Children's Home run by Hampshire County Council in Hampshire

Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC037910 1 SC037910 Registered provider: Hampshire County Council

p.1

Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The home is owned and managed by a local authority. It provides care and accommodation for up to three children. Its aim is to help children recover from experiences which have caused them to be vulnerable and disrupted their primary relationships.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The registered manager position has been vacant since June 2021.

p.1

This monitoring visit

This visit was carried out to monitor the registered provider’s progress against two compliance notices issued after the last full inspection, on 30 August 2022, when this home was judged inadequate.

p.1

This monitoring visit

The manager has taken action to provide staff with guidance on how to respond to specific incidents and events. However, overall risk management in the home remains weak. Staff are not provided with detailed strategies to reduce risk. When strategies are in place, these are not being consistently and appropriately implemented to keep all children safe.

p.1

This monitoring visit

Oversight of children’s information has improved, nonetheless, not all current information is being fully considered. For example, children’s risk assessments do not have all current information signed off as having been updated. Therefore, staff are referring to risk management plans which do not provide them with accurate information on how to safely manage and reduce children’s risks.

p.1

This monitoring visit

One child continues to smoke cannabis in the home. Although this is happening less often, it is not consistently managed in line with the risk management plan and Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC037910 2 strategies recorded in the child’s information. As a result, responses cause confusion and lack clarity on how staff manage this risk effectively.

p.1

This monitoring visit

Proactive staff continue to support children through key-work sessions. Children engage well and recording is good. Nonetheless, there is no follow-up on actions and therefore any progress children make drifts and is short term.

p.2

This monitoring visit

Communication between the staff has improved. However, a failure to share information within the staff team and a lack of comprehensive oversight of the day- to-day management of the home has prevented the manager from notifying Ofsted of a serious incident.

p.2

This monitoring visit

Monitoring systems are still ineffective. Systems to monitor the frequency of supervision to all staff fail to identify shortfalls. The manager has completed a review of all staff’s responsibilities, experience and training needs. However, this has failed to identify how improvements in the home will be monitored and reviewed. Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC037910 3

p.2

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

30/08/2022 Full Inadequate 31/03/2022 Interim Improved effectiveness 06/07/2021 Full Requires improvement to be good 15/05/2018 Full Outstanding Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC037910 4

p.3

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.

p.4

Requirement Due date

*The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

p.4

Requirement Due date

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

p.4

Requirement Due date

assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the child’s relevant plans, and, if necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child;

p.4

Requirement Due date

have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm;

p.4

Requirement Due date

that the home’s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(iii)(b)) 30 November 2022

p.4

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—

p.4

Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

p.4

Requirement Due date

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

p.4

Requirement Due date

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(h)) 30 November 2022

p.4

Requirement Due date

*These requirements are subject to a compliance notice. Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC037910 5

p.4

Information about this inspection

The purpose of this visit was to monitor the action taken and the progress made by the children’s home since its last Ofsted inspection.

p.5

Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000. Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC037910 6

p.5

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Hampshire County Council

p.6

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Hampshire Council, 3rd Floor, Elizabeth II Court North, The Castle, Winchester, Hampshire SO23 8UG

p.6

Inspector

Jill Sephton-Wright, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC037910 7 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.

p.6

Inspector

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.7

Inspector

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.7

Inspector

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.7