SC 2514259

Inspection report children’s home: 2514259 1 Registered provider: Solent Childcare Ltd Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is owned by a small private company. It is registered to care for two children who have complex behavioural difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

There has been no registered manager in post since 6 July 2021.

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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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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: 24 January 2020

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outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: Improved effectiveness

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outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: 2514259 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

24/01/2020 Interim Improved effectiveness 23/07/2019 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: 2514259 3

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outstanding

The manager and staff in this home are all referred to as adults. They use an excellent parenting approach and skills to provide children with positive experiences. Children’s feelings and emotions are understood, and they receive a caring and nurturing response from adults that meets their needs. As a result, children make exceptional progress in all areas of their lives.

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outstanding

High-quality matching processes take place before children move into this home. The staff work collaboratively with professionals and family members with an extensive involvement of children. Further support and guidance are provided by the organisation’s therapist in completing thorough assessments that meet the needs of the children moving into the home. Children currently in the home help adults to decorate in preparation for the new child moving in. This reduces anxieties and gives children a sense of ownership from the outset.

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outstanding

Adults strongly promote the children’s education. Since living at the home, children have made exceptional improvements in their attendance and performance in school. One child has been highly committed to his education, so has travelled long distances to attend weekly boarding school. Another child is starting education in a mainstream school after making substantial progress through home-based private tuition. The provision of education enhances children’s life opportunities.

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outstanding

Children live in a well-maintained home. Children and adults take pride in the home, and ensure that there is a homely and welcoming feel throughout. The home is decorated with photographs of children and adults attending activities and visiting different places. One child is responsible for the upkeep of plants in the home. She also takes pride in collecting and caring for stick insects, which she feeds and keeps in a well-maintained environment. Children’s bedrooms are decorated in themes that match their interests and sensory needs. A family member acknowledged this by saying that their grandchild was ‘lucky to be living in such a beautiful, loving home’.

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outstanding

Staff ensure that children are given opportunities to voice their views and contribute to the decisions made in the home. Excellent tools, such as weekly updates and creatively planned one-to-one child and adult conversations, enable children’s views to be obtained. One child shared the wish to move closer to his school, family and friends. In response, the organisation has opened a new home that is closer to the child’s community. The child will be moving to the home soon and a well-planned transition is underway. A social worker said, ‘I am so pleased they have done such a wonderful thing for him.’

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outstanding

Children enjoy a wide range of recreational experiences. Adults encourage children to follow their individual interests, regardless of their physical health needs. One child who could not engage in most activities due to medical needs is now able to Inspection report children’s home: 2514259 4 access a wide range of activities without the use of a wheelchair, and told the inspector that she ‘has a lot of fun’. Children also enjoy attending clubs, such as football club and Brownies, independently. They are planning to join the local animal care club. A social worker said, ‘Children do such a wide range of activities, it keeps them busy, and it’s good for their mental well-being.’

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outstanding

Safeguarding concerns are well managed. Since the last inspection, only one child who previously lived here has gone missing. Adults follow clear missing persons passports as guidance on the action to take when children go missing from care.

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outstanding

Clear boundaries are discussed with children. This enables children to trust and feel secure with the adults. Excellent child-centred behaviour management plans are implemented with the children’s involvement. These capture children’s voices regarding how they wish to be supported to manage their feelings and emotions. This has resulted in a reduction in restraints, and has helped children to develop self-soothing techniques and the ability to talk about their feelings with adults.

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outstanding

Children and adults know how to report concerns. Immediate action is taken to safeguard children and adults when concerns and allegations are reported. The leaders and managers follow relevant procedures in reporting and managing allegations made by children. They liaise with the local authority designated officer (LADO). Thorough and detailed investigations are conducted and the findings are agreed with the LADO and documented clearly.

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outstanding

Recruitment processes are extremely thorough. Leaders and managers carefully recruit and select staff who are suitable to work in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The home’s new manager was previously in a senior management role in the home/organisation. She has made extensive changes to the approach adults use in caring and nurturing children. She has a strong emphasis on adults’ ability to demonstrate a professional affection to the children and maintaining a family feel to the home. A member of staff said, ‘She is amazing, [she] genuinely loves and cares for everyone here.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager uses highly effective monitoring systems to track and review the progress made by children. She has involved the children and adults in the regular reviewing processes of plans. This ensures that children are praised and rewarded in areas that they have excelled. All documents are updated as necessary. The manager has excellent oversight of practice and ensures that information is shared promptly with all relevant individuals.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Adults and managers receive regular and highly effective supervision sessions. These are supplemented by monthly supervision and group therapy meetings led by Inspection report children’s home: 2514259 5 an accredited therapist. One of these meetings was observed by the inspector. During the meeting, adults and managers were able to reflect on children’s and adults’ feelings regarding one child moving on to a sister home. Adults were able to open up, share wonderful memories and express the pride they had in the progress the child had made during his time at this home. This support has resulted in adults delivering excellent care which helps children to make progress within a short time of being placed in this home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The leaders and managers are aware of the strengths and weaknesses of the home. The manager has identified areas for improvement and acted swiftly on them. For example, some of the adults have recently left the home, resulting in a reduction in the number of staff. The manager has addressed this by carrying out an effective recruitment drive. As a result, the home has not experienced staff shortages and the children’s progress and experiences have not been affected.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager and adults promote equality, diversity and inclusion effectively. They hold discussions with children about differences in people, disabilities and how everyone is equal and should be treated fairly. A child with physical disabilities is included in everything in the home, and supported to enjoy her everyday life without limitation. Both children are challenged when they make negative comments about people who they regard as different from them. Every child is valued, and this helps children to feel included.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager shares positive relationships with other professionals. However, she does not shy away from challenging other agencies if she feels that decisions made about children’s needs are not suitable. For example, she has challenged one school when boundaries and routines were not adhered to, causing confusion for the child. The manager runs a home that embraces high expectations of the care and nurturing given to children, which makes children feel loved, safe and cared for. Inspection report children’s home: 2514259 6

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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 children’s home: 2514259 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Solent Childcare Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 9 St Georges Yard, Castle Street, Farnham, Surrey, GU9 7LW

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Charlotte Tanner

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Inspector

Alphie Khumalo, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children’s home: 2514259 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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