Children's Home run by Portsmouth City Council in Portsmouth

Inspection report children's home: 1239948 1 Registered provider: Portsmouth City Council Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is operated by a local authority. It provides accommodation for up to three children aged eight to 18.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager has been registered with Ofsted since October 2020.

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Information about this children’s home

Due to COVID-19 (coronavirus), 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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Information about this children’s home

We last visited this setting on 14 October 2020 to carry out a monitoring visit. The report is published on the Ofsted website.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account good

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Overall experiences and progress of

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

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Overall experiences and progress of

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

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Overall experiences and progress of

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

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Overall experiences and progress of

Date of last inspection: 10 December 2019

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Overall experiences and progress of

Overall judgement at last inspection: Requires improvement to be good

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Overall experiences and progress of

Enforcement action since last inspection: None Inspection report children's home: 1239948 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

10/12/2019 Full Requires improvement to be good 06/09/2018 Full Good 15/08/2017 Full Good 08/11/2016 Full Good Inspection report children's home: 1239948 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children feel loved and cared for in this home. They have warm trusting relationships with the staff which have developed over significant periods of time. The stability this home offers the children helps them to feel safe, reflect on their behaviours and histories and make significant progress, especially when bearing in mind their starting points.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are seen to seek the company and reassurance of staff. Spontaneous acts and expressions of affection abound. Cuddles and laughter are part of the culture and routine. ‘They love me here, of course they listen to me,’ a child said.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have a meaningful voice in the running of the home and how staff help to support them. Apart from being consulted in relation to decor, activities and menus, they are involved in developing their care plans. As a result, they feel respected and know that they can influence the direction their lives are taking.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The relaxed and ongoing dialogue between children and staff means that complaints are rare, with any niggles being dealt with in a low-key manner. Two formal complaints, in the last two years, have been addressed promptly by the registered manager. The recording of the process is clear but the registered manager had not noted whether the complainant was satisfied that the complaint had been resolved. This is a recording shortfall and did not affect children’s welfare in any way.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The value of education is promoted to the children. Staff work very hard to support them to attend education and there is close communication between the staff and teachers. If there are problems with attendance the staff are tenacious and understanding in getting behind the reasons for this. They then plan and implement strategies to help the children to return.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children benefit from living in a home where the staff appreciate and promote contact with their families. Staff are instrumental in facilitating contact and providing careful and sensitive support to both the children and their families. This is particularly helpful and constructive if families have not worked collaboratively with social care agencies in the past. Importantly, this underpins close working in a common direction and leads to families trusting the staff. This area of practice is a particular strength of this service.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Members of staff know each child’s strengths and vulnerabilities. Risks, and strategies to minimise them, are clearly outlined in the risk assessments and then these strategies are implemented. The risk assessments are reviewed and kept up to date and relevant. Importantly, children are also involved in the review of these Inspection report children's home: 1239948 4 documents and can comment on them if they wish. Consequently, both children and staff know what needs to be done to keep them safe.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

There are clear protocols in place for staff to follow should a child be missing or absent without permission. These protocols are followed effectively and tenaciously. As a result, while some children may be out without permission, members of staff find them and then doggedly follow them to make sure they are safe. This results in their safe return.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Staff know how to support each child if they are anxious or their behaviour is escalating. Emphasis is placed on restorative conversations and reflection rather than use of sanctions. This helps the children to understand the reasons behind their behaviours and the impact that these can have on themselves or others. Mutual respect and tolerance of each other is central to life in this home.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

The use of physical intervention is rare. There have been two incidents in two years. On both occasions, the use was proportionate and appropriate. Reflective debriefs took place with the child and staff involved so that relationships were protected and any learning could be used. The checking and endorsing of the incident records, by an external manager, especially when the registered manager was involved, was delayed. Although there are verbal assurances the incidents were reviewed promptly, the endorsing of the records is beyond the timescales outlined in regulation. A requirement is made so that this shortfall is addressed in future.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Members of staff know what to do and who to inform if there are concerns about a child’s welfare. Social workers and other professionals report that issues are shared promptly so that plans can be put in place to keep the children safe.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Children are cared for by a very experienced and stable group of staff. They are ably supported by a registered manager who is focused on the children’s well-being and safety.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There is strong emphasis that this is the children’s home and not an institution. Staff take pride in the fact that the children feel loved and cared for. Staff celebrate success and enjoy the progress that the children make. Staff tenacity ensures that any interruptions to a child’s progress are coped with and overcome. Children are confident that staff will do what is best for them. ‘They have my back,’ a child said.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Members of staff unanimously report there is good morale and a strong sense of working together. They say they are very well supported, both formally during supervision and informally during day-to-day conversations with the registered manager. Although supervision is regular, the quality of recording the sessions is not consistent. Some sessions show that there has been thoughtful reflection on practice while others are short and do not evidence how issues have been discussed and resolved. Inspection report children's home: 1239948 5 Varied training is attended by all members of staff to ensure that they have the skills and knowledge to provide a good standard of care to the children. Additionally, members of staff also attend sessions with child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) staff to discuss children’s needs and explore different strategies. This means that staff can seek external review and support as well as being able to

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

develop a more in-depth understanding of the children’s traumas and anxieties.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The level of liaison and communication with other professionals and stakeholders is praised. ‘They contact me at any time. I have confidence in them,’ a parent reported. ‘They are attuned to her needs, and let me know what’s going on,’ a social worker said. The positive feedback underpins and reinforces the sense that everyone is working collaboratively, with each child’s well-being and progress at the centre of their thoughts and practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The staff and registered manager advocate strongly on behalf of children in order to make sure that they receive the therapy and services they need. Records show that this has been successful. In one instance, CAMHS sessions have been arranged to help a child move forward in managing their emotions and feelings. This was as a direct result of the staff and registered manager repeatedly contacting the service on behalf of the child. Inspection report children's home: 1239948 6

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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

within 24 hours of the use of a measure of control, discipline or restraint in relation to a child in the home, a record is made which includes—

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Requirement Due date

details of the child’s behaviour leading to the use of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

the date, time and location of the use of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

a description of the measure and its duration;

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Requirement Due date

details of any methods used or steps taken to avoid the need to use the measure;

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Requirement Due date

the name of the person who used the measure (“the user”), and of any other person present when the measure was used;

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Requirement Due date

the effectiveness and any consequences of the use of the measure; and

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Requirement Due date

a description of any injury to the child or any other person, and any medical treatment administered, as a result of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

within 48 hours of the use of the measure, the registered person, or a person who is authorised by the registered person to do so (“the authorised person”)—

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Requirement Due date

has spoken to the user about the measure; and

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Requirement Due date

has signed the record to confirm it is accurate; and 31 July 2021 Inspection report children's home: 1239948 7 within 5 days of the use of the measure, the registered person or the authorised person adds to the record confirmation that they have spoken to the child about the measure. (Regulation 35 (3)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(viii)(b)(i)(ii)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that external scrutiny of the incident is recorded in line with the regulations, especially if the registered manager has been involved in a restraint.

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Requirement Due date

Subject to paragraph (6), the registered person must establish a procedure for considering complaints made by or on behalf of children.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the procedure must provide that no person who is the subject of a complaint takes any part in its consideration or investigation, except at the informal resolution stage if the registered person considers it appropriate.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that a record is made of any complaint, the action taken in response, and the outcome of any investigation.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that no child is subject to any reprisal for making a complaint or representation.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must supply to HMCI, at HMCI’s request, a statement containing a summary of any complaints made during the preceding twelve months and the action that was taken in response to each complaint. (Regulation 39 (1)(2)(3)(4)(5))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that the record of the complaint includes whether the complainant is satisfied that the issue has been resolved. 31 July 2021

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that a note of the content and or/outcomes of supervision is kept and ensure that both the person giving the supervision and staff member have a copy of the record. In particular, ensure that records of supervision contain enough information about how the issues discussed have been resolved. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality Inspection report children's home: 1239948 8 standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.4)

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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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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Portsmouth City Council

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Portsmouth City Council, Head of Children and Young People’s Services, Civic Offices, Portsmouth PO1 2EA

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Inspector

Paul Taylor, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children's home: 1239948 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.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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