Children's home run by New Forest Care Limited in New Forest

Assurance visit report: SC461781 1 SC461781

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The children’s home provides residential care and accommodation for up to four children who have a learning disability and may have additional needs. The home offers an integrated service that includes therapy, education and care. The home is one of a number operated by this private provider.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in March 2015.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

Previous inspection date: 4 September 2019

p.1

Information about this visit

Due to COVID-19 (coronavirus), Ofsted suspended all routine inspections in March 2020. As part of a phased return to routine inspection, we are undertaking assurance visits to children’s social care services that are inspected under the social care common inspection framework (SCCIF).

p.1

Information about this visit

At these visits, inspectors evaluate the extent to which:  children are well cared for  children are safe  leaders and managers are exercising strong leadership.

p.1

Information about this visit

This visit was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000, following the published guidance for assurance visits.

p.1

Information about this visit

Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education, Children’s Services and Skills is leading Ofsted’s work into how England’s social care system has delivered child-centred practice and care within the context of the restrictions placed on society during the COVID-19 pandemic.

p.1

Findings from the visit

We did not identify any serious or widespread concerns in relation to the care or protection of children at this assurance visit. Assurance visit report: SC461781 2

p.1

The care of children

The young people have received suitable education during lockdown, with three teachers from the organisation’s school being allocated to this home. The young people are now back at school, settled and enjoying their education. There is a genuine, positive atmosphere in the home regarding education, with excellent attendance levels.

p.2

The care of children

The staff have significant discussions with the young people, including, for example, around safe use of social media. The trust that the staff form with the young people can be seen in the warm relationships between them and in the way young people seek guidance and advice from the staff.

p.2

The care of children

The young people have enjoyed trips away, such as camping, visits to holiday centres and their own ‘westival’, which included musicians, flame throwers and singers. The young people are also returning to clubs in the local community , including police cadets and football. One young person said, `They [the staff] make you feel welcome and they really do care about you… they just know you.’

p.2

The care of children

Feedback from professionals is also highly complementary, with one commenting: ‘An excellent placement; the care provided is excellent, with staff and professionals all working collaboratively. The staff have nurtured [Name of young person] and their interests.’

p.2

The safety of children

The registered manager and his staff team are competent in identifying, reporting and recording concerns and allegations. They are knowledgeable about the risks that the young people present with, or are at risk of. Individual assessments address known and potential risks. One-to-one time allows the staff to discuss risks with the young people and to agree strategies to help young people to keep safe.

p.2

The safety of children

Previously identified high numbers of ground holds being used, and poor restraint recording have been revisited at this assurance visit. The number of ground holds remained high during the summer months and have decreased significantly since the young people returned to school.

p.2

The safety of children

The registered manager has reflected that the increase in the number of incidents was due to specific causes, such as a senior member of staff change, one young person having restricted access to their mobile phone due to a safeguarding concern, and the increased anxieties due to COVID-19. However, there is a wider need for leaders to analyse, and learn from, the reasons for the decreasing use of physical restraint across different settings. The comments made by the young people, in referring to ground holds as their chosen method of restraint, also warrants further exploration by leaders and managers.

p.2

The safety of children

Although recording and reflection have improved, there is still a gap in so far as records show a lack of reference to the monitoring of airways during the restraints. Assurance visit report: SC461781 3 In practice, staff describe that they are allocated the task of observing the young person’s airway; however, this is not clearly detailed in risk management plans or restraint records.

p.2

Leaders and managers

Prior to this assurance visit, a virtual monitoring visit was undertaken on 18 June 2020 to examine the effectiveness of the care and to evaluate practice regarding the physical restraint of children. In addition, a key focus of the visit was to evaluate the care being provided to a young adult who is living in an annex connected to the home. Requirements were made, and the registered manager has addressed them. Some have yet to fully embed and so they cannot yet be assessed as being consistently effective. Other areas can already be seen to be improving. These include the need to improve recording and oversight of ground restraints. The registered manager has also improved the reflective practice with staff following a restraint. The staff have commented positively on this newly implemented focus.

p.3

Leaders and managers

The registered manager and deputy manager lead a team that includes a good mix of experienced and less experienced staff. The staff team is very supportive of the registered manager. He engages well with both young people and his staff team. During this visit, all three young people came straight to the office after a day at school to speak, with great ease, to the registered manager about their day.

p.3

Leaders and managers

The registered manager has managed the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic well. His risk assessment and COVID-19 action plan are detailed. However, these have not been reviewed since July 2020 and, with very recent changes to social distancing and restrictions, they do not reflect current guidance. The registered manager did confirm that he will update both documents.

p.3

Leaders and managers

The registered manager and a senior leader in the organisation have faced challenges with a local authority in the timeliness of gaining an appropriate adult placement for one young person. With challenge from the organisation, a positive outcome has been achieved.

p.3

Leaders and managers

Staffing has remained generally stable. The staff enjoy the support of the manager, and this has especially been the case during COVID-19. The staff have been supportive of each other during the pandemic and ensured that all shifts have been covered. Training has been affected by COVID-19, although the staff have accessed online training and resources. Despite this approach to ensuring that staff have complete training, there have been gaps in the frequency of staff receiving supervision. Assurance visit report: SC461781 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

The registered person must ensure that all employees— receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience (Regulation 33 (4)(b))

p.4

Requirement Due date

Specifically, ensure that all staff receive regular supervision. 13/11/2020

p.4

Requirement Due date

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

p.4

Requirement Due date

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

p.4

Requirement Due date

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 (Regulation 12 (1)(2)(a)(i))

p.4

Requirement Due date

Specifically, ensure that risk assessments in respect of restraint techniques include the potential risks to breathing and how this will be monitored and recorded by staff. 13/11/2020

p.4

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.4

Requirement Due date

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

p.4

Requirement Due date

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

p.4

Requirement Due date

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. 13/11/2020 Assurance visit report: SC461781 5

p.4

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: New Forest Care Ltd, West Shore House, West Street, Hythe, Southampton, Hampshire SO45 6AA

p.5

Inspector

Liz Driver, Social Care Inspector Assurance visit report: SC461781 6 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.5

Inspector

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 .

p.6

Inspector

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 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.6

Inspector

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

p.6

Inspector

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

p.6