Children's Home run by New Forest Care Limited in Hampshire

Inspection report for children’s home: SC068046 1 SC068046 Registered provider: New Forest Care Ltd Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

A private company owns the home. Its statement of purpose states that it provides care for one child with social and emotional difficulties. The child living at the home can attend the organisation’s school. The home is located within easy reach of community resources and services.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has not yet submitted an application to register with Ofsted.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

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good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

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good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

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good

Date of last inspection: 12 October 2021

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: outstanding

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC068046 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

12/10/2021 Full Outstanding 20/05/2019 Full Good 25/09/2018 Full Good 28/11/2017 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: SC068046 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Since the last inspection, the home has undergone a successful period of transformation to create a homely environment. The child previously living in the home made excellent progress in developing their self-esteem, self-care and social awareness. The child moved to another of the provider’s homes, which has given the child more independence and freedom to develop and progress. The transition was sensitive and well planned, and adaptations were made to staffing to best support the child. The child can see familiar faces regularly and speak to those they had built positive relationships with. This has helped them to continue to progress in their new home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

A new child has since moved to the home and the staff caring for the child have been carefully chosen. In consultation with the organisation’s therapy team, school and the child’s family, the child was welcomed to the home at a pace that suited them. The child’s input has helped identify a bespoke team of staff who are best suited to meet their needs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child is supported and cared for well by the staff in the home. Known risks and behaviours have reduced and the child is starting to talk about their past experiences. The school’s headteacher spoke of the significant improvement in the child’s emotional literacy. As a result, the child is using strategies to manage their emotions without support from others.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff promote the child’s interests in motor sports and football, and have researched and learned about these topics in their own time. Staff share their knowledge with the child through swapping trading cards and engaging in activities tailored to the child’s interests. This has included building a large cardboard-box lorry with support from the child’s family, which takes pride of place in the lounge.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

The change in children living in the home has led to an increase in physical interventions being used as the current child settles into the home. Physical interventions are brief, appropriate and keep the child safe. The child’s social worker and family are informed when such restraints are used. The child and staff are involved in the reflection of incidents and records are scrutinised by managers to ensure that they are accurate and reflective of events.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Managers take immediate action when the child is unhappy about the actions staff have taken during a physical restraint. Managers remove any known risks to ensure that the child feels safe and their voice is heard. Managers ensure that all agencies are informed and investigations help to identify adaptations in practice. Inspection report for children’s home: SC068046 4 The child does not go missing from the home. Careful planning and close bespoke support for the child gives them opportunities to feel valued and space to explore their interests and hobbies. Detailed plans are in place to promote children’s independence skills safely in the community, to prepare them for adulthood.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Staff are appropriately vetted before joining the home. Checks include meeting informally prior to interview and reviewing prospective staff’s online activities. This helps ensure that staff have the right ethos and values and are suitable to work in the home.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Staff have a detailed induction and training programme and this is generally well delivered. However, one member of staff is not trained to carry out physical restraints, despite this being a high need in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Since the last inspection, the registered manager has resigned, but remains in the home. A new manager has been appointed and joined the home at the end of January 2023. They are in the process of applying to register with Ofsted.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders have started to promote the use of positive language that is child-centred and less institutionalised. This helps to provide a more collaborative language that children understand and replicates language used in a family home as much as possible.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Records in the home are stored electronically. However, staff are unable to quickly locate key documents that contain information about the child. The staff reported that the systems in place were difficult to navigate. This impacts on their ability to share information about the child when needed.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The child’s family and social worker were extremely positive about the home and the staff who care for the child. One family member told the inspector, ‘It’s wonderful; staff are doing a really good job and [name of child] is lucky to have a house so good.’ Involving the child’s family and social worker has helped the child to settle in the home and begin to make progress. Inspection report for children’s home: SC068046 5

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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

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

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Requirement Due date

This refers specifically to the provider ensuring that all staff are trained in the use of physical intervention. 5 April 2023

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that records stored electronically (regulation 38) can be easily accessed by anyone with a legitimate need to view them and, if required, be reproduced in a legible form. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 14.2)

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people, using the social care common inspection framework. This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000 to assess the effectiveness of the service, how it meets the core functions of the service as set out in legislation, and to consider how well it complies with the Children’s Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the ‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’. Inspection report for children’s home: SC068046 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: New Forest Care Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: West Shore House, West Street, Hythe, Southampton, Hampshire SO45 6AA

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Inspector

Matt Nicholls, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC068046 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.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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