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

Inspection report for children’s home: 2785274 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

This is a privately own children’s home that is registered to provide care for one child with social and emotional difficulties, up to the age of 18 years. There was one child living at the home at the time of the inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has been registered with Ofsted since March 2024.

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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: not previously inspected

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: not applicable

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2785274 2

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child has developed positive relationships with staff. The child’s behaviour indicates that they trust staff to support them, and the child feels listened to.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support the child to spend time with their family. This includes visits to the home and phone calls, to promote positive relationships.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child’s physical and mental health needs are well met. The child attends all primary healthcare appointments, and staff follow the recommended actions. There is internal specialist help, such as a mental health nurse who advises staff and supports the child when in crisis. The manager is a strong advocate for prioritising the child’s emotional needs and mental health. For example, the manager successfully advocated for the child to start therapy without delay.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support the child to access alternative options to education, such as employment, in line with the child’s wishes. Staff help the child to prepare for independence. For example, the child can cook, clean, shop, do their laundry and access community facilities. Staff encourage the child to engage in the day-to-day running of the home and community activities.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff work closely with the child’s social worker to help the child to understand their future options and the support available to them. This helps the child to consider safe and realistic options when they leave the home and achieve independence.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home has recently been refurbished and has a homely feel. The child was involved in choosing the furniture and decorating the home. The child’s artwork is displayed around the home and their bedroom is decorated to their taste.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child’s social worker is positive about the care and support provided by staff. They referred to the staff’s commitment to the child and said that ‘they go above and beyond’ to meet the child’s needs and advocate on their behalf.

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

Staff keep the child safe and support them if they raise concerns. As such, the child is confident in the actions that staff will take to keep them safe.

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

Staff are skilful in supporting the child to manage their emotions and understand self- harm risks. This helps the child to feel comfortable to discuss their feelings with staff. Individual risk assessment and behaviour support plans provide clear guidance to staff in how to care for the child. This includes therapy and key-work sessions that are facilitated by the child’s preferred member of staff. Staff use a therapeutic approach based on safe and nurturing relationships to care for the child. The staff’s approach helps the child to Inspection report for children’s home: 2785274 3 talk about their feelings and accept support. This has reduced the risk of self-harm and there have been no incidents since December 2024. There have been no missing-from- home incidents in this home.

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

Staff use physical intervention as a last resort to keep the child and others safe. There is good management oversight of such incidents, including reflective sessions with staff and the behaviour management trainer.

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

Staff understand the child’s emotions and behaviours, and their response to these is proactive and child centred. There is good direct work with the child, and multi-agency work with the social worker and mental health nurse. Debriefs with staff and the child take place following incidents. This ensures that the child’s needs and behaviours are considered in a robust and holistic way, which reduces the risk of harm to the child.

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

Staff understand the child’s communication style and recognise that the child’s behaviours are a form of communication. A member of staff said that the team are ‘kind, caring and understand the child’s behaviours’.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager leads and develops the team. She has high aspirations for the child and works alongside staff to model practice. Staff feel well supported by the manager and feel that she helps them to improve their practice to ensure that the child has good- quality care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager knows the child well. She talks passionately about the child and is proud of the progress they have made.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive training in topics that are relevant for the safe care of the child. The training is up to date and ensures that staff have the skills to meet the child’s needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive regular supervision, which focuses on staff well-being and how they are supporting the child to progress. The manager’s management style makes staff feel comfortable to discuss their worries and challenges, allowing the manager to swiftly put additional support in place for staff if needed.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has good monitoring and quality assurance systems in place, including reflections on her own practice. The manager is aware of the strengths and weaknesses in the home and uses the monthly independent person’s reports to make continued improvements.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has reported all incidents to the local authority designated officer and social work team in a timely manner. While these incidents were reported to Ofsted, there was a significant delay. Reporting the incidents late meant that the regulator did not have full oversight of how well the child was helped and protected. The manager has reflected on this shortfall and there is evidence that she is implementing changes. The manager is motivated to improve her and her team’s practice. Inspection report for children’s home: 2785274 4

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Recommendation

 The registered person should notify Ofsted in a timely manner if one of the situations specified in regulation 40(4)(a)(d) occurs, or if there is an incident relating to the protection, safeguarding or welfare of a child living in the home which the registered person considers to be serious. (‘Guide to Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 63, paragraph 14.10)

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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: 2785274 5

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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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Inspectors

Claudia Poienar, Social Care Inspector Sharron Dormand, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2785274 6 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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