Children's Home run by Hampshire County Council in Hampshire

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC037910 1 SC037910

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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 provides care for up to three children. Its aim is to help children to recover from experiences that have caused them to be vulnerable and disrupted their primary relationships.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager position has been vacant since June 2021.

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This monitoring visit

This visit was carried out to monitor the registered provider’s progress following the full inspection on 21 November 2022. Ofsted served a restriction of accommodation notice. No children have moved in to the home during this time.

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This monitoring visit

Staff and managers have made a conscious effort to improve the presentation of the home. New furniture, window frames and decor have given the home a more welcoming and less institutionalised feel. Children were consulted and said that they had chosen some canvas paintings.

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This monitoring visit

Swift action has been taken to address the instability and disharmony within the staff team. The staff and child say that they can see an improvement in working relationships at the home. There is an increase in the number of agency staff at the home. However, this is to provide extra capacity to enable permanent staff to complete the necessary training that was identified at the last inspection.

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This monitoring visit

The successful review of risk assessments by the acting manager and responsible individual has produced a more concise and reduced version. The accountability and responsibility will lay solely with the manager to amend these. Updates will be shared with the whole staff team. As a result of this work, the leadership team has a thorough oversight of risk management and planning. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC037910 2 When children have gone missing from the home, risk assessments have been followed and all relevant professionals have been informed. A coordinated response during one missing-from-home episode resulted in a child being located and supported to return home. For another child, missing-from-home episodes and incidents of physical aggression have reduced.

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This monitoring visit

All staff have received practice-related supervision. Observation of staff practice by the leadership team has been introduced and, so far, welcomed with positive outcomes. For example, new members of staff being inducted by permanent staff has been observed by the manager.

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This monitoring visit

The responsible individual has provided a good level of support, mentoring and guidance to the current acting manager. Monitoring is now effective, and the usefulness of auditing has improved. The leadership team has thorough oversight, including electronically, to ensure that all tasks and actions are completed and recorded appropriately. This has increased the positive day-to-day experiences for staff and children in the home.

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This monitoring visit

Some requirements and a recommendation were outside the scope of this visit. Therefore, these are restated and will be reviewed at the next inspection.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 21/11/2022 Full Inadequate 30/08/2022 Full Inadequate 31/03/2022 Interim Improved effectiveness 06/07/2021 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC037910 3

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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 provider must appoint a person to manage the children’s home if—

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Requirement Due date

there is no registered manager in respect of the home. (Regulation 27 (1)(a))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated. 31 January 2023

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Requirement Due date

A person may only manage a children’s home if—

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Requirement Due date

the person is of integrity and good character;

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Requirement Due date

having regard to the size of the home, its statement of purpose, and the number and needs (including any needs arising from any disability) of the children—

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Requirement Due date

the person has the appropriate experience, qualification and skills to manage the home effectively and lead the care of children. (Regulation 28 (1)(a)(b)(i))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated. 31 January 2023

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees—

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Requirement Due date

undertake appropriate continuing professional development;

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Requirement Due date

receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience. (Regulation 33 (4)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated. 31 January 2023

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if— 31 January 2023 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC037910 4 a child is involved in or subject to, or is suspected of being involved in or subject to, sexual exploitation;

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Requirement Due date

an incident requiring police involvement occurs in relation to a child which the registered person considers to be serious;

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Requirement Due date

there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious.

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Requirement Due date

A notification made under this regulation— must include details of—

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Requirement Due date

the other persons, bodies or organisations (if any) who or which have been notified; and

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Requirement Due date

any actions taken by the registered person as a result of the matter. (Regulation 40 (4)(a)(b)(e)(d)(a)(i)(ii)(iii))

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Requirement Due date

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

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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

to inspect the premises of the home and such of the home’s records (except for a child’s case records, unless the child and the child’s placing authority consent) as the independent person requires. (Regulation 44 (2)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated. 31 March 2023

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that children’s homes are nurturing and supportive environments that meet the needs of their children. They should be homely, domestic environments. Homes should seek, as far as possible, to maintain a domestic rather than ‘institutional’ impression. (Guide to the Children’s Home Regulations, including the quality standards; page 15, paragraph 3.9)

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Information about this inspection

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC037910 5 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.

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Hampshire County Council

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Children’s home details

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

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Inspector

Jill Sephton-Wright, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC037910 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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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