Children's Home run by Hampshire County Council in Hampshire

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

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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. One child was living in the home at the time of the visit.

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Information about this children’s home

The provider states that the home offers residential care with a therapeutic emphasis and multi-agency involvement to help children 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

Care planning for the child has been agreed, which gives staff the direction and assurance to implement appropriate behaviour management strategies. The atmosphere in the home is now calm and organised. Improved cohesive working relationships between staff means that they present as more confident.

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This monitoring visit

Staff, including agency workers, understand and implement risk management measures safely. Risk assessments are regularly reviewed and updated by managers and senior team members. These are shared with all staff electronically and directly at the start of each shift. As a result, roles and responsibilities are clear for staff and carried out more effectively.

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This monitoring visit

Staff and managers adhere to the strategies in place to reduce risks. Management oversight has improved and staff accountability for their roles has increased. Staff rotate their supervision of the child to provide better support and to prevent incidents from escalating. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC033174 2 The learning from incidents is shared throughout the staff team. The increased presence of managers and decisive care planning have reenergised staff’s professional curiosity and confidence. As a result, more effective strategies have been implemented to meet the changing needs of the child.

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This monitoring visit

Despite the increased oversight by managers, the provider has failed to notify the regulator of one serious incident. This limits the ability of the regulator to fulfil its function. Other incidents have been reported as required and recording has improved.

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This monitoring visit

Staff and managers are proactive in working with other agencies. Good communication by staff has supported the child to engage with other agencies.

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This monitoring visit

The inspector viewed all areas of the home, including bedrooms, and found that the home is being kept in a better state and cleanliness has significantly improved.

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This monitoring visit

The poor performance of some staff identified at previous inspections has been appropriately managed. On one occasion, an agency member of staff had not followed the risk assessment. This was dealt with efficiently and concluded quickly by senior managers.

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This monitoring visit

The local authority has yet to appoint a manager, which remains a significant concern.

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This monitoring visit

At a case review following this visit, it was confirmed that the compliance notice issued under regulation 12 has been met. The notice restricting accommodation will remain in place to allow leaders and managers further time to embed the improving care practice. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC033174 3

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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 registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if—

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Requirement Due date

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 an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there;

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Requirement Due date

a child protection enquiry involving a child—

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Requirement Due date

concludes (in which case, the notification must include the outcome of the child protection enquiry); or

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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—

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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;

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Requirement Due date

must be made or confirmed in writing. (Regulation 40 (4)(a)(b)(c)(d)(i)(ii)(e) (5)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(b)) 31 March 2023 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC033174 5

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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 6

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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: SC033174 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 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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