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

Inspection report for children's home: SC063767 1 SC063767 Registered provider: New Forest Care Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home provides care for up to four children. The home specialises in caring for children who have experienced previous difficulties in settling in residential care and accessing mainstream education. The organisation has its own separately registered school and its own therapy team.

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Information about this children’s home

The inspector only inspected the residential provision at this setting.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has been registered with Ofsted since March 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 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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Information about this children’s home

We last visited this setting on 29 September 2020 to carry out an assurance 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

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outstanding

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

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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: 25 February 2020 Inspection report for children's home: SC063767 2 Overall judgement at last inspection: sustained effectiveness

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outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children's home: SC063767 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

25/02/2020 Interim Sustained effectiveness 29/05/2019 Full Good 21/01/2019 Interim Sustained effectiveness 23/05/2018 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children's home: SC063767 4

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outstanding

Children are making exceptional progress. One is working towards returning to live with their family. Another is attending school, having missed significant amounts of education in the past. Another is enjoying friendships. This progress is a direct result of the support and care that children receive from the attentive staff who work at this home.

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outstanding

Observations of the staff with the children show genuinely nurturing relationships. The children have been given the time to develop relationships at their own pace. New staff have demonstrated the patience and acceptance that it takes for the children to trust new adults. As a result of this approach, the children have built relationships and enjoy safe, predictable care delivered by well-trusted adults.

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outstanding

The children are supported to explore their identity, through their family relationships, music, interests, learning about current affairs such as Black Lives Matter or experimenting with how they dress and style their hair. They enjoy exploring their identity from a secure base where the adults are accepting and do not judge their choices.

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outstanding

The children all describe seeing people who are important to them. One child has made friends in the local community. He describes his free time as his best achievement in the last year as it makes him feel ‘normal’. The staff welcome the children’s friends on activities and work hard to support the children to experience community life by attending sports clubs and activities. As a result, the children benefit from integrating into the local community and enjoying a wide range of enriching experiences.

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

Children feel safe and supported. They have chosen their own safe spaces at times when they feel emotionally vulnerable or upset. This has resulted in a reduction in incidents when children have been physically restrained. When physical interventions have been used, it is as a last resort. Records show a clear account of the steps that staff took to support the child.

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

The staff are clear about safeguarding and know what to report, to whom and when. However, not all significant events have been reported to Ofsted. On one occasion, a child required scans and X-rays following an accident. On another, a disclosure of historical abuse was not reported. This insular practice prevents the regulator reviewing significant incidents in a timely way.

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

The children are encouraged to lead healthy lives. Their routine health checks are in date. However, there was one instance when a child suffered adverse effects from Inspection report for children's home: SC063767 5 prescribed medication and the staff sought advice from the in-house nurse, who is not qualified to prescribe. There is no evidence to show that the prescribing doctor was contacted. It is not in the child’s best interests to seek advice from a person who is unqualified to prescribe medication. On this occasion, there was no known adverse effect on the child.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Leaders and managers are highly aspirational. They are passionate about supporting the children to achieve the best possible outcomes. The staff working at the home share the same high aspirations. The staff speak highly of leaders and managers. They feel well supported through frequent supervision. As a result, the culture at the home is open, supportive and child-focused.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

New staff have been recruited since the last inspection. The records sampled showed the relevant checks have taken place following a safer recruitment process. Furthermore, staff are no longer being moved to work in other homes within the organisation. This has increased morale and given the children increased stability and consistency. All the staff interviewed were positive about this change, and proud of the success that they have achieved with the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Leaders and managers have used research to inform practice. They have made significant changes to the language used in the home, both verbally and in the written records about the children. This cultural change seeks to use language that cares, drawing on a document produced by care experienced children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Managerial monitoring is good. The registered manager uses a reflective approach in his review of the home. However, external monitoring is weak. The independent visitor fails to visit the home when the children are available. In the last year, there were several months when the children were not seen as part of the visit. There is also limited evidence that other key stakeholders, such as parents and social workers, are contacted regularly. Furthermore, the reports fail to provide analysis that would help drive continuous improvement of this service.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The home is well maintained. Through consultation with the children, changes have been made to the garden and the use of some rooms. There is a good example of the children’s voice being heard. Staff take action in line with children’s requests. Inspection report for children's home: SC063767 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 registered person must make arrangements for the handling, recording, safekeeping, safe administration and disposal of medicines received into the children’s home. (Regulation 23 (1))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the need to refer to the medication prescriber for advice and guidance on prescription medication. 27 March 2022

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that an independent person visits the children’s home at least once each month.

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Requirement Due date

When the independent person is carrying out a visit, the registered person must help the independent person—

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Requirement Due date

if they consent, to interview in private such of the children, their parents, relatives and persons working at the home as the independent person requires. (Regulation 44 (1) (2)(a))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the provider ensuring that the independent person regularly speaks to the staff and children living at the home and produces an analytical report. 27 March 2022

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that serious incidents affecting the welfare of a child are reported to the regulator. Examples of incidents that are likely to be considered serious include a child being the victim or perpetrator of a serious assault, or a serious illness or accident. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 63, paragraph 14.11) Inspection report for children's home: SC063767 7

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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’. Inspection report for children's home: SC063767 8

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Children’s home details

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

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Inspector

Sarah Olliver, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: SC063767 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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