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

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC480502 1 SC480502 Registered provider: New Forest Care

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Information about this children’s home

The home provides care for up to four children aged up to 18 years. The home is operated by a private organisation. According to the statement of purpose, the home caters for children with complex emotional, behavioural and educational difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

There has not been a registered manager in post since December 2021.

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This monitoring visit

This monitoring visit was undertaken to monitor the home’s progress following an inadequate judgement at the full inspection dated 10 October 2022. A compliance notice was issued after the full inspection in relation to regulation 12, the protection of children standard.

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This monitoring visit

The purpose of this monitoring visit was to monitor the provider’s compliance with the notice and the requirements set at the full inspection.

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This monitoring visit

Since the last visit, managers and senior staff have undertaken designated safeguarding lead training, and the staff have received additional training with a specific focus on roles and responsibilities regarding the protection of children. This demonstrates a positive culture shift towards increasing the staff’s accountability and their understanding of their roles in safeguarding children.

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This monitoring visit

Staff and managers demonstrate an improved understanding of how they can keep children safe. Leaders have introduced a system where staff are routinely and regularly asked about potential safeguarding scenarios. This helps to place safeguarding at the centre of practice and ensures that safeguarding remains high on the agenda.

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This monitoring visit

Staff have taken effective action when they have become aware of potential safeguarding issues for children. Risks are well understood, and staff use clear Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC480502 2 strategies to further reduce the risk of harm. Safeguarding responses reviewed following incidents demonstrate that the staff and managers are following the home’s safeguarding policy and taking effective action to keep children safe.

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This monitoring visit

Improved management monitoring ensures that the children’s records and safeguarding information are kept up to date. Consequently, information can be shared quickly and appropriately to enable decisions to be made to protect the children.

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This monitoring visit

Fire setting is a known risk for some of the children living at the home. An identified potential fire hazard has now been removed from the home.

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This monitoring visit

Leaders have ensured that when concerns arise regarding staff conduct, they are addressed in-line with the organisation’s disciplinary policy and that appropriate measures are in place for managing and improving poor performance.

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This monitoring visit

The home’s location assessment has been updated and now includes updates and mitigating actions the provider has taken to reduce identified risks. However, the assessment does not show recent consultation with relevant local agencies. This requirement has been restated.

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This monitoring visit

Managers are working hard to improve the quality of supervision records to ensure accountable practice and effective performance management. Although headway has been made, some supervision records remain weak and lack clear expectations for the staff.

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This monitoring visit

The manager has been in post since November 2021. He has submitted his application to register with Ofsted and is awaiting an appointment for his fit person interview. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC480502 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

25/10/2022 Full Inadequate 19/01/2022 Interim Sustained effectiveness 01/09/2021 Full Requires improvement to be good 11/02/2020 Full Outstanding Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC480502 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 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

Specifically, the independent person must regularly speak to the staff, and the children living at the home.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated. 21 January 2023

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must review the appropriateness and suitability of the location of the premises used for the purposes of the children’s home at least once in each calendar year, taking into account the requirement in regulation 12(2)(c) (the protection of children standard). (Regulation 46 (1))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated. 21 January 2023

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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: SC480502 5

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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

Anne-Marie Davies, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC480502 6 regulates and inspects 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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