Children's home run by Wessex College Limited in Dorset

Inspection report children’s home: SC451819 1 SC451819 Registered provider: Wessex College

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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 children’s home is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to four young people who may have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. It is one of six children’s homes operated by this private organisation. The organisation provides an independent school that young people from this home can attend. There has been no registered manager in post since the home reopened in August 2019. Inspection dates: 15 to 16 January 2020

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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requires improvement to be good

How well children and young people are helped and protected requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The children’s home is not yet delivering good help and care for children and young people. However, there are no serious or widespread failures that result in their welfare not being safeguarded or promoted.

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC451819 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

01/08/2017 Full Good 06/01/2017 Interim Improved effectiveness 28/07/2016 Full Good 20/01/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report children’s home: SC451819 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 education standard is that children make measurable progress towards achieving their educational potential and are helped to do so. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— that staff— support each child’s learning and development, including helping the child to develop independent study skills and, where appropriate, helping the child to complete independent study; understand the barriers to learning that each child may face and take appropriate action to help the child to overcome any such barriers; help each child to understand the importance and value of education, learning, training and employment; promote opportunities for each child to learn informally. (Regulation 8(1)(2)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)) 27/02/2020

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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. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— that 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 27/02/2020 Inspection report children’s home: SC451819 4 child expectations about the child’s behaviour and ensure that the child understands those expectations in accordance with the

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Requirement Due date

child’s age and understanding; help each child to understand, in a way that is appropriate according to the child’s age and understanding, personal, sexual and social relationships, and how those relationships can be supportive or harmful; help each child to develop the understanding and skills to recognise or withdraw from a damaging, exploitative or harmful relationship. In particular, provide clarity to children in respect of expectations of behaviour. To enable children to develop healthy relationships and to understand the impact their behaviours can have upon others and themselves. (Regulation 11(1)(a)(b)(c)(2)(a)(I)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii) The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— that staff— help each child to understand how to keep safe; that the home’s

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Requirement Due date

day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm. (Regulation 12(1)(2)(a)(ii)(b)) In particular, ensure that safety planning reflects the current risks and provides staff will clear and robust guidance in order to keep all children safe. 27/02/2020

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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. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to— 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; ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child; ensure that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child; ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child; 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 27/02/2020 Inspection report children’s home: SC451819 5 inform the development of the quality of care provided in the

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Requirement Due date

home. (Regulation 13(1)(a)(b)(2)(a)(c)(d)(e)(f)) In particular, consistent management is required in order to help children aspire to their full potential.

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Recommendations

 For children’s homes to be nurturing and supportive environments that meet the needs of their children, they will, in most cases, be homely, domestic environments. Children’s homes must comply with relevant health and safety legislations (alarms, food hygiene etc.); however in doing so, homes should seek as far as possible to maintain a domestic rather than ‘institutional’ impression. (‘Guide to children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, April 2015, page 15, paragraph 3.9)

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improvement to be good

The house lacks homely touches. For example, there are only a few pictures on the walls and not many photographs of the children. Not all children are purposefully engaged with education. Timetabled learning hours are not high enough. However, consistent attempts are made to help children to learn. For example, tutors attend the home on a regular basis to support children who are not yet attending school with study. Children are engaging with tutors and attending school at times. Children do not always have a clear structure to their days. On the first day of the inspection, all three children spent most of the day in their bedrooms. There are limited clear boundaries regarding expectations of behaviour. The new manager is aware of this issue and has plans to change this culture within the home. Staffing of the home has not been consistent since it reopened in August 2019. This has hindered children’s ability to develop trusted and secure relationships with adults.

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improvement to be good

However, the inspector spoke to the children who live at the home, and they were all able to identify staff members who they can talk to if they have any worries. Care planning does not always reflect an accurate picture of children’s needs, and this does not promote best outcomes for children. Inspection report children’s home: SC451819 6

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improvement to be good

There has only been one physical intervention since August 2019. This incident resulted in a child complaining about the actions of the staff member involved. Both the physical intervention and the complaint were appropriately explored. No practice concerns were identified. Internal investigations into practice concerns are of a good standard. Any concerns raised by children are appropriately investigated. Staff are promoting opportunities to develop children’s emotional resilience by offering praise and compliments on a regular basis. Children are supported by staff to participate in important conversations about their lives. This includes in discussions with staff and other professionals. Recruitment of staff is safe, and the induction process has been improved to better prepare new staff for their roles.

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improvement to be good

Safety planning lacks rigour. Risk assessments do not always provide staff with important clarity regarding actions to be taken in crisis situations. Support for children to learn how to keep themselves safe is lacking. This includes helping them understand issues such as harmful relationships, criminal exploitation and safe internet use.

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

There has not been a registered manager in post since the home reopened in August 2019. However, the current manager has applied to become registered. The new manager of the home has already started to provide good oversight of practice. She is also seeking to develop a more nurturing environment for children. Supervision sampled during the inspection was of a good standard. Reflective practice was seen to be promoted by the manager. This supports the development of an environment for good practice to thrive. Leaders and managers do not always work closely with families to ensure that they are kept fully informed of children’s needs and experiences. Leaders and managers are aware of shortfalls within the care that they provide to children and there are plans in place to address these issues. These include improving staff retention and ensuring that management oversight of the home is effective.

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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 Inspection report children’s home: SC451819 7 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: SC451819 8

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Children’s home details

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

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Inspector

Polly Soper, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC451819 9 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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