Children's home run by Hampshire County Council

Inspection report children’s home: 1257573 1 Registered provider: Hampshire County Council Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is owned and managed by a local authority. It is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to five children. According to the home’s statement of purpose, it offers residential care with a therapeutic emphasis and multi-agency involvement to help children recover from experiences which have rendered them vulnerable and disrupted their primary relationships.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has been registered with Ofsted since 22 June 2017.

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Information about this children’s home

Due to COVID-19, at the request of the Secretary of State, we suspended all routine inspections of social care providers on 17 March 2020.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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outstanding

How well children and young people are helped and protected outstanding

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outstanding

The effectiveness of leaders and managers outstanding

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outstanding

The children’s home provides highly effective services that consistently exceed the standards of good. The actions of the children’s home contribute to significantly improved outcomes and positive experiences for children and young people who need help, protection and care.

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outstanding

Date of last inspection: 28 January 2020

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outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: outstanding

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outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: 1257573 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

28/01/2020 Full Outstanding 16/01/2019 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: 1257573 3

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outstanding

Good relationships continue between the five children who live in the home. Children have supportive, respectful and empathic relationships with each other. Children spoke of their experiences living in the home. They described a secure and caring environment, where they can explore their emotions openly and feel safe in doing so. This is because children and staff have excellent relationships.

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outstanding

All children benefit from a nurturing and homely environment. Dedicated and skilled members of staff provide stability and security. Children want to spend time with staff, for example playing games or shopping. One child wrote a letter to the inspector while at the home saying that she ‘trusts the staff’. The children benefit from a very diverse team. This allows the children to flourish in accepting and embracing their own identity and that of other people. For example, one child displayed immense support to another child, showing that other people’s feelings are important. Kindness is a theme that runs throughout this home, promoted by staff who are child focused. As a result, children accept and respect others’ views and opinions.

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outstanding

Children have achieved awards and certificates in activities, challenges and volunteer groups. The children proudly showed these with enthusiasm, smiles and humour. Staff are excellent role models, and the children value their opinion. Staff arranged for one child to experience a one-to-one cooking class at the home with a local chef. This then led to the child’s menu idea being used at a local hospitality venue. Staff are resourceful and create enhanced experiences, which reflect each child’s individuality.

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outstanding

Staff organise group activities selected by the children, for example pamper days, football or cooking. During the pandemic, staff have been inventive and imaginative. The registered manager has created a bespoke book in which to record the positive memories over the last year. The book shows the children on adventures or doing activities with each other and staff. This helps children to reflect positively and reminds them of happy times with staff and each other. Children proudly share this book with each other, their families and other visitors to the home.

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outstanding

Children succeed in education because staff give purposeful, insightful and practical support. Staff have effective communication with school staff and specialist provisions. This ensures that the children’s specific needs are always met through continuous planning. One child has been nominated to be a school prefect due to good attainment and behaviour. Another child has secured a place at college. This child told the inspector that this would not have been possible before living at the home. Inspection report children’s home: 1257573 4

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outstanding

Children flourish because of the emotional and physical support of staff. The registered manager advocates that care planning is at the child’s own pace to ensure stability and positive outcomes. For example, the process of children spending more time with their family members is child focused, and there is excellent communication with family members and professionals. Staff record the child’s wishes and feelings meticulously, the child’s voice clear throughout. Children can attend meetings with advocacy from staff if they wish. One child feels ‘wrapped around’ by staff and able to challenge decisions or ideas.

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outstanding

Clear routines and structures mean that everyone knows what is expected of them. Children said that they are well cared for by staff, staff look out for them and they feel safe. All staff encourage children to talk about feelings and worries. Children said that they talk to their key worker and many other staff. This creates an open culture and children feel secure with all staff.

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outstanding

Boundaries and consistency help staff manage difficult situations. One child told the inspector that they like the boundaries because ‘it makes the home feel like a proper home’. The use of physical restraint is rare. Generally, staff promote restorative work with the child. This follows behaviour incidents and is the foundation for repartition with positive outcomes. However, not all sanctions are restorative in nature, and financial sanction is used instead.

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outstanding

The registered manager has introduced a positivity book for each child. Staff write a positive or kind comment in this once every day for the children to read in the morning or the evening. The children can keep this if they wish. One child said that they like the book and will look at it again when they are older.

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outstanding

Motivated staff update risk assessments and necessary documents to reflect changes in behaviour. The registered manager has oversight of this and shares updates with all staff. This ensures that the children receive informed care and support from staff.

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outstanding

Missing episodes have reduced due to the caring and effective responses from staff. Every attempt is made to locate a child if they go missing from the home. This reduces the risk to children from exploitation and harm. The staff create a family environment, allowing for children to have their own personal space.

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outstanding

Children know how to complain, and the children’s handbook details all required information. Children told the inspector that they feel able to speak to staff if worried or concerned. Staff also know the process of how to raise a complaint in relation to a member of staff or a disclosure from a chid. All staff know the children well and make every effort to understand their history of trauma and respond accordingly. Inspection report children’s home: 1257573 5

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The home is managed by a dedicated and organised registered manager. She leads by example, showing unquestionable warmth and care for the children. Realistic, but high, expectations and rigorous management mean that children thrive.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff recruitment is thorough, and induction is comprehensive and effective. Newer members of staff told the inspector that they were well prepared for their first shift. The current staff team is stable. The registered manager utilises the skills and qualifications of her team. Children enjoy a wide range of knowledge and support from diverse members of staff, for example cooking, foreign language or different strategies that staff have learned before. Team meetings are an excellent platform for sharing information and practice reflection. Staff feel that they are appreciated and heard by leaders and managers.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Children feel safe, secure and heard. This is because leaders ensure that there are thorough actions taken when concerns are raised by children, staff and others. Actions taken to safeguard children are prompt and effective.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Leaders and managers provide opportunity for staff to develop and gain further qualifications. This offers stability for the children, as the support given encourages staff to progress within the same environment. Effective and regular supervision gives clarity to strengths and weaknesses in the team. As a result, the children receive care that promotes trauma-informed practice, is authentic and improves outcomes for the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered manager is actively involved with decision-making in the home. Leaders and managers work in close partnership with other professionals and specialist provisions to promote well-being and safeguarding of the children. As a result, the children’s holistic needs are met. Quality assurance methods are strong. Added monitoring systems implemented by the registered manager provide excellent oversight. This highlights the positive impact that living in the home has on children’s progress and permanence. Inspection report children’s home: 1257573 6

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that sanctions used to address poor behaviour are restorative in nature, to help children recognise the impact of their behaviour on themselves, other children, the staff caring for them and the wider community. (‘Guide to children’s homes regulations including the quality standards, page 46, paragraph 9.38)

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people, 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’.

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Information about this inspection

. Inspection report children’s home: 1257573 7

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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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Children’s home details

Registered manager: Maria Calway-Kennedy

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Inspector

Jill Sephton-Wright, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children’s home: 1257573 8 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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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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