Children's Home run by Assure Care Homes Ltd in Hampshire

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2666995 1 Registered provider: Assure Care Homes Ltd

p.1

Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

This home provides care for up to 4 children with social and emotional difficulties. It is owned by a private organisation. At the time of this inspection, there was one child living at the home.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The registered manager role is currently vacant; therefore, oversight is being provided by the responsible individual and 2 senior staff.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, the home was subject to a restriction of accommodation and a compliance notice.

p.1

This monitoring visit

This children’s home was judged ‘inadequate’ at the full inspection on 26 May 2026. A compliance notice under regulation 13 and a restriction of accommodation notice were issued. Since the last inspection, no children have moved into the home, in adherence to the restriction notice.

p.1

This monitoring visit

This monitoring inspection was undertaken to look at the progress made in response to the compliance notice issued.

p.1

This monitoring visit

An external consultant has helped leaders and managers to explore the findings form the last inspection, and to implement changes that had been highlighted to the processes and policies in the home.

p.1

This monitoring visit

The quality of children’s care planning has improved. Systems for recording information include the introduction of a tracker tool which, together with the revision of key documents and an independence plan for a child, is helping managers to have better oversight of the quality of records being produced and an understanding of the child’s progress. Alongside this, practice has improved, with staff ensuring records are child-centred and written to the child. This creates a detailed, personalised record that the child can access if they so wish in the future. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2666995 2 The senior team and the responsible individual are consistently present in the home. Clear guidance around roles and responsibilities has strengthened the day-to-day activities in the home and promoted a positive safeguarding culture and effective teamwork across the workforce. The leadership team works cohesively, offering

p.1

This monitoring visit

consistent support and direction to staff.

p.2

This monitoring visit

Leaders and managers have invested substantially in staff development. Mandatory training compliance has been completed, and refresher sessions have been used effectively to reinforce staff’s skills and knowledge. Peer observation sessions have been initiated and provide staff with opportunities to receive feedback on their practice. Further opportunities to enable staff to reflect and record their views on the observation, including any learning, have been identified. Staff have spoken positively of the training opportunities and are able to highlight their learning and development. As a result, staff’s confidence in managing challenging situations, reporting concerns and supporting children appropriately has increased.

p.2

This monitoring visit

Managers have provided staff with additional, specific training to improve safeguarding practice. They have followed this up with discussions in supervisions and team meetings and created resources such as a safeguarding quiz. These actions are helping to embed staff practice and have strengthened their understanding of identifying, recording and escalating concerns. As discussed with the responsible individual during the visit, developing staff’s professional curiosity will further embed safeguarding practice and ensure that children’s requests to speak with their social worker are followed up. Since the last monitoring visit, safeguarding notifications have been received in line with regulatory timescales.

p.2

This monitoring visit

The home has not recruited any new staff since the last inspection; however, changes to recruitment processes have taken place. This has included reviewing documentation and questions asked at the interview stage.

p.2

This monitoring visit

The presentation of the home has significantly improved. These improvements include the redecoration of areas within the home, additional recreational opportunities through the addition of a trampoline, goalposts and a tepee in the garden plus the introduction of a cleaning regime for staff to follow. Therefore, the physical environment is now safe and suitable for children.

p.2

This monitoring visit

Compliance notices relating to regulation 13 (the leadership and management standard) have been met. Requirements from the previous monitoring visit were not reviewed during this visit; however, some requirements overlap with those included in the compliance notices referenced above. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2666995 3

p.2

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

26/05/2026 Full Inadequate 28/07/2025 Full Requires improvement to be good 24/09/2024 Full Good 15/08/2023 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2666995 4

p.3

Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered person(s) must take to meet the Care Standards Act 2000, The Children’s Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the ‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’. The registered person(s) must comply within the given timescales.

p.4

Requirement Due date

The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

p.4

Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

p.4

Requirement Due date

have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm;

p.4

Requirement Due date

understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person; and

p.4

Requirement Due date

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(iii)(v)(vi))

p.4

Requirement Due date

This requirement has been reinstated from the previous inspection. 15 September

p.4

Requirement Due date

The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety.

p.4

Requirement Due date

employ an individual to work at the children’s home if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3).

p.4

Requirement Due date

the individual has the appropriate experience, qualification and skills for the work that the individual is to perform. (Regulation 32 (1) (2)(a) (3)(b))

p.4

Requirement Due date

This requirement has been reinstated from the previous inspection. 15 September Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2666995 5 No measure of control or discipline which is excessive, unreasonable or contrary to paragraph (2) may be used in relation to any child.

p.4

Requirement Due date

The following measures may not be used to discipline any child—

p.5

Requirement Due date

imposing a financial penalty, other than a requirement for the payment of a reasonable sum (which may be by instalments) by way of reparation. (Regulation 19 (1) (2)(f))

p.5

Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that financial consequences for children are consistent and not unreasonable.

p.5

Requirement Due date

This requirement has been reinstated from the previous inspection. 15 September

p.5

Requirement Due date

The registered person must prepare and implement a policy ("the behaviour management policy") which sets out—

p.5

Requirement Due date

how appropriate behaviour is to be promoted in the children’s home; and

p.5

Requirement Due date

the measures of control, discipline and restraint which may be used in relation to children in the home.

p.5

Requirement Due date

The registered person must keep the behaviour management policy under review and, where appropriate, revise it.

p.5

Requirement Due date

within 48 hours of the use of the measure, the registered person, or a person who is authorised by the registered person to do so ("the authorised person")—

p.5

Requirement Due date

has spoken to the user about the measure; and

p.5

Requirement Due date

has signed the record to confirm it is accurate; and

p.5

Requirement Due date

within 5 days of the use of the measure, the registered person or the authorised person adds to the record confirmation that they have spoken to the child about the measure. (Regulation 35 (1)(a)(b) (2) (3)(b)(i)(ii)(c)) 15 September Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2666995 6

p.5

Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that staff can access appropriate facilities and resources to support their training needs. This relates to the registered person ensuring that all staff who have practice observations are able to contribute and reflect on the feedback for learning purposes and implementation in their practice. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 53, paragraph 10.11)  The registered person should ensure that staff encourage children to share any concerns about their care or other matters as soon as they arise. This relates to following up actions when a child has made a request to speak to their social worker. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 22, paragraph 4.13)

p.6

Information about this inspection

The purpose of this visit was to monitor the action taken and the progress made by the children’s home since its last Ofsted inspection.

p.6

Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2666995 7

p.6

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Assure Care Homes Ltd

p.7

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Tuctyn, Nutburn Road, North Baddesley, Southampton, SO52 9DX

p.7

Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Christopher Newman

p.7

Inspector

Maria Calway-Kennedy, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2666995 8 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.

p.7

Inspector

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.8

Inspector

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.8

Inspector

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.8