Children's home run by Solent Child Care Limited

Inspection report for children’s home: 1227788 1 Registered provider: Solent Child Care Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home can provide care for up to two children who have experienced childhood trauma and display emotional and behavioural difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The home has not had a registered manager since July 2023. The deputy manager was promoted to the manager role. They applied to register in January 2024.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, two children were living at the home.

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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: 10 January 2023

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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: 1227788 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

10/01/2023 Full Outstanding 14/12/2021 Full Good 09/07/2019 Full Good 21/11/2018 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 1227788 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children like living at the home. They are content with their care and have good relationships with staff. One child said that they liked living at the home because staff were always kind and supported them. They voiced being able to share their worries with all staff members. Children benefit from the homely environment, appearing relaxed and comfortable.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff help children to make progress in important areas of their lives. For example, one child is going to start studying for their GCSEs and has started to attend a local football club. Another child has started to attend a local school, which is better suited to their needs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff create opportunities for informal learning at home, which contribute towards qualifications. Children are currently learning about equality and diversity. Using a global map, the children identify a country they want to visit, and staff help to immerse them in the culture.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff are committed to helping the children to see people who are important to them. For one child, they offer good support to ensure family time is positive and that everyone has a nice time together. Staff supported another child to re-establish healthy dynamics with their sibling; they look forward to spending time together.

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

Leaders and managers understand the importance of life-story work and how this can be used to help children make sense of their lived experiences. They strongly advocate for children to attend therapy to help them achieve this.

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

Staff support children to understand safe and socially acceptable behaviours. Staff understand the impact of children’s previous experiences and ensure they offer the right support to each child. They use their therapeutic skills to encourage children to voice their feelings. This is helping children to communicate how they feel so staff can adapt their care and support to meet this need.

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

When proportionate, staff use restraint to keep the children, and others, safe. After these incidents, staff reassure the children that they are still cared for and valued. They give children the opportunity to share their views. Staff reflect on events and managers have oversight of these incidents. However, there is limited learning from incidents; staff are not consistently considering what they could have done differently.

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

Staff have meaningful conversations with children about safe behaviours and how to behave positively both in the home and the community. They involve multi-agency professionals in these conversations when needed to aid the children’s learning. Inspection report for children’s home: 1227788 4

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Since the last inspection, the registered manager was promoted to the responsible individual post. A new manager was appointed but decided to leave. The deputy manager then took up the manager post. They have well-established relationships with the children. Despite there being a period of change, the manager and responsible individual has provided consistency within the leadership team.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The responsible individual has a good understanding of the current strengths and weaknesses within the home. They are committed to supporting the development of the manager and deputy manager using mentoring and by modelling leadership behaviours.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers are strong and proactive advocates for children and their rights. For example, they instructed a solicitor on behalf of one child in relation to their education. They have also challenged professionals about reducing family time and the absence of life-story work. Additionally, they offer solutions to professionals, supporting them to take appropriate action.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers are making efforts to improve the quality of care. For example, they recently started an independence activity with one child who is reluctant to accept that they will leave the home in the future. Some staff members have completed training in life-story work and others have completed enhanced qualifications in therapeutic practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The responsible individual is aware that recent incidents have impacted staff confidence and they are working with the team to rebuild this. For example, by being more present in the home and modelling good practice to staff, helping them to improve their skills. Inspection report for children’s home: 1227788 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 leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that—

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Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

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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

understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(f)).

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the responsible individual should ensure that they capture learning from incidents. This should be shared with the staff team for the purpose of improving practice. 2 May 2024

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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: 1227788 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Solent Child Care Limited

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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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Inspector:

Tara Webb, Social Care Regulatory Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 1227788 7 regulates and inspects 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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