Children's Home run by Hampshire County Council in Hampshire

Inspection report for children's home: 1257065 1 Registered provider: Hampshire County Council Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is owned and run by a local authority. It is registered to provide care for up to five 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 registered manager post has been vacant since May 2023.

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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: 25 January 2023

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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Enforcement action since last inspection:

Following a monitoring visit on 23 March 2023, compliance notices were issued in respect of regulation 12, the protection of children standard and regulation 14, the care planning standard. In addition, a restriction of accommodation notice was issued.

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Enforcement action since last inspection:

Following a further monitoring visit on 4 May 2023, the compliance notices in relation to regulations 12 14 were deemed not to be met, and a further compliance notice was issued in relation to regulation 13, the leadership and management standard. The restriction of accommodation notice was reissued. Inspection report for children's home: 1257065 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

25/01/2023 Full Good 23/11/2021 Full Outstanding 14/01/2020 Full Good 20/03/2019 Full Outstanding Inspection report for children's home: 1257065 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The quality of care provided to children has improved since the last inspection. Staff are helping children to be more settled, and staff report that the home feels much calmer. There is a positive atmosphere, which supports children to make good progress.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff provide a good level of support to ensure that children’s health needs are recognised and being met. Staff make sure that children access external health professionals when needed, and they proactively encourage children to attend routine health appointments.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Key-work sessions are well planned and sensitively delivered. They are an important part of the care and support children receive to improve their emotional well-being. Children’s views about their progress towards goals that are important to them are carefully recorded.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff understand the importance of supporting children to engage and make progress in education. When children are reluctant to attend, staff help them to maintain a healthy routine by encouraging them to participate in activities both inside and outside the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Managers have recognised that one child would benefit from life-story work, but there has been a delay in this starting. As a result, the child is struggling to understand the reasons why they need to live at the home, which is hindering his ability to understand his options for the future.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children appreciate the support that they receive from staff and recognise that this is helping them to make progress. Children’s independence is promoted, and staff are committed to preparing children to live more independently in the future. However, one child would benefit from help to learn how to safely travel independently, which would give them more age-appropriate freedom and choice.

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

There is now a system in place to ensure that the risk of fire is kept to a minimum. Work to improve the environment has been carried out, and the home is more comfortable and homely. Some maintenance work remains ongoing, and there are plans in place to carry out this work in the near future.

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

As a result of improved relationships between children and staff, the frequency of incidents has been significantly reduced. When they do occur, behaviour management responses are scrutinised by managers to ensure that they are proportionate and appropriate. Inspection report for children's home: 1257065 4 The systems for ensuring that staff are kept updated about children’s current risks have been reviewed and amended to promote safe practice. As a result, staff are fully informed about strategies to reduce risk and practical steps to take if risks arise.

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

When children make allegations about staff, managers respond robustly to ensure the safety of children. External safeguarding agencies are consulted before thorough investigations are carried out. This results in timely, independent scrutiny of the plans that are put in place to safeguard children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Interim management arrangements have ensured that there is a sharper focus on management monitoring and oversight, the establishment of a positive and caring culture, and clearer expectations of staff.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Senior leaders are actively recruiting a manager to be in day-to-day charge of the home, who will apply to be registered with Ofsted.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff supervision and appraisals are now held at agreed intervals. Focused team meetings provide staff with opportunities to improve their knowledge and understanding about how to meet children’s needs. These measures have had a positive impact on the morale of the staff team.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Effective management monitoring enables managers to immediately address any deficits or shortfalls in the quality of care. Managers notify Ofsted about all serious events. This enables the regulator to ensure that there has been a robust response.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Managers make good use of Ofsted inspections and the independent person’s reports to inform service developments. As a result, there is a firm basis for improvement in the quality of care to be sustained. Inspection report for children's home: 1257065 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, The 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 quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

help each child to develop resilience and skills that prepare the child to return home, to live in a new placement or to live independently as an adult; and

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Requirement Due date

make decisions about the day-to-day arrangements for each child, in accordance with the child’s relevant plans, which give the child an appropriate degree of freedom and choice. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(b)(vi)(ix) 30 September

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that all staff know the importance of children understanding who they are and where they come from and help children to understand their history by undertaking life-story work or other direct work. The staff in the home should play a full role in work of this kind. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 16, paragraph 3.14)  The registered person should ensure that, for some children who have experienced severe trauma, have mental health difficulties or have been excluded or out of education for significant periods, it may be necessary to address and work through their past experiences and present needs before they can positively participate in learning activities and formal education. The staff in the children’s Inspection report for children's home: 1257065 6 home will play a key role in supporting these children in line with their personal

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Recommendations

education plan or education, health and care plan and the recommendations from education and health professionals. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 26, paragraph 5.3)

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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: 1257065 7

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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: 1257065 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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