Children's Home run by Hampshire County Council in Hampshire

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC033174 1 SC033174

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Hampshire County Council

Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is owned and managed by a local authority. It is registered to provide care for up to four children aged between 10 and 17. The maximum age on admission is 16.

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Information about this children’s home

The provider states that the home offers residential care with therapeutic emphasis and multi-agency involvement to help children and young people to recover from experiences that have left them vulnerable.

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Information about this children’s home

The home has been without a registered manager since March 2021.

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This monitoring visit

At a monitoring visit on 20 October 2022, Ofsted reissued a compliance notice under regulation 12 (the protection of children standard). Following that visit, Ofsted lifted the notice restricting accommodation on 8 November 2022.

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This monitoring visit

This visit took place to assess the progress the provider has made to meet the steps of the compliance notice.

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This monitoring visit

Following a relatively settled period, with a reduction of serious incidents, an emergency placement of an additional child significantly impacted on all the children. This led to an increase of significant incidents being reported. In addition, further shortfalls were identified in respect of the assessment and management of risk.

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This monitoring visit

Staff failed to fulfil their responsibilities to follow a child’s risk management plans during a period when children were missing from the home. Despite the increase in management direction and oversight, staff did not execute their responsibilities to ensure that children were fully safeguarded. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC033174 2 Inspectors viewed all areas of the home and found unsafe items and evidence of over-the-counter medication in one child’s bedroom.

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This monitoring visit

Risk assessments for keeping children safe have improved; however, some information has not been updated for one child. There is a lack of professional curiosity when carrying out room searches. As a result, unsafe items have not been identified and removed by staff, which places children at continued risk of harm.

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This monitoring visit

Staff are not ensuring that boundaries are in place to safeguard children. For example, one child smokes cannabis in the home. There is little challenge or consistent messages from staff to enable a change in this behaviour.

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This monitoring visit

There are some examples of staff continuing to engage children in meaningful discussions. These conversations help children to understand the consequences of their behaviour and unsafe decision-making on themselves and others.

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This monitoring visit

Managers continue to have regular scrutiny of serious incidents. There is senior management oversight of how the home is managed day to day. Staff team meetings reflect on learning and how to implement this in practice. However, the management of risk and actions of staff do not safeguard children effectively.

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This monitoring visit

At a case review following this visit, it was confirmed that a notice restricting accommodation would be issued. Not all aspects of the compliance notice issued under regulation 12 have been met. Therefore, a further notice has been issued. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC033174 3

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 02/08/2022 Full Good 26/04/2022 Full Inadequate 26/04/2021 Full Good 30/10/2019 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC033174 4

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

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Requirement Due date

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

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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;

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Requirement Due date

understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(v)) 22 January 2023

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Requirement Due date

*This requirement is subject to a compliance notice.

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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.

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Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC033174 5

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Hampshire County Council

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Children’s home details

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

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Inspectors

Jill Sephton-Wright, Social Care Inspector Tony Waite, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC033174 6 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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

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