Children's Home run by Isle of Wight Council in Isle of Wight

Inspection report for children’s home: SC395944 1 SC395944 Registered provider: Isle of Wight 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 run by the local authority. It is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to 10 children who have learning disabilities. It provides both short breaks and long-stay placements. The manager registered with Ofsted on 1 September 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

Ofsted last inspected this setting on 9 January 2021 to carry out an assurance visit. The report is published on our website.

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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

Date of last inspection: 30 October 2019

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC395944 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

30/10/2019 Full Good 14/11/2018 Full Good 15/08/2017 Full Good 09/03/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report for children’s home: SC395944 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children make significant progress while living in the home and accessing the short- breaks service. Nurturing care from a core committed staff team leads to children feeling relaxed and confident in the environment. Staff know each child’s needs and communication styles, making sure that children know what is happening now and next. Staff also ensure that children’s views are listened to and understood.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child-focused approach to care is evident throughout all aspects the home and the short-breaks service. Children make daily choices about meals or activities. Staff seek their views and advocate for children on other issues. Staff do this by spending time with children and being attuned to their responses when they are with other people, such as with their family, at school or with other children.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children attend local schools and staff have good relationships with key members of staff in the children’s classes. Children are happy going to school and teachers say that children appear happy when staff talk about the home. Staff understand children’s barriers to learning. A child who is out of school is supported through social skills activities facilitated by staff in the home and community. Managers actively seek appropriate education services with the local authority, advocating for what is in the child’s best interests.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children enjoy a wide range of activities outside of school, whether they live in the home or while visiting for short breaks. Trips to the park or beach on the way home from school give children time to relax before dinner. Children happily play with the wide range of toys and arts and crafts materials, as well as relaxing in the communal or independent lounges.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s physical and emotional well-being needs are well met. Strong links with community nurses, hospital staff and child and adolescent mental health services provide a joint approach to meeting children’s needs. Managers have actively responded to some issues with medication administration. This includes an audit of medication practice by the local clinical commissioning group and rigorous responses to any medication errors. Children enjoy a range of physically and emotionally stimulating activities and a range of healthy cooked meals, further promoting their physical health and well-being.

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

Children’s actions, demeanour and confidence around staff show that they feel safe in the environment. Staff are acutely aware of all children’s needs and vulnerabilities, ensuring that they keep them safe in the home and community. Staff monitor children’s behaviour and reactions carefully, quickly noting any changes and reporting these. Close liaison with partner agencies ensures that responses to any safeguarding concerns are shared swiftly. Inspection report for children’s home: SC395944 4 Children’s behaviour is recognised as communication, with staff attentive to what children are trying to convey. Understanding what children are trying to express is central to all practice in the home. Staff share any new actions, signs and behaviours as a team to ensure that all staff know what it is believed the child means. Staff redirect children to what they want or are consistent in how to redirect if it is something that cannot happen. Planned responses to certain behaviours are

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

clear and regularly updated. As a result, physical interventions are rarely used and children learn through natural consequences.

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

Children are protected from avoidable risk through regular maintenance of fire detection and firefighting equipment. Clear plans are in place should children need to evacuate, with each practice evacuation highlighting any learning for the future. Staff recruitment is in line with safer recruitment guidelines to prevent inappropriate people working in the home.

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

The home is undergoing a continued plan of refurbishment and redecoration. The environment meets children’s needs and is laid out to ensure that those who need it have extra space to spend time alone other than in their bedrooms. The environment is as homely as possible in accordance with children’s needs. There are a wide range of activities and facilities in the grounds for children to use, including soft play, a playground and well-equipped sensory rooms. However, storage solutions are not in line with a domestic setting, particularly an unsightly shipping container in the garden.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The management team is aspirational for the success and progress of all children in the home. They expect the same ambition from the staff team and lead by example. Staff feel valued by the management team and welcome that managers are available at any time for help or consultation.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The management team has provided a stable home for what has been a challenging period. The impact of COVID-19 restrictions has led to many cancellations in short breaks. Close working with children’s social workers has enabled a joint approach to assessing who would continue to receive breaks. Staff absence through shielding and COVID-19 has added further pressure to providing consistency for children, along with a high turnover of staff. However, children have still had effectively planned care from a core team.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive regular supervisions that provide a space for reflection and developmental discussions. Staff work well as a team and feel that they all support each other well. New staff are welcomed by the existing team and benefit from shadowing more experienced staff until they are confident in meeting children’s needs. Reflection by managers has led to adaptations in the recruitment process to ensure that staff have a fuller understanding of the needs of the children prior to taking up post. This has led to greater retention of new staff and better consistency for children. Inspection report for children’s home: SC395944 5 Managers have a good understanding of the progress children are making in the home and while accessing short breaks. However, plans do not accurately reflect key information for at least two children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Managers have keen oversight of the home and short-breaks service and welcome challenge from the recently appointed independent visitor. The quality of reports has improved and managers find the process useful for reflection and development of the service. Regular managers monitor links to the home’s development plans, which are ambitious and focused on children’s needs. Inspection report for children’s home: SC395944 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 leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that—

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Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

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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

understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home;. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(f)) 29 April 2022

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that the home maintains a domestic rather than ‘institutional’ impression. This includes storage facilities that are in line with a family home. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9)

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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: SC395944 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Isle of Wight Council

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: County Hall, High Street, Newport, Isle of Wight PO30 1UD

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Inspector

Jennie Christopher, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC395944 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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