Children's Home run by Solent Child Care Limited in Hampshire

Inspection report for children’s home: 1247384 1 Registered provider: Solent Childcare Ltd Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is owned and run by a private organisation. The home provides care for up to two children who have social and emotional difficulties. The staff are referred to as ‘adults’ in this report.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has been registered with Ofsted since May 2018.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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outstanding

How well children and young people are helped and protected outstanding

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outstanding

The effectiveness of leaders and managers outstanding

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outstanding

The children’s home provides highly effective services that consistently exceed the standards of good. The actions of the children’s home contribute to significantly improved outcomes and positive experiences for children and young people who need help, protection and care.

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outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: outstanding

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outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 1247384 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

29/06/2021 Full Outstanding 02/03/2020 Full Outstanding 03/12/2018 Full Outstanding 19/03/2018 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report for children’s home: 1247384 3

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outstanding

Children are provided with an outstanding level of care by a friendly and highly motivated team of adults. Adults have persevered to build and maintain trusting relationships with children. This has helped the children to settle, continue living at the home for several years and make wonderful memories.

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outstanding

Adults strongly promote children’s education. Children make excellent progress in school and have high attendance rates. Adults work closely with the school staff to ensure that a consistent approach to care and support is given to children. This helps some children settle well in school and helps others prepare for their final school examinations and apply for college placements. Adults use highly creative methods to encourage children to complete their homework. Consequently, children enjoy and value their education.

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outstanding

Adults know children exceptionally well and understand their needs. They have clear strategies to help the children overcome barriers and develop resilience. One child informed the inspector how the staff were thoughtful in preparing them for difficult life events.

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outstanding

Adults highly acknowledge the importance of capturing children’s views. They use natural approaches to engage children in open and honest discussions. Staff involve children in planned one-to-one key discussions where they obtain children’s views and reflect on identified issues. As a result, children feel listened to.

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outstanding

Children participate in a wide range of activities and enjoy life-changing experiences in the community and further afield. Children are kept physically fit by attending a variety of activities such as trampoline parks and bicycle riding. Children enjoy camping trips and holidays abroad. These experiences are captured in exceptionally well-presented memory books. A child proudly shared photographs with the inspector and said, ‘Spain was my favourite holiday. It’s the best place I have ever been.’

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outstanding

Adults have high aspirations for children to progress and achieve. Individualised independence plans are completed with children’s involvement. Adults help children learn life skills, be responsible and develop confidence in line with their age and abilities. They help children to budget, use their bank cards for shopping and access and engage with the wider community safely. This helps children feel empowered and they continue to do well.

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outstanding

The home is clean and well decorated with photos of children and adults on holidays and participating in a variety of activities. Children’s arts and crafts, personal effects, toys and collections are displayed in communal areas and children’s bedrooms. Inspection report for children’s home: 1247384 4

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outstanding

Adults work tirelessly to ensure that children are safe. Excellent assessment processes are used to measure risk levels for each child. These are regularly reviewed and used as an effective tool to keep children safe. Adults discuss identified trends in meetings and individually with children. This helps children understand risks and how to make safer choices.

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outstanding

Children seldom go missing from the home. When children walk away from the home to calm down, adults follow them, giving them space while ensuring they are safe. They encourage children to return home and help them to reflect on concerns and address their feelings and emotions. Clear protocols are in place to guide adults on actions to take in the event of a child going missing from care.

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outstanding

When children have emotional difficulties, adults respond compassionately and consistently. They skilfully use the home’s therapeutic model of practice and de- escalation techniques to support children to quickly calm. Children confidently reflect on their emotions and feelings and seek adults’ positive attention when distressed. Rigorous evaluation processes are used by the manager to ensure that incidents are managed in accordance with guidelines and the home’s model of practice.

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outstanding

Safe use of the internet and mobile phones is a high priority. Assessments and guidelines have been implemented to support safer access and use of the internet. When concerns are reported regarding the sharing of inappropriate images and accessing adult material, the manager and adults respond quickly. Child-centred discussions are held with children to help them understand the dangers associated with internet use. Extensive parental controls are fitted to the home’s internet system, and adults receive a wide variety of training to improve their understanding of internet safety and practice.

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outstanding

Children live in an extremely safe environment. Regular health and safety checks are completed. Children are encouraged to participate in some of the daily and weekly safety checks. When door alarms are used, adults ensure that children, parents and social workers are informed, and this is regularly reviewed.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered manager is exceptionally ambitious and has high expectations of the staff and the care provided to children. She shares her vision of providing an outstanding level of care with a very motivated team of adults. An adult said, ‘She [the manager] loves and cares for our children and wants the best for them.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager and adults use excellent systems to review children’s progress. They carry out a weekly monitoring process where they evaluate trends in behaviours and the progress made. The manager completes comprehensive monthly reports, which are shared with social workers. Children complete independent plans to help them Inspection report for children’s home: 1247384 5 track their own progress. This ensures that everyone is aware of the children’s progress, support needs and achievements.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Adults receive regular and highly effective supervision. The manager goes above and beyond to ensure that new adults receive supervision twice a week and direct coaching from experienced adults. This supports the new team to quickly gain confidence in caring for and building trusting relationships with children. Regular adult meetings provide space for the team to share their views on the progress made by children and how to improve practice. An adult said about the manager, ‘ She is one of the best managers I have ever known; she supports me and is very easy to talk to.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Adults are provided with opportunities to learn new skills and develop within the organisation. New adults receive extensive induction training. Further training is provided to adults in accordance with children’s current needs. This includes training provided by external bodies such as universities and other organisations. This helps adults provide highly effective care to children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager and adults promote equality, diversity, inclusion and different religions. They discuss and teach children to be tolerant, fair and respectful to others. Children are supported to explore their beliefs and provided opportunities to practice religious beliefs of their choice. Inspection report for children’s home: 1247384 6

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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: 1247384 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Solent Childcare Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 9 St Georges Yard, Castle Street, Farnham, Surrey GU9 7LW

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Charlotte Tanner

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Inspector

Alphie Khumalo, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 1247384 8 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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