Children's Home run by Norfolk County Council in Norfolk

Unique reference number SC463902 Inspection date 20/09/2013 Inspector Deirdra Keating Type of inspection Full Provision subtype Children's home

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Date of last inspection 26/06/2013 Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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This document may be reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial educational purposes, provided that the information quoted is reproduced without adaptation and the source and date of publication are stated.

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Brief description of the service

This home is owned and run by the local authority. The home offers short-term care and assessment for up to four young people with emotional and behavioural difficulties.

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The inspection judgements and what they mean

Outstanding : a service of exceptional quality that significantly exceeds minimum requirements Good : a service of high quality that exceeds minimum requirements Adequate : a service that only meets minimum requirements Inadequate : a service that does not meet minimum requirements

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Overall effectiveness

The overall effectiveness is judged to be inadequate .

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Overall effectiveness

Overall there are significant shortfalls in areas that impact on young people's safety. This has resulted in a judgment of inadequate. Staff aim to provide individualised care but admissions of young people are poorly matched, resulting in placements that disrupt the group dynamics and are unstable and volatile This means that the individual needs of young people are not consistently met, particularly in relation to their behaviour, health and education.

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Overall effectiveness

The relationships between staff and young people have positive aspects are starting to provide benefits to their emotional wellbeing. However, young people present with complex and challenging behaviours that make the general atmosphere of the home unstable for other young people.

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Overall effectiveness

As a result of this inspection there are 11 statutory requirements and four recommendations raised. The shortfalls in the main are in relation to; the provision of education, the care of the physical environment, staff training and supervision, information provided to stakeholders and young people and the detail in some records.

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Overall effectiveness

The senior leadership team understands the shortfalls identified and has taken immediate action to address these and improve outcomes for young people.

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Statutory Requirements

This section sets out the actions which must be taken so that the registered person/s meets the Care Standards Act 2000, Children's Homes Regulations 2001 and the National Minimum Standards. The registered person(s) must comply with the given timescales.

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) ensure there is at all times having regard to the need to safeguard and promote the health and welfare of children a sufficient number of suitably qualified staff, competent and experienced persons working at the children's home (Regulation 25 (1) (b)) 31/10/2013

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) ensure that all parts of the children's home used by children are, kept clean and reasonably maintained (Regulation 31 (2)(e)) 31/10/2013

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) ensure that all parts of the children’s home used by children of sound construction and kept in good structural repair externally and internally (Regulation 31 (2) (d) 31/10/2013

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) ensure that children accommodated in the home are provided at all reasonable times with access to the following facilities which they may use without reference to persons working in the home, a telephone on which to make and receive private calls (Regulation 15 (4)(a)) 31/10/2013

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) ensure the registered person shall implement a policy that sets out the procedure to be followed in the event of any allegation of abuse or neglect (Regulation 16 (1) (b)) 31/10/2013

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) ensure that all persons employed receive appropriate training and supervision(Regulation 27 (4) (a)) 31/10/2013

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Reg. Requirement Due date

17B (2001) ensure that within 24 hours of the use of any measure of control, restraint or discipline, a written record is made that shall include details of the child's behaviour leading to the use of the measure (Regulation 17B (3) (b) 31/10/2013

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) ensure that the statement of purpose is kept under review and revised and that HMCI is notified of any such revision within 28 days (Regulation 5 (a)(b)) 31/10/2013

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) ensure the promotion of educational achievement of children accommodated in the children's home in particular by ensuring regular attendance at school (Regulation 18 (1) (b)) 15/11/2013

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) ensure that the children’s home is conducted so as to make proper provision for the care, education and supervision of children accommodated there (Regulation 11 (1) (b) 31/10/2013

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) ensure that all parts of the children’s home are so far as reasonably practicable free from hazards to their health of safety. (Regulation 23 (a)) 31/10/2013

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further the service should take account of the following recommendation(s):

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Recommendations

 ensure that where sanctions or disciplinary measures are used, children are encouraged to have their views recorded in the records kept by the home (NMS 3.18)  ensure that the environment and culture promotes models and supports positive behaviour in regard to care of the environment (NMS 3.2)  ensure that written records kept by the home when a child goes missing detail action taken by staff, the circumstances of the child’s return and any reasons given by the child for running away from the home (NMS 5.10)  ensure that the guide includes how the children can find out their rights and contact Ofsted if they wish to raise a concern with inspectors, and how to secure access to an independent advocate. (NMS 13.5)

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Outcomes for children and young people

Outcomes for young people are inadequate .

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Outcomes for children and young people

Outcomes for young people are very poor There is a growing culture of disruptive behaviour which has, among other things, resulted in serious damage to the home. This leaves young people feeling highly unsettled and insecure. Young people engage together in risky activities as opposed to developing their individual interests outside the home.

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Outcomes for children and young people

There are some opportunities for young people to understand their family backgrounds through external therapeutic input and individual key worker sessions. Some young people's physical health has improved since coming to the home. They benefit from nutritionally balanced meals and take part in some physical activity. However, there are limited opportunities to build social networks outside the home and no opportunities to make any contribution to the local community.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Not all young people benefit from attending school. Most young people have no educational placement and are not engaging with school work sent to the home. This means achievement levels are behind their peers and young people have little to occupy them during the day. As a result, young people lack confidence in their abilities.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people's contact arrangements work well. They are supported by staff in their arrangements with family and some family members visit the home. This works well for young people, who are know that their families are valued, accepted and made to feel welcome. This helps promote a positive sense of identity.

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Outcomes for children and young people

The home provides some transitional work for young people being reunified with home or attending other provisions. Young people take part in household chores and develop domestic skills that will benefit them as they become more independent.

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Quality of care

Young people are developing varying relationships with staff despite being relatively new to the home. Relationships between young people are not constructive. There are several incidents during which young people have encouraged one another to cause damage and disruption to the house and staff. In addition, young people engage in self-injurious behaviour together. This puts young people at significant risk.

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Quality of care

Staff seek young people's views and utilise these in activities and menu planning. However, they are not sought following sanctions given regarding behaviour. In addition, young people have expressed concerns about damage to the house and the behaviour of their peers. Overall, the combination of young people with conflicting needs has been detrimental to their well-being and safety.

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Quality of care

Staff have attempted to impose sanctions and guide young people with boundaries. This, however, has proved difficult as staff are often dealing with serious incidents that go on for prolonged periods. There have been a number of these, during which young people have taken control of the home and caused considerable damage to the environment. This has left staff dealing with immediate priorities and with little time to implement consistent behaviour management plans.

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Quality of care

Individual placement plans set out young people's care in accordance with guidance from social workers and young people's preferences. These include young people's health needs and medical history. Staff ensure that young people are seen and guided by health professionals. The home has no systems to record how staff will meet and monitor young people's individual health needs. Handover from one shift to another provides some information; however, at times staff handover is missed. Overall, the planning of health needs and monitoring of young people's specific health needs is not adequately provided for.

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Quality of care

Staff are working with providers to find educational placements. However, the majority of young people at the home have no current educational provision. In addition, while some daily activities are provided, there are times when staff provide no plan or focus for the day. This is despite care planning that highlights the need for activity and focus. As a result, young people have little to do and at times resort to negative and destructive behaviours.

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Quality of care

The home blends into the local community, resembling a family home. Décor is of a high standard; however, there has been a significant amount of damage to the home, some of which has not been repaired quickly enough. This has left parts of the home unclean and unsafe. This does not encourage young people to value their surroundings. Additionally, the telephone room for young people was locked and is not accessible to young people without asking staff. There is also a lack of information in the children’s guide. This means that some young people have no access to a telephone or information about advocacy and children’s rights.

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Safeguarding children and young people

The service is inadequate at keeping children and young people safe and feeling safe.

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Safeguarding children and young people

The young people demonstrate behaviours and attitudes that indicate they feel insecure and unsafe. There is a volatile atmosphere and the dynamics of the group are unpredictable. There are staff who feel intimidated by the behaviour of young people and are unable to de-escalate situations. This does not promote stability for young people. Some combinations of personalities have compromised young people's safety significantly. There are a number of incidents during which young people have collaborated together and taken items intended to cause self-harm. This results in prolonged incidents during which young people are jointly focused on self-injurious behaviours.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Risk assessments detail potential triggers to unsafe behaviour, for example, the danger of sharp objects for some young people. Despite this, following recent damage to the home, broken glass and splinters have been left in the house, posing a risk to young people. Therefore the risk assessments are not followed.

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Safeguarding children and young people

There are some instances of young people going missing from the home. These numbers are not high; however, the reporting is not sufficiently detailed or clear. Additionally, young people's views are not recorded on their return.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Staff do not fully understand the safeguarding systems to protect young people from harm and potential abuse, and these are not monitored robustly. An allegation regarding a young person being hurt during a restraint was not reported. Staff have investigated internally, without guidance or moderation and potentially this lack of transparency and monitoring could compromise young people's safety.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Staff promote positive behaviour with an ethos of positive reinforcement. Currently this is not working and young people's behaviour is variable. There are some young people who are polite and others who consistently challenge staff and visitors with verbal aggression. There is a behaviour management policy, and care plans include guides to managing the behaviour of individuals. There are a number of restraints and some sanctions; however, the recording of both does not include the details of the behaviour leading to the incident. This does not met requirements and makes the monitoring of such incidents difficult.

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Safeguarding children and young people

The environment is not safe or fully secure. This is in relation to unrepaired damage that presents hazards to young people. The front door is left open, which results in people being able to access the home without the knowledge of staff, which does not provide adequate security for young people.

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Leadership and management

The leadership and management of the children's home are inadequate .

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Leadership and management

Lack of effective management in the home has led to a lack of direction and no clear planning. This has been compounded by the high turnover of young people. New management arrangements are now in place, covering the sudden resignation of the Registered Manager.

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Leadership and management

The home is newly registered, having been previously registered at another address. The home has operated without a manager, and although support has been provided, a lack of oversight and monitoring of placements has resulted in a high level of serious incidents that are detrimental to young people's safety. There are arrangements for the independent monthly monitoring are not comprehensive. The reporting has not identified shortfalls found at the inspection. The senior managers are aware of the issues and the current manager has an understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the home. There is a clear plan in place to immediately address the identified shortfalls.

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Leadership and management

There has been one complaint and a further complaint has been made by a neighbour. The complaints have been addressed and recorded showing how the home has responded.

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Leadership and management

The Statement of Purpose sets out the aims and objectives of the home. However, the information is inaccurate as it pertains to the previous home. This does not provide parents and professionals with a current overview of the home.

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Leadership and management

The staff supervision timetable has not been consistently with a member of staff having no supervision for over three months. There is an experienced core team of staff, however, shift deployment is poor, leaving unqualified new members of staff supporting young people. Staff have not had any training in self-injurious behaviours, which has had an impact on their ability to effectively manage such incidents. Overall the lack of training, supervision and poor deployment of staff affects the overall quality of care and compromises young people’s welfare and safety.

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Leadership and management

There has been a high number of highly concerning incidents that require notification and these have been sent in as required to Ofsted. Records of these and young people’s files are stored securely and kept up to date. This gives an overview and chronology of young people’s daily lives.

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About this inspection

The purpose of this inspection is to assure children and young people, parents, the public, local authorities and government of the quality and standard of the service provided. The inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000 to assess the effectiveness of the service and to consider how well it complies with the relevant regulations and meets the national minimum standards.

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About this inspection

The report details the main strengths, any areas for improvement, including any breaches of regulation, and any failure to meet national minimum standards. The judgements included in the report are made against the Inspections of children’s homes – framework for inspection and the evaluation schedule for the inspection of children's homes.

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