Children's Home run by Portsmouth City Council in Portsmouth

Inspection report for children’s home: 1239948 1 Registered provider: Portsmouth City Council Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is operated by a local authority. It provides care for up to three children. At the time of the inspection, two children were living at the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has been registered with Ofsted since October 2020.

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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: good

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outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 1239948 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

07/06/2022 Full Good 20/04/2022 Full Inadequate 22/06/2021 Full Good 10/12/2019 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children’s home: 1239948 3

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outstanding

Children thrive in this home. There is a stable team of dedicated, skilled and child- focused staff who are genuinely committed to providing warm and nurturing care. Children, some of whom have experienced multiple placement-moves prior to arriving, said that they want to stay at this home until they are adults.

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outstanding

Personalised bedrooms and photos of children in communal areas give the home a family feel and provide children with a real sense of belonging and security. Children appreciate the support that they receive from staff, and they are proud to live here.

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outstanding

Managers and staff proactively advocate for children to receive the resources and services that they need to achieve the best outcomes. Children make excellent progress, particularly in relation to attendance and achievement in education. Staff actively encourage children to include their friends from outside the home in activities and celebrations. This helps to improve children’s self-esteem and confidence in social situations.

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outstanding

Staff are fully informed about the therapeutic model which is at the centre of the home’s ethos. Children benefit from consistent boundaries, expectations and responses from staff. Staff promote a problem-solving approach which supports children to have a positive experience of learning how to make amends for their mistakes.

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outstanding

Children’s views are highly valued and are integral to all decisions. Children are unanimous in their opinion that they would speak to staff if they were worried about something, and they are confident that their voice would be heard.

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outstanding

Children’s health needs are supported by staff through careful planning and strong communication with external health professionals.

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outstanding

Children’s well-being and safety are priorities for managers and staff. Efficient and organised staff understand their roles and responsibilities in relation to safeguarding children. Effective and open communication between staff further underpins the safeguarding culture and promotes children’s safety.

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outstanding

Children have thorough and detailed risk assessments which clearly describe how to keep them safe. These are individualised and updated regularly, and children are made aware of any changes. Empowering children to have a view about how their risks are managed contributes to their protection and sense of security. Inspection report for children’s home: 1239948 4 There is a robust response from staff to ensure that children return safely when they go missing from the home. One child told the inspector that, when they are out with their friends, staff make contact to check on their welfare and well-being. Children said that they know the staff care about them and want to make sure that they are staying safe.

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outstanding

The use of physical restraint is rare because staff know the children well and make effective use of de-escalation techniques when children are struggling to manage their emotions. When restraints do occur, the registered manager carries out a thorough review with the children and staff involved. Learning is shared with the child’s social worker, which demonstrates transparency and effective joint working.

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outstanding

Committed staff help children to understand that their care is arranged in a way which offers age-appropriate freedom and choice. This approach teaches children valuable skills about how to keep themselves safe.

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outstanding

Children know how to make a complaint if they are unhappy about any aspect of their care. Complaints are taken seriously, investigated and acted on. Children receive feedback about their complaint in a timely way.

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outstanding

Processes for managing health and safety matters and maintenance tasks are excellent. As a result, repairs are completed in a timely manner and the physical environment is safe and secure. Children know what action they need to take in response to emergency situations such as a fire.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered manager is passionate in his efforts to be a trusted figure for the children, and he has high aspirations for what children can achieve. This makes the manager an excellent role model for the staff.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff report exceptional support from managers. They receive regular, meaningful supervision. Staff describe a culture which promotes mutual respect. Morale is high, and staff are inspired to give high-quality care to children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff spoke positively about the training that they receive. They are encouraged to evaluate how it equips them to work with the children in their care. Promoting learning contributes to an ethos of well-informed staff helping children to flourish.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Other professionals spoke highly about the thoughtful care that children receive and the way this is embedded into practice. For example, the language staff use in children’s records is reflective of the nurturing care that children receive.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered manager’s oversight and scrutiny of the home are extremely thorough. He makes good use of the independent person’s reports and of his own review of the quality of care provided to children. This means that the registered manager has a well-rounded view of the experiences of the children and the impact that the care is having on their outcomes. Inspection report for children’s home: 1239948 5

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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: 1239948 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Portsmouth City Council

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Portsmouth City Council Head of Children and Young People’s Services, Civic Offices, Portsmouth PO1 2EA

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Inspector

Jill Sephton-Wright, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 1239948 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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