirement Due date

encourage each child to take responsibility for the child‘s behaviour, in accordance with the child‘s age and understanding;

p.4

Requirement Due date

help each child to develop and practise skills to resolve conflicts positively and without harm to anyone;

p.4

Requirement Due date

communicate to each child expectations about the child‘s behaviour and ensure that the child understands those expectations in accordance with the child‘s age and understanding;

p.4

Requirement Due date

strive to gain each child‘s respect and trust;

p.4

Requirement Due date

understand how children‘s previous experiences and present emotions can be communicated through behaviour, and have the competence and skills to interpret these and develop positive relationships with children; 09/08/2019 Inspection report for children‘s home – monitoring visit: 1253583 5 de-escalate confrontations with or between children, or potentially violent behaviour by children;

p.4

Requirement Due date

that each child is encouraged to build and maintain positive relationships with others.

p.5

Requirement Due date

(Regulation 11(1)(a)(b)(c)(2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(viii)(ix)(xi)(b))

p.5

Requirement Due date

13: The leadership and management standard

p.5

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—

p.5

Requirement Due date

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

p.5

Requirement Due date

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

p.5

Requirement Due date

lead and manage the home in a way that is consistent with the approach and ethos, and delivers the outcomes, set out in the home‘s statement of purpose;

p.5

Requirement Due date

ensure that the home‘s workforce provides continuity of care to each child;

p.5

Requirement Due date

understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home;

p.5

Requirement Due date

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home.

p.5

Requirement Due date

(Regulation 13(1)(a)(b)(2)(a)(e)(f)(h)) 09/08/2019

p.5

Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees—

p.5

Requirement Due date

receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience; and

p.5

Requirement Due date

have their performance and fitness to perform their roles appraised at least once every year. 09/08/2019 Inspection report for children‘s home – monitoring visit: 1253583 6 (Regulation 33(4)(b)(c))

p.5

Requirement Due date

35: Behaviour management policies and records

p.6

Requirement Due date

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—

p.6

Requirement Due date

details of the child‘s behaviour leading to the use of the measure;

p.6

Requirement Due date

the date, time and location of the use of the measure;

p.6

Requirement Due date

a description of the measure and its duration;

p.6

Requirement Due date

details of any methods used or steps taken to avoid the need to use the measure;

p.6

Requirement Due date

the name of the person who used the measure (―the user‖), and of any other person present when the measure was used;

p.6

Requirement Due date

the effectiveness and any consequences of the use of the measure; and

p.6

Requirement Due date

a description of any injury to the child or any other person, and any medical treatment administered, as a result of the measure;

p.6

Requirement Due date

within 48 hours of the use of the measure, the registered person, or a person who is authorised by the registered person to do so (―the authorised person‖)—

p.6

Requirement Due date

has spoken to the user about the measure; and

p.6

Requirement Due date

has signed the record to confirm it is accurate; and

p.6

Requirement Due date

within 5 days of the use of the measure, the registered person or the authorised person adds to the record confirmation that they have spoken to the child about the measure. 09/08/2019 Inspection report for children‘s home – monitoring visit: 1253583 7 (Regulation 35(3)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(viii)(b)(i)(ii)(c))

p.6

Requirement Due date

The registered person must complete a review of the quality of care provided for children (―a quality of care review‖) at least once every 6 months.

p.7

Requirement Due date

In order to complete a quality of care review the registered person must establish and maintain a system for monitoring, reviewing and evaluating—

p.7

Requirement Due date

the quality of care provided for children;

p.7

Requirement Due date

the feedback and opinions of children about the children‘s home, its facilities and the quality of care they receive in it; and

p.7

Requirement Due date

any actions that the registered person considers necessary in order to improve or maintain the quality of care provided for children.

p.7

Requirement Due date

After completing a quality of care review, the registered person must produce a written report about the quality of care review and the actions which the registered person intends to take as a result of the quality of care review (―the quality of care review report‖).

p.7

Requirement Due date

supply to HMCI a copy of the quality of care review report within 28 days of the date on which the quality of care review is completed; and

p.7

Requirement Due date

make a copy of the quality of care review report available on request to a placing authority, if the placing authority is not the parent of a child accommodated in the home.

p.7

Requirement Due date

The system referred to in paragraph (2) must provide for ascertaining and considering the opinions of children, their parents, placing authorities and staff.

p.7

Requirement Due date

(Regulation 45(1)(2)(a)(b)(c)(3)(4)(a)(b)(5)) 09/08/2019 Inspection report for children‘s home – monitoring visit: 1253583 8

p.7

Recommendations

 As set out in regulations 31–33, the registered person is responsible for maintaining good employment practice. They must ensure that recruitment, supervision and performance management of staff safeguard children and minimise potential risks to them. (‗Guide to the children‘s homes regulations including the quality standards‘, page 61, paragraph 13.1). In particular, the registered person should ensure that they are satisfied that staff recruited through an agency have undergone the relevant checks.

p.8

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.

p.8

Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000. Inspection report for children‘s home – monitoring visit: 1253583 9

p.8

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Wessex College Limited, 4 Cedar Park, Cobham Road, Ferndown Industrial Estate, Wimborne BH21 7SF

p.9

Inspectors

Michelle Oxley, social care inspector Paula Lahey, social care inspector Inspection report for children‘s home – monitoring visit: 1253583 10 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

p.9

Inspectors

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.10

Inspectors

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.10

Inspectors

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: http://www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.10