Children's Home run by New Forest Care Limited in Hampshire

Inspection report for children’s home: 2571846 1 Registered provider: New Forest Care Limited

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Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is registered to provide care for up to five children with social and emotional difficulties. At the time of the inspection, four children were living at the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The home is run by a private organisation that operates several registered children’s homes.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in July 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

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2571846 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

21/06/2023 Full Good 21/02/2023 Full Requires improvement to be good 04/01/2022 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2571846 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children have positive relationships with the staff. The staff know them well and help them understand their feelings and behaviours. The staff support the children to explore ways to manage these and difficult situations.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The staff develop positive working relationships with professionals and those who matter most to the children. Professionals speak positively about the care and support that children receive. Professionals said that children have started to open up about some of their experiences and are able to name their feelings as a result of the nurturing and supportive care that they receive from staff. One professional commented, ‘They have made so much progress; it’s a joy to see.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The staff support family time well, and children are enabled to see people who are important to them. This has had a significant positive influence on some children’s relationships with their parents. A parent said, ‘Without the help of the manager and staff, my child and I would have no relationship.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children make good progress because of the help and support of staff. Staff talk fondly and positively about the children and are proud of the progress each child is making. The children are supported in getting along well. They show empathy and care towards each other. Staff are alert to any developing frictions and quickly act to help the children resolve these. The positive relationships between children and staff help children feel emotionally safe and secure.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The staff are child-focused. They ensure the children’s voices, feelings and wishes are heard and responded to. Staff are proactive in seeking children’s views with respect to care planning. They support them to understand the decisions being made around them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

All the children have previously struggled to attend school. Due to the help and support of staff, the children are now in full-time education. They have good school attendance and enjoy going. As a result, they are learning new skills, gaining new friendships and growing in confidence.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children live in a safe and welcoming home. Each child has their own personalised bedroom that is decorated with posters of their favourite characters. The children’s photos and artwork are proudly displayed throughout the house, and the atmosphere feels like a family home.

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

A positive culture of safeguarding is established in the home. The staff understand their roles and responsibilities. They receive good-quality safeguarding training. They Inspection report for children’s home: 2571846 4 regularly update their knowledge through discussions in team meetings, debriefs and supervision sessions. Staff demonstrate appropriate professional curiosity and consistently take action to ensure the safety of children.

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

The staff are skilled in recognising when children need support. They respond to incidents quickly and effectively. Incidents are consistently well recorded, and reflections take place with staff and children.

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

Due to the needs of the children, physical intervention is sometimes used. The manager maintains a suitable oversight of incidents, including any physical holding of children. Physical intervention is used as a last resort, and the minimum level of intervention is used for the minimum amount of time. Any physical intervention is carried out by suitably trained staff, in line with children’s plans. Staff have been successful in helping children manage difficult emotions, and there has been a decrease in physical intervention.

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

The positive relationships between staff and children promote an open culture where children feel able to share worries or concerns. Children know how to make a complaint, and when they do, staff support them well.

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

Any allegations made by children are investigated promptly. Any concerns about adults are promptly shared with the local authority designated officer. Senior leaders work collaboratively with children’s professional networks to ensure that children are kept safe. Managers consistently seek to learn from investigations to enhance practice and improve the children’s care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home is led by a reflective manager who knows the staff and children well. Her influence is clear. She leads by example to support and develop the staff team. The manager is actively involved in the children’s day-to-day care and is identified by the children as a trusted adult. The manager and staff have high aspirations for each child and help them enjoy their childhoods.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Senior leaders ensure that staff are well supported. The regular team meetings and individual staff supervisions are reflective and engaging. Individual staff supervision sessions, through exploring scenarios, encourage staff to remain alert to what to do in difficult situations. There is a strong sense of teamwork and commitment to children. One staff member said, ‘I have never been more supported in a job.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff feel professionally and appropriately challenged and supported. Newly recruited staff receive a comprehensive induction. Staff benefit from a variety of training that is relevant to the needs of the children they care for.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Before new children move into the home, the manager carefully assesses their needs and considers whether the staff have the skills to meet the child’s needs and the Inspection report for children’s home: 2571846 5 needs of other children in the home. Additional suitable training to meet the needs of the child is provided to staff.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Senior leaders are reflective and use effective monitoring and learning to implement positive changes to enhance the quality of care for children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

No requirements or recommendations were set at this inspection. Inspection report for children’s home: 2571846 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: 2571846 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: New Forest Care Limited

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Children’s home details

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

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: David Sayers-Carter

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Inspector

Sharron Dormand, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2571846 8 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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