Children's Home run by Hampshire County Council in Hampshire

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1259734 1

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Hampshire County Council

Monitoring visit Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This is a purpose-built local authority home. It provides care and accommodation for up to four children. The statement of purpose states that it ‘helps children and young people recover from experiences which have rendered them vulnerable and disrupted their primary relationships’. The home uses the ‘Pillars of Parenting’ approach to inform its work with children. The manager was registered with Ofsted in November 2019.

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This monitoring visit

This monitoring visit took place following the provider’s notification to Ofsted of a serious incident. While Ofsted does not have the power to investigate such incidents, the inspectors were aware that this process was being undertaken by the appropriate authorities. Additional documentation, provided to Ofsted by the responsible individual, raised potential concerns with regards to the provider’s risk management practice and regulation 40 reporting. This monitoring visit was conducted to explore these areas further. Staff have insufficient guidance in the management of known risks, as risk reduction measures are reactive strategies rather than proactive. The risk management following a multi-disciplinary meeting was poor; for example, control measures agreed at a high-risk strategy meeting were not added to the risk assessment and carried out fully in practice. Poor risk management around missing from home

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This monitoring visit

episodes meant that a child was absent from the home for significant parts of the day as well as overnight. Staff are inconsistent in their approach when responding to missing episodes. Senior leaders did not have a clear agreement with other agencies on how to escalate the risk when necessary. Staff took some steps to support young people in a consensual relationship and there was some support to promote sexual health. However, the staff did not Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1259734 2 sufficiently challenge or guide the young people when they refused sexual health checks. Staff are poorly trained in some key areas, such as county lines. Some staff said that they had e-learning training prior to their secondment to the home. However, staff demonstrated insufficient knowledge and insight to always respond effectively to the risk. For example, they did not see the need to carry out routine room searches,

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This monitoring visit

question the secrecy of a young person or interpret telephone calls from unknown people. On one occasion, staff did not demonstrate that they had the skills and ability to manage an incident that continued for several hours causing damage to the property. Staff eventually called the police to help them to manage. This resulted in poor outcomes for the young people. The incident was poorly recorded and gave little explanation for the staff responses. There was poor management oversight with no learning undertaken afterwards to improve future practice. The registered manager did make the required statutory notification to Ofsted on this occasion; however, she failed to notify Ofsted of two further serious incidents. The registered manager ensured that there was a period of transition and assessment before a young person with high risk-taking behaviour came to live in the home. She ensured that there was a clear rationale as to how the home could

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This monitoring visit

support the young person. She completed risk assessments to assess the impact on other young people already living in the home. Although this was the best judgement at the time, there were significant detrimental effects on those already living in the home. Two young people have since left the home and there is currently a calmer environment. Some other management arrangements are good. For example, senior leaders have an active recruitment campaign to address the significant staff shortages. In the meantime, they have seconded staff from other homes to cover the shortfalls. Leaders are aware of the shortcomings in the independent visitor’s reports and a new visitor has been appointed.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 06/08/2019 Full Good 25/07/2018 Full Good 19/02/2018 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1259734 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 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— assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the child’s relevant plans, and, if necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child; have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm. (Regulation 12(1)(a)(2)(i)(iii)) 05/04/2020

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if— an incident requiring police involvement occurs in relation to a child which the registered person considers to be serious; there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40 (b)(e)) 05/04/2020

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Requirement Due date

*This requirement is subject to a compliance notice.

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors held discussions with the registered manager, staff, children and responsible individual during the site visit. They examined and took into account relevant documentation.

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Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1259734 4

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Hampshire County Council

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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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Inspectors

Chris Peel, social care inspector (lead) Keith Riley, social care inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1259734 5 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.

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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

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