Children's Home run by Fair Ways in Hampshire

Inspection report for children’s home: SC066481 1 SC066481 Registered provider: Fairways Care (UK) Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is registered to accommodate up to five children. The home uses a therapeutic intervention to care for children who have experienced abuse, rejection, breakdown of previous placement or exclusion from mainstream school. It is operated by a wholly owned subsidiary of a charity, which has its own educational setting nearby.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has been registered with Ofsted since February 2020.

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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 carried out under the social care common inspection framework (SCCIF) on 17 March 2020. We returned to routine SCCIF inspections on 12 April 2021.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

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good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

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good

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

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: Improved effectiveness

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC066481 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

04/03/2020 Interim Improved effectiveness 24/09/2019 Full Good 11/07/2018 Full Requires improvement to be good 22/05/2017 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: SC066481 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children in this home receive love and care from a committed staff team. The provider has implemented a therapeutic model and the registered manager has ensured that staff are trained to deliver this model. The staff have consultations with the home’s therapy team, and these contribute to the development of individual plans for the children. These sessions are powerful, and staff participate fully in discussions to ensure that all aspects of a child’s care are considered when decisions are made. This has resulted in staff supporting the children sensitively about issues, including bereavement, changes to their routines and building relationships with their families.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The affection and care that staff show are not always reflected in the presentation of the home. Some areas of the home look tired and some children’s bedrooms fail to reflect their individual personality or needs fully. When talking about the décor in the living area, one child told the inspector, ‘I see enough bricks on the outside of the house, I don’t need to see them inside, too.’ The provider has plans to complete an extension and renovation of the home in the near future, which is aimed at resolving these issues. Currently, children are not benefiting from a homely space that makes them feel comfortable.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have made good progress in many areas, and in some instances, progress has been exceptional. All children attend school regularly. One child with additional needs struggled with the move from junior to secondary school. By creatively using non-verbal communication tools, staff identified this at an early stage, communicated with other professionals and put a plan in place. This has enabled the child to move successfully to secondary school, build friendships, join a local football team and continue to achieve full attendance. This approach enables children to value education, while feeling cared for by the staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support children to maintain relationships with their families and those who matter most in their lives. Children benefit from regular face-to-face catch-ups with parents or families. One child has successfully repaired a relationship with their parent with the support of staff. The parent told the inspector, ‘Staff have done amazing things with [them]. They are very supportive, and I can’t ask for anyone better to care for my child.’

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

Children rarely go missing, and when this does happen, the child is often found quickly in the local area. However, on one occasion, a child was able to travel to a nearby city and spend time there without being located by the staff. Another child informed the staff team of the child’s whereabouts, and other agencies were informed, but staff failed to go out and look for the child. This caused a delay in the Inspection report for children’s home: SC066481 4 child being located. No clear policy has been put into place, should this happen again.

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

Children receive kindness and support when they feel upset or angry. During incidents where physical intervention is required, the intervention is brief, and the support made available to children after the event is substantial. Staff place great emphasis on understanding the behaviour being shown. Each incident is fully explored to consider what the behaviour was trying to communicate, and to identify triggers. These triggers are then discussed among the team and help to inform the children’s plans. Staff spoke with passion about the children in their care, and this is reflected in the close bond that they share with them.

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

Children are supported to display positive behaviours. Staff model appropriate behaviours, and rewards for children far outweigh the use of consequence. Staff focus on capturing and rewarding positive behaviours, and this has led to a reduction of behavioural incidents. One child has significantly reduced the number of behavioural incidents in school. The headteacher told the inspector that staff at the home have been instrumental in working collaboratively with the school staff team. This approach has allowed the child to receive a consistent level of care across home and school.

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

Children make their views known and they feel listened to. Staff have acted quickly to ensure that children’s Christmas wishes have been acted on and plans put in place. Children rarely complain, but they know how to do so, should the need arise. Children commented that they felt comfortable to discuss any concerns with staff. On the one occasion that an allegation was made against staff, there was a delay in informing the designated officer. This was identified and rectified. Managers and staff received refreshed training on managing allegations, and they are now confident in their role in the reporting process. This has enabled children to feel valued and listened to.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager has successfully recruited and trained a highly effective team. This has led to the registered manager taking a more senior position within the organisation in 2022. As a result, the current deputy manager will take the place of the registered manager and a new deputy manager will be joining the home soon. The members of the staff team are positive about this change and believe that the deputy will continue with the child-centred approach that is clearly visible in the home. This allows children to continue to benefit from a staff team that is committed to meet their needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff are positive about the support that they have received from managers. Staff spoke about feeling recognised and valued for their efforts to support the children during the period of the COVID-19 lockdowns. Senior leaders sent staff support packages of treats, and called the home to check on staff well-being. Staff speak highly of their regular supervision sessions. Staff also value the weekly team meetings and reflective sessions, which enable them to come together as a group Inspection report for children’s home: SC066481 5 and develop their practice reflectively. This commitment from managers to staff has positively influenced the commitment that staff show to the children. As a result, the children feel valued and cared for.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Managers have acted quickly to safeguard children against a recent maintenance issue. A ceiling, which contained asbestos, fell in the dining area. Managers acted quickly with the provider’s health and safety team to secure the area, using specialist contractors to remove the debris and to monitor the air quality. The refurbishment of the dining area is almost complete. The inspector was able to see laughter and fun during dinner time in the temporary dining area, and there was a sense of togetherness between the staff and children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff who had recently joined the home were positive about their recruitment, induction and training opportunities. Recruitment records show that the provider’s recruitment team thoroughly checks that staff have the right skills and experience. Any gaps in staff knowledge or skill are addressed, and managers have good oversight of the training needs of the team. Staff induction ensures that newly appointed staff quickly develop their therapeutic practice, and this allows the children to benefit from a consistency in the care that they receive. Inspection report for children’s home: SC066481 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

The quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children;

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Requirement Due date

use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential.

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed and furnished so as to—

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Requirement Due date

This relates specifically to children’s bedrooms being personalised and communal areas being designed to reflect children’s personalities and interests. 28 February 2022

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Recommendations

 The registered person must specify the procedures to be followed and the roles and responsibilities of staff when a child is missing from care or away from the home without permission and how staff should support the child on return to the home. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations, including the quality standards’, page 45, paragraph 9.28)

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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, Inspection report for children’s home: SC066481 7 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 for children’s home: SC066481 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Fairways Care (UK) Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Fair Ways, Ground Floor, Building 1000, Western Road, Portsmouth, Hampshire PO6 3EZ

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Inspector

Matt Nicholls, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC066481 9 regulates and inspects 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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