Children's home run by New Forest Care Limited

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1258343 1

p.1

New Forest Care Ltd

Monitoring visit Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

 This privately operated children’s home is one of a group of homes and educational premises located in the south of England.  The home provides short-term care and accommodation for up to four children.  The manager is qualified and was registered in September 2017.

p.1

This monitoring visit

The home was judged as inadequate at the last full inspection on 2 and 3 July 2019. A compliance notice under regulation 20: restraint and deprivation of liberty was issued. This monitoring visit was undertaken to review the actions that have been taken by the provider to improve and to comply with the notice.

p.1

This monitoring visit

At this monitoring visit, it was identified that the provider has taken some steps to address the action points in the compliance notice. However, Ofsted judges that further work is required to ensure that the use of restraint in relation to a child, is always necessary and proportionate.

p.1

This monitoring visit

At the previous inspection in July, inspectors found that the use of restraint, including restraints where children were held on the ground, were high. Ofsted required the provider to assist staff in finding ways to reduce the use of restraint, including ground holds.

p.1

This monitoring visit

At this monitoring visit, inspectors found that incidents when restraint has been used have decreased. However, in each of the three incidents, incidents where children have been held by staff on the ground have continued to be used. In two of the incidents, the restraints on the ground may have been avoided had staff taken different actions to de-escalate the situation. In the third incident, staff worked Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1258343 2 effectively to de-escalate the behaviours and avoided using restraint until necessary. When physical intervention was used, it was appropriate to prevent a child from getting onto the road outside of the home. Nevertheless, staff did not take enough action to remove the child quickly and safely from the road and instead held the child on the ground for 12 minutes.

p.1

This monitoring visit

Following the last inspection, Ofsted required leaders and managers to review all records of restraint to identify areas of learning and development.

p.2

This monitoring visit

At this monitoring visit, inspectors found that the form managers use to document their review of restraint has been amended and now asks the reviewer to comment on why ground holds were used and to identify learning from the incidents.

p.2

This monitoring visit

In each of the three incidents when restraint was used, the manager has reviewed what happened and why, children have been spoken with about their experiences and staff have written a reflective account of their views. In one incident, the debriefing with the child led to a positive change in her care plan in an attempt to prevent a reoccurrence of poor behaviour. This is positive work. However, the manager’s written reviews of the three incidents did not demonstrate that he had challenged the staff about how restraint could have been avoided and when in one case it should have been used more effectively to swiftly remove a child from the road.

p.2

This monitoring visit

Following discussions during the monitoring visit, the manager subsequently completed an additional written review of the incidents. These revised reviews indicate emerging stronger challenge. Further work is required to ensure that an objective examination of each incident is consistently applied.

p.2

This monitoring visit

At the previous inspection, the provider was expected to review behaviour management plans to ensure that they reflect the health and emotional needs of the children and the impact that these needs have on how staff intervene.

p.2

This monitoring visit

Individual behaviour plans, although reviewed, remain weak in terms of the detailed actions required to assess the risks of restraining children who have specific health and emotional needs.

p.2

This monitoring visit

One plan now accurately includes information about a child’s emotional needs, but only asks staff to consider this when restraining the child. The second child’s plan indicates that the child has emotional needs but fails to include specific details documented in other records about what these needs are. Neither plan assesses the children’s emotional needs and the risks of trauma because of their histories to provide guidance for staff if they need to intervene physically.

p.2

This monitoring visit

Behaviour plans now identify the increased risk of positional asphyxiation of holding children who have asthma on the ground. A child who has asthma has been held on the ground on three occasions since the last inspection. In the most recent incident, Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1258343 3 an additional member of staff worked as a ‘critical observer’ of the incident and monitored the child’s breathing. This is a positive step forward, yet in all three of the incidents staff failed to administer the child’s inhaler as required in the behaviour management plan.

p.2

This monitoring visit

As a result of this visit, a case review decided that the compliance notice is not fully met and a second compliance notice under regulation 20 will be issued. A further full inspection will be undertaken to assess the actions in response to the compliance notice and to review the remaining requirements and recommendations issued at the previous inspection.

p.3

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

02/07/2019 Full Inadequate 04/02/2019 Interim Sustained effectiveness 02/10/2018 Full Good 12/02/2018 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1258343 4

p.3

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.4

Requirement Due date

6: The quality and purpose of care standard

p.4

Requirement Due date

The quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children; use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to understand and apply the home’s statement of purpose; ensure that staff—

p.4

Requirement Due date

understand and apply the home’s statement of purpose; protect and promote each child’s welfare; treat each child with dignity and respect; provide personalised care that meets each child’s needs, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans, taking account of the child’s background; help each child to understand and manage the impact of any experience of abuse or neglect; help each child to develop resilience and skills that prepare the child to return home, to live in a new placement or to live independently as an adult; and make decisions about the day-to-day arrangements for each child, in accordance with the child’s relevant plans, which give the child an appropriate degree of freedom and choice.

p.4

Requirement Due date

(Regulation 6 (1)(2)(a)(b)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(ix) and ‘Promoting the health and well-being of looked after children’, March 2015, page 24, paragraph 86)

p.4

Requirement Due date

This is with particular reference to ensuring that:

p.4

Requirement Due date

 There are clear, measurable and achievable targets to help children to achieve a greater degree of independence before they move on from the home. 31/08/2019 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1258343 5 11: The positive relationships standard

p.4

Requirement Due date

The positive relationships standard is that children are helped to develop, and to benefit from, relationships based on mutual respect and trust; an understanding about acceptable behaviour; and positive responses to other children and adults.

p.5

Requirement Due date

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

p.5

Requirement Due date

staff meet each child’s behavioural and emotional needs, as set out in the child’s relevant plans; help each child to develop socially aware behaviour; encourage each child to take responsibility for the child’s behaviour, in accordance with the child’s age and understanding; help each child to develop and practise skills to resolve conflicts positively and without harm to anyone; 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; strive to gain each child’s respect and trust; 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; are provided with supervision and support to enable them to understand and manage their own feelings and responses to

p.5

Requirement Due date

the behaviour and emotions of children, and to help children to do the same; de-escalate confrontations with or between children, or potentially violent behaviour by children; that each child is encouraged to build and maintain positive relationships with others.

p.5

Requirement Due date

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

p.5

Requirement Due date

 ensuring that behaviour management strategies involve only measures that are not excessive, promote the children’s dignity and welfare and which are compatible with the home’s therapeutic ethos;  ensuring that staff receive regular, qualified clinical supervision to improve their understanding and practice 20/08/2019 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1258343 6 in relation to children’s complex needs.

p.5

Requirement Due date

The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

p.6

Requirement Due date

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

p.6

Requirement Due date

understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person; are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies.

p.6

Requirement Due date

(Regulation 12 (1)(2)(a)(v)(vii) and ‘Working Together to Safeguard Children’, 2018, page 67, paragraph 45)

p.6

Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that the home works with its local safeguarding partners to agree how they will work together, and with the placing authority, to make sure that the needs of the individual children are met. This specifically refers to consulting safeguarding partners before taking action in relation to a child protection matter. 20/08/2019

p.6

Requirement Due date

20: Restraint and deprivation of liberty*

p.6

Requirement Due date

Restraint in relation to a child must be necessary and proportionate. (Regulation 20 (2)) 27/09/2019

p.6

Requirement Due date

*These requirements are subject to a compliance notice.

p.6

Recommendations

 Ensure that there is a diverse staff team with a range of interests, skills and experiences and that whenever possible, staff in day to day contact with children include staff from the different gender groups. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, April 2015, pages 52 and 54, paragraphs 10.6 and 10.22)  Any individual appointed to carry out visits to the home as an independent person 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’, April 2015, page 65 paragraph 15.5) In particular, ensure Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1258343 7 that reports made under regulation 44 are sent to Ofsted in a timely manner. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1258343 8

p.6

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.

p.8

Children’s home details

Registered provider: New Forest Care Ltd

p.8

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: West Shore House, West Street, Hythe, Southampton SO45 6AA

p.8

Inspectors

Paula Lahey, social care inspector David Kidner, social care inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1258343 9 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.8

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.9

Inspectors

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

p.9

Inspectors

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

p.9