Children's home run by New Forest Care Limited in Southampton

Inspection report for children’s home: SC063767 1 SC063767 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

This privately operated children’s home is one of a group of homes and educational premises located in the South of England. It is registered to provide care for up to four children, irrespective of gender, aged eight to 18 years who may present with emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

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

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in September 2023.

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Information about this children’s home

The inspector only inspected the social care provision of 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

Overall judgement at last inspection: outstanding

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC063767 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

06/03/2024 Full Outstanding 14/03/2023 Full Good 15/02/2022 Full Outstanding 25/02/2020 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report for children’s home: SC063767 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children benefit from being cared for by an ambitious and nurturing staff who are committed to meeting their individual needs. They are helped to build trusting relationships with staff. Two children have been at the home long term. One child has made significant progress and is better able to manage his feelings and express himself, which has led to a reduction in behaviour incidents. His school attendance has also improved considerably. Another child is currently in their parents’ care. One child recently moved into the home. He is being helped to settle into the new school and adjusting well to the home’s routine and structure.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have access to specialist support through the organisation’s own health and therapeutic team. Staff also receive training and support from this team, and this has enabled them to be more empathic in understanding the children’s emotional needs. This means that children receive care and support that is thoughtful and well informed.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff understand children’s preferred methods of communication. For example, one child recently joined the home and staff have devised a visual plan for him as this helps him to feel secure and gives him a sense of certainty in terms of his daily routines and activities. To support the child’s sense of permanence and belonging, the manager has arranged for him to have a vegetable patch in the back garden and establish his own art and craft area in the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are in generally in good health. Staff strongly advocate for children to ensure that when they need healthcare, they access the right services to meet children’s needs. In one example, a child had a sudden poor health diagnosis when he was due to move into a semi-independent placement. The manager advocated strongly for his placement to be delayed, ensuring that his health and education needs were met before moving.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported to maintain positive relationships with birth families, and family times are arranged regardless of the distance they need to travel. The team maintains a good link with children’s birth parents and extended family. This helps children by encouraging them to feel more rooted when they move into community placements.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported to join various activities in the community, such as joining a football team. They enjoyed a summer holiday by the beach in England. Children are also able to have a pet of their choice. One child has a tropical fish tank, which the staff support him to look after.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

When children move into the home, the impact on those children who are already living in the home is not always given sufficient consideration. In one instance, this led to a period where the children where unsettled. Inspection report for children’s home: SC063767 4

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

Managers and staff focus on helping the children to feel safe by introducing clear boundaries while providing nurturing support. Staff are alert to children’s individual needs and find ways to help put them at ease and reduce their anxieties.

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

Placement plans are clear and reflect the views of the children. Staff work collaboratively with external agencies, ensuring that the plans are individualised. Safety plans give consideration to the strengths and vulnerabilities of each child to guide the support they need to stay safe.

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

When children go missing, procedures are followed and relevant agencies are informed. To enhance the staff and management practice in managing missing episodes. the team attended face-to-face training in relation to supporting and protecting children who are at risk of exploitation. Children who attend school at the provision operated by this provider, sometimes go missing together. Managers across the organisation work closely together to intervene in order to reduce the risk of children going missing with their peers. Staff work closely with external agencies to support children who may be at risk due to substance misuse. For one child, this helped him to make healthier choices and significantly reduce the risk of substance misuse.

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

Children are supported and helped to develop skills and strategies to manage their own emotions and feelings. Therefore, there has not been any use of physical restraint to manage the children’s behaviour. There are clear, consistent and appropriate boundaries for children, and staff encourage them to understand the consequences of behaviours and support them to learn positive coping strategies. This helps children to understand the purpose of boundaries and to work with staff to make positive choices.

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

Complaints made by children are listened to by the manager. Concerns are recorded and taken seriously, and children are kept up to date about the actions taken. Allegations against staff are taken seriously and investigated thoroughly. Managers communicate with external agencies and provide support as needed to ensure that the child feels safe.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager is committed and dedicated. He strives to ensure that he and the team achieve the best possible outcomes for the children. The manager works hard and ensures that the children’s experiences are of good quality. The manager is a strong advocate for the children’s relationships with their birth families and extended families. He works very closely with them, ensuring that they are able to make positive long- lasting relationships with children as this provides a positive support network when children move into the community.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff respect and value the knowledge that the manager has about the children’s needs. He is always available to talk to the children and provide support to staff. Children benefit from a majority of stable and experienced staff, who are invested in their roles and are always looking to improve their skills through internal and external training. New Inspection report for children’s home: SC063767 5 staff benefit from a thorough induction period, with weekly supervision focusing on their progress and learning.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive regular supervision, focusing on their emotional and psychological needs. The supervision template focuses on the needs of the children and the support needed to enhance their skills in working with children. Core training for staff is up to date, and specific external training is offered to staff to help them support children with specific areas of their health and psychological needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The referral process is thorough, and the introduction to the home for children is very considered and thought through. A child was introduced to the home recently and staff benefited from having an ‘appreciation day’ for the child whereby previous professionals came to talk about the child and the work they had done to support him. This exemplary piece of work allowed staff to prepare in advance and plan to work with the child. Inspection report for children’s home: SC063767 6

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Recommendation

 The registered manager should help to build a positive relationship with each child and help the child to develop skills to have positive relationship with others. Regulation 11(2). ‘Others’ include individuals both inside and outside the home, such as other children in the home. Specifically, when new children are introduced to the home, children who are already living in the home should be supported to adjust to the new dynamics and helped to settle as a group. Inspection report for children’s home: SC063767 7

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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: SC063767 8

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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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Inspector

Shaheda Dhandia, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC063767 9 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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