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

Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC461781 1 SC461781

p.1

Registered provider: New Forest Care Ltd

p.1

Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The children’s home provides care for up to four children with learning disabilities and additional needs. The home offers an integrated service that includes therapy, education and care. The home is one of a number operated by this private provider.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The registered manager post has been vacant since 3 July 2022. A new manager has been appointed but has not applied to register.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

p.1

Information about this children’s home

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

p.1

Information about this inspection

At this inspection, the inspector evaluated:

p.1

Information about this inspection

 the care of children  the safety of children  the effectiveness of leaders and managers. Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children, using the social care common inspection framework. This assurance 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’. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC461781 2

p.1

Findings from the inspection

We identified the following widespread concerns in relation to the care or protection of children at this assurance inspection:

p.2

Findings from the inspection

 There has been a lack of monitoring of the use of physical interventions to analyse trends and patterns and ensure the safety of children.  Staff have not had sufficient training in keeping children safe from the use of ligatures. The manager has not ensured that a risk assessment for a child relating to the use of ligatures is kept up to date.  Leaders and managers have not sought feedback from staff and children to understand the quality of care provided to children.  Staff have significant gaps in the frequency of their supervision sessions. This does not enable them to reflect on their practice.  The home is without a registered manager, and a manager appointed in January 2023 has not yet submitted an application to register with Ofsted.  The manager has not notified Ofsted of two allegations made against staff.  The manager has not written to a child to inform them of the outcome of a complaint.

p.2

Findings from the inspection

 There are shortfalls in the management oversight and monitoring of the home to recognise these failures.

p.2

The care of children

Children have made some progress since the last inspection. Children attend education, one child volunteers at a charity shop and children are spending more time with their families. They have had opportunities for new experiences and days out, and they have developed life skills, such as riding a bicycle.

p.2

The care of children

Overall, the home is well maintained. However, the staff and manager have not ensured that a child’s bedroom window is clean. The window has been left dirty for several months. This shows a lack of care and consideration for the child’s personal living space.

p.2

The care of children

On one occasion, when a child made a complaint, the manager did not write to the child to inform them of the outcome of their complaint. This is not in line with the home’s complaints policy and does not provide a clear outcome to the child following their complaint.

p.2

The safety of children

Nine out of the 19 staff have not had sufficient training to keep children safe from the use of ligatures. In addition, the manager has not ensured that a risk Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC461781 3 assessment for a child relating to the use of ligatures is up to date. This lack of monitoring has resulted in staff not having the necessary training and information to ensure children’s safety.

p.2

The safety of children

When physical interventions take place, there has been a failure to look at patterns and trends. This does not ensure that practice is safe or that monitoring systems are being used to identify and review safeguarding practice.

p.3

The safety of children

Staff know how to raise safeguarding concerns and how to respond to children who are missing from home.

p.3

The effectiveness of leaders and managers

The home has been without a registered manager since June 2022. A manager was appointed in January 2023 but has not yet submitted an application to register with Ofsted.

p.3

The effectiveness of leaders and managers

There has been a lack of management oversight to identify shortfalls. The manager has failed to complete a quality of care review. Children’s and staff’s views have not been sought to inform the monitoring and review systems in the home. In addition, staff supervision sessions have not been frequent. This does not enable managers to rectify any shortfalls identified in practice.

p.3

The effectiveness of leaders and managers

The current monitoring systems did not identify that Ofsted had not been notified of two allegations. This means the regulator is unable to monitor and evaluate responses to serious incidents. This demonstrates a lack of management understanding of their responsibilities and a lack of oversight of information being shared with the regulator. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC461781 4

p.3

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

09/08/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good 10/01/2022 Interim Declined in effectiveness 27/07/2021 Full Requires improvement to be good 04/09/2019 Full Good Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC461781 5

p.4

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.

p.5

Requirement Due date

* The leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that—

p.5

Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

p.5

Requirement Due date

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

p.5

Requirement Due date

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(c))

p.5

Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that staff have the necessary training and skills in relation to risks around ligature use.

p.5

Requirement Due date

The registered person must regularly review the impact of training to ensure that it is sufficient to meet the needs of individual children. 30 April 2023

p.5

Requirement Due date

* The leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that—

p.5

Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

p.5

Requirement Due date

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

p.5

Requirement Due date

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(h)) 30 April 2023 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC461781 6 In particular, the registered person must ensure that monitoring and review systems are implemented and are effective.

p.5

Requirement Due date

If the registered provider appoints a person to manage the home, the registered provider must, without delay, give HMCI notice of—

p.6

Requirement Due date

the name of the person so appointed; and

p.6

Requirement Due date

the date on which the appointment takes effect. (Regulation 27 (2)(a)(b))

p.6

Requirement Due date

In particular, the appointed manager must apply to register with Ofsted. 2 April 2023

p.6

Requirement Due date

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

p.6

Requirement Due date

there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there. (Regulation 40 (4)(c)) 2 April 2023

p.6

Requirement Due date

Subject to paragraph (6), the registered person must establish a procedure for considering complaints made by or on behalf of children. (Regulation 39 (1))

p.6

Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that children are written to and informed of the outcome of their complaint in line with the home’s policy. 2 April 2023

p.6

Requirement Due date

The quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who—

p.6

Requirement Due date

understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children;

p.6

Requirement Due date

use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential.

p.6

Requirement Due date

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

p.6

Requirement Due date

provide to children living in the home the physical necessities they need in order to live there comfortably. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(vii)) 2 April 2023 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC461781 7 In particular, the registered person must ensure that children live in a clean home environment.

p.6

Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees—

p.7

Requirement Due date

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

p.7

Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated. 2 April 2023

p.7

Requirement Due date

*These requirements are subject to a compliance notice. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC461781 8

p.7

Children’s home details

Registered provider: New Forest Care Ltd

p.8

Children’s home details

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

p.8

Inspector

Mark Dawkins, Social Care Inspector Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC461781 9 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.

p.8

Inspector

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.9

Inspector

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.9

Inspector

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.9

Inspector

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

p.9