Children's home run by Highlands (Fareham) Limited

Inspection report for children's home: 2623544 1 Registered provider: Highlands (Fareham) Limited

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is privately owned and provides care for up to 4 children who have learning disabilities. There were 4 children 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 May 2023.

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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: 30 October 2024

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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: 2623544 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

30/10/2024 Full Outstanding 10/10/2023 Full Outstanding 23/03/2023 Full Good 23/03/2022 Full Good Inspection report for children's home: 2623544 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children are happy, settled and thriving because they receive consistently exceptional care. The home is welcoming, well maintained and has a strong family atmosphere, which helps the children to feel secure and proud of where they live. Children actively contribute to looking after the home, including keeping their bedrooms clean and personalising their spaces, which promotes ownership and independence.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Relationships between staff and children are exceptionally strong. Children experience warm, nurturing interactions with staff, who demonstrate an unwavering emotional commitment to their wellbeing and progress. Staff are approachable and responsive, and they contribute meaningfully to children’s care planning. Their strong advocacy ensures that the children’s needs and views are clearly represented in all relevant meetings.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children’s education is consistently prioritised. All children attend school and staff provide continuous encouragement, which promotes children’s engagement, progress and sense of belonging in their school communities.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff prioritise children’s health. Children attend all their appointments, and staff act quickly to seek appropriate medical advice when necessary, including around allergies and ongoing health conditions. Children enjoy a varied and nutritious diet and are encouraged to make healthy choices. Staff actively support the development of independence skills through activities such as preparing lunch and cooking together.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children have a wide range of enriching experiences, including outings, educational visits, day trips and holidays. These shared experiences strengthen their sense of belonging and allow them to celebrate achievements together, much like a family. Children’s independence skills are strongly encouraged, and staff support them to understand age-related developmental changes.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Key-work sessions are frequent, well planned and recorded promptly. However, the language used in some records does not reflect the sensitive and thoughtful care that staff provide.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

In addition to the strong advocacy provided by the staff, children benefit from regular access to an independent advocate, ensuring that their views are consistently heard and acted on. Advocates demonstrate an unwavering commitment to championing children’s rights and ensuring that their wishes and needs are fully represented in all decision- making.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff are committed to ensuring that children maintain positive and meaningful relationships with their families and other people who are important to them. This promotes children’s emotional wellbeing, identity and sense of belonging. Inspection report for children's home: 2623544 4

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

Children receive exceptional care from staff who know them extremely well and respond to their individual needs with insight, sensitivity and professional curiosity. Safeguarding practice is proactive and child centred. Staff consistently ensure that any concerns are identified early and addressed swiftly, contributing to children feeling safe, protected and listened to.

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

Staff model positive behaviours. They help the children to develop the skills needed to understand and express their emotions safely and to know how to keep themselves safe. Children trust staff and are confident in approaching them with worries, knowing that they will be met with reassurance and prompt action. Planned conversations equip children with the knowledge and confidence needed to make safer choices.

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

Multi-agency working is exemplary. Staff communicate thoroughly and professionally with schools, health professionals and placing authorities. Professionals describe communication as excellent and highlight staff’s meticulous approach to sharing information. This partnership working ensures that risks are consistently reviewed and that safety planning is responsive and well informed.

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

Staff demonstrate a clear understanding of each child’s health vulnerabilities, including allergies and ongoing medical conditions, and take swift action to reduce associated risks. Staff’s commitment to children’s health contributes to children’s overall sense of safety and wellbeing.

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

Children’s experiences outside the home are carefully assessed and well planned. Staff provide a wealth of enriching opportunities, such as outings, educational visits, day trips and holidays. These activities support the children to take positive, age-appropriate risks within safe boundaries. These experiences also help the children to learn about the world around them, while developing resilience, confidence and social awareness.

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

Health and safety arrangements are closely monitored and recorded in line with the home’s policies. This thorough oversight ensures that children live in a safe and well- maintained environment. Children regularly take part in fire drills; each child has a bespoke plan to ensure that they are well prepared for emergencies and that they know how to keep themselves safe.

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

Notifications to Ofsted are timely and provide the regulator with appropriate and necessary information. This provides a valued insight to the home’s strong safeguarding culture and consistently high standard of practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered manager provides highly effective, child-centred leadership that creates a culture of aspiration, warmth and stability. She knows the children exceptionally well and ensures that their needs, rights and views remain central to all aspects of practice. Staff Inspection report for children's home: 2623544 5 share her vision and demonstrate a strong commitment to delivering care of a consistently excellent quality.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Highly effective monitoring systems and quality assurances processes are used to maintain high standards and drive continuous improvement. When shortfalls are identified, these are addressed promptly and effectively. The registered manager’s own quality of care review ensures that senior leaders have a clear understanding of the home’s strengths and areas for development.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Leaders and managers ensure that staff understand the home’s statement of purpose and that they work confidently to it. Staff maintain positive, professional relationships with partner agencies and communicate clearly, ensuring that decisions are well informed and that children’s needs are met without delay.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff receive regular and reflective supervision and have their fitness to practice reviewed once a year. Additionally, staff benefit from structured, informative team meetings that provide focused time, learning and reflection. Staff describe these meetings as productive, and they value having a dedicated forum in which to share learning and resources.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff access a wide range of training that strengthens their understanding of children’s needs, including their health, education and emotional development. Professionals describe the team as highly skilled, collaborative and meticulous in their approach, highlighting the positive impact that this has on children’s progress and experiences.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The independent person visits the home once a month. This provides an additional layer of scrutiny and offers a valued insight to the home’s functions and vulnerabilities. Leaders and managers respond and act swiftly on the feedback when required.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Leaders and managers promote a positive working culture where staff feel valued, supported and confident in their roles. High expectations and strong oversight ensure that children consistently receive care that exceeds the standards expected. Children’s progress, safety and emotional wellbeing are significantly enhanced by the home’s high-quality leadership. Inspection report for children's home: 2623544 6

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that staff record information on individual children in a non-stigmatising way that distinguishes between fact, opinion and third- party information. Information about the child must always be recorded in a way that will be helpful to the child. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4)

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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: 2623544 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Highlands (Fareham) Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 105 High Street, Worcester WR1 2HW

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Jacqueline Smeeth

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Inspector

Jill Sephton-Wright, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: 2623544 8 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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