Children's home run by Hampshire County Council

Inspection report for children’s home: 1257573 1 Registered provider: Hampshire County Council

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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 is a local authority home and is registered to care for up to five children who experience social and emotional challenges. At the time of this inspection, three children were living in the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager of the home has been registered with Ofsted since June 2017.

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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

Date of last inspection: 21 November 2023

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outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: outstanding

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outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 1257573 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

21/11/2023 Full Outstanding 20/09/2022 Full Good 06/05/2021 Full Outstanding 28/01/2020 Full Outstanding Inspection report for children’s home: 1257573 3

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outstanding

Children have formed warm and trusting relationships with staff. Children are making progress because of the consistent positive messages they are given. The children’s sense of self is nurtured. This helps them to grow in their independence and be successful.

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outstanding

Children greatly benefit from the considerate care they receive from the staff who support them. Staff are attuned to their needs and work well with the children’s families to ensure a consistent approach to each individual child’s care. Consequently, positive relationships have been established with parents and families, who are made to feel part of their child’s care. One parent said, ‘The staff in the home are like an extension of my child’s family, and I feel involved in my child’s care.’

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outstanding

Children who are new to the home receive a warm welcome from staff. They are consistent, caring and focused on supporting children to adjust to their new home environment. Each child that has moved into the home is carefully assessed. This assessment is detailed; however, the manager could capture their overall decision in a clearer way.

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outstanding

Staff have high expectations for children’s engagement in learning and education. Most of the children are in full-time education. Managers are proactive in making sure that children succeed in education and are strong advocates for obtaining a school place. For example, when there have been issues with admission decisions, the manager has strongly challenged these.

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outstanding

Staff are non-judgemental and can have open and honest discussions with children. Children’s records convey conversations that have been carried out with care and understanding. For example, one child was able to talk to staff about feeling unsafe online and was given the appropriate guidance and support to keep themselves safe. Consequently, these conversations help children understand their risks and stay safe.

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outstanding

Children are encouraged to have a healthy lifestyle. They are supported to stay well, eat healthily and attend medical appointments. Staff work closely with placing authorities to ensure that important referrals are followed up. As a result, children have future appointment plans and are well prepared to undergo procedures.

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outstanding

Staff have access to psychologists, and focus meetings are held to talk about the needs of each child. Meetings take place in line with the home’s model of care, which is strongly embedded in staff practice. This helps staff gain insight and understanding of children’s inner worlds and discuss approaches and strategies to Inspection report for children’s home: 1257573 4 best meet their needs. One parent said, ‘My child is a totally different child, and I have seen positive changes in him,’ and that ‘the work they do is amazing’. The children’s moves on from the home are sensitively planned. Staff listen to children’s views and feelings around moving on. Children’s moves have involved a high level of planning with their families. Many children continue to visit the home when they have left and have sent thank you cards to the staff. Children feel a strong connection to the staff and are appreciative of their time at the home.

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outstanding

Children live in a comfortable, well-furnished home where they enjoy games and books. Children are involved in choosing decor for their bedrooms that reflects their personalities and individual tastes. Children have plans for the redecoration of the communal areas.

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outstanding

Children’s risks and vulnerabilities are well understood by staff. Staff work alongside the linked psychologist for the home. This helps staff to better understand children’s lived experiences and have insight into how they see the world. Consequently, strategies are constantly reviewed to ensure that they are effective in reducing risks for children.

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outstanding

Staff are trained in the appropriate use of physical restraint. Incidents of restraint are rare, and it is only used when it is necessary to keep the children and others safe. These interventions, when used, are of low level and for short periods. Staff are usually successful in supporting children when they are distressed without the need to use physical interventions. Management oversight of incidents is timely and effective. Children’s voices are captured in records, and they are given the opportunity to talk through what happened.

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outstanding

All staff know what to do and who to inform if they have any safeguarding concerns about children or other adults. Managers share concerns regarding the care of children with the relevant agencies and investigate appropriately. Consequently, concerns are managed effectively, and necessary actions are taken.

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outstanding

Children know how to make a complaint, and they are listened to. Allegations are rare in this home. External agencies are consulted before investigations are carried out.

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outstanding

Staff have a collaborative response when children go missing from home. They work closely with children’s families and the police to ensure that children return home safely. Return home interviews are offered by children’s placing authorities to understand the reasons that led to a child going missing. As a result, there has been a reduction in missing-from-home incidents.

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outstanding

There has been some serious conflict between some of the children. However, this has been well managed by staff, who implemented risk and behaviour support plans Inspection report for children’s home: 1257573 5 that are informed by advice and guidance from external professionals, such as psychologists or safeguarding leads. When safety plans need to change, the managers consult the wider professional network to ensure that agreements are in place and strategies and processes are updated. This enables the staff to understand what they need to do to help each child stay safe. As a result, conflict has reduced, and children have positive relationships.

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outstanding

Thorough safer recruitment processes are in place to ensure that staff who come to work in the home are suitable to care for children. There is an extensive induction programme for new staff to complete, which involves shadowing experienced staff. Consequently, children are cared for by staff who are appropriately trained and understand how to meet their needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager is driven and ensures that children receive the care they deserve. They say their role of looking after children is a privilege. The manager role models positively to staff and offers help and guidance in times where she foresees them benefiting from extra support. Staff are positively influenced by the belief their manager has in them, meaning children benefit from the exemplary standard of care they receive.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager works well with partnership agencies. They involve them at the earliest opportunity to prevent children’s behaviours and risks from escalating.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff value the supervision that is provided to them. They are given a range of opportunities to reflect on their practice. They find the discussions with the psychologists beneficial to review children’s targets and discuss the support to help each child achieve. This ensures that targets set are still appropriate and achievable.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager reviews and monitors the service to ensure that there is continual improvement, and she aspires to improve. They are highly aspirational about making sure children receive the best possible care and are outward focused with this ethos. The manager has presented to directors of children’s services about the experience of children living in children’s homes. The manager is also highly involved in improving systems within the wider organisation to drive improvement to processes in identifying appropriate homes for children with complex needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager knows that the children are happy and making exceptional progress. Children have grown in confidence and are comfortable about having their friends come over to visit. Consequently, they have settled in well and are thriving from the care provided to them.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager is creative in promoting learning opportunities for staff. They work closely with the wider network to develop staff skills in supporting children in understanding their life story. Monthly team meetings are carefully planned, and the manager provides knowledge that staff can take away and put into practice. This Inspection report for children’s home: 1257573 6 promotes a culture of continuous learning to ensure that staff remain motivated in delivering a high quality of care to the children. Inspection report for children’s home: 1257573 7

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that managers fully consider the needs, risks and vulnerabilities of children already living in the home when making decisions about new children moving in. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 56, paragraph 11.4)

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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: 1257573 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Hampshire County Council

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: The Castle, Winchester SO23 8UG

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Children’s home details

Registered manager: Maria Calway-Kennedy

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Inspector

Karen Flanagan de Martinez, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 1257573 9 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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