Children's Home run by Broadlands Hall Limited in Suffolk

Unique reference number SC060936 Inspector Louisa Bayley Type of inspection Full Provision subtype Children's home

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Registered person Broadlands Hall Ltd Registered person address Garland House Garland Street Bury St. Edmunds Suffolk IP33 1EZ Responsible individual Keith Anthony Boulter Registered manager Sarah Louise Everett Date of last inspection 21/05/2014 2 of 11 Inspection date 02/07/2014

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Previous inspection inadequate Enforcement action since last inspection Four compliance notices were issued as a result of the full inspection on 21 May 2014. A monitoring visit took place on 18 June 2014 and found good progress being made to address the shortfalls. The subsequent inspection on 02 July 2014 established the compliance notices have been met.

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Overall effectiveness adequate

Outcomes for children and young people good Quality of care good Keeping children and young people safe adequate Leadership and management adequate

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Overall effectiveness

The full inspection of the home in May 2014 identified shortfalls that raised concerns about the safety and wellbeing of young people. Consequently, Ofsted issued four compliance notices. These were in respect of staffing ratios, staff experience, staff supervision and training, décor, cleanliness and maintenance of the home and provision of suitable beds for young people with specific needs. In the time since the full inspection, the manager and the responsible individual have addressed the shortfalls identified in the compliance notices. This has contributed to improving the quality of care provided for young people and promotes their physical safety and wellbeing.

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Overall effectiveness

Young people benefit from individualised care that reflects their needs and preferences. They make good progress because of their experience in the home. Young people develop their confidence, academic achievement, social skills and 3 of 11 independence skills. This view is shared by the majority of parents and external professionals who have given their feedback.

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Overall effectiveness

Young people enjoy living in the home. They have good relationships with each other and with the staff who care for them. Clear expectations and boundaries promote their sense of security and safety.

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Overall effectiveness

This inspection identified shortfalls in implementing a system to improve the quality of care and ensuring current regulations are available in the home.

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Overall effectiveness

Leaders and managers have secured improvement against the weaknesses identified by Ofsted. This is positive, however, in order to improve further and sustain improvement, the home should; identify and access training for the manager, monitor the records and incidents in the home and address issues that arise, and exercise effective leadership of the home. 4 of 11

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Information about this children’s home

This privately owned children's home provides care, accommodation and education for up to 11 young people with learning, emotional and behavioural difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

There is a large education building, which is inspected by Ofsted, in the grounds of the home.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

21/05/2014 Full inadequate 22/11/2013 Interim inadequate progress 09/08/2013 Full good 22/02/2013 Interim good progress

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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) establish and maintain a system for improving the quality of care provided in the children’s home and supply to HMCI a report in respect of any review conducted for the purposes of paragraph (1), and make a copy of the report available on request to placing authorities where the placing authority is not the parent of a child accommodated in the home (Regulation 34 (1) (b) (2)) 31/07/2014

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) ensure that a copy of these Regulations (and of any amendments to them) and of the statement of 31/07/2014 5 of 11 national minimum standards applicable to children’s homes published by the Secretary of State under section 23(1) of the Act are kept in the home and made available on request to any person working in the home. (Regulation 35 (a))

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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 the registered manager exercises effective leadership of the home’s st and operation, such that the home is organised, managed and staffed in a manner that delivers sound, good quality care that meets the individual needs each child in the home. With specific regard to engendering a professional culture within the staff team and addressing any issues of poor practice (NMS 14.5)  ensure there is a good quality learning and development programme which st and volunteers are supported to undertake. It includes induction, post-qualify and in-service training to enhance individual skills and to keep staff up-to-date with professional and legal developments. Staff are equipped with the skills required to meet the needs of the children and purpose of the setting, and training keeps them up-to-date with professional, legal and practice developm and reflects the policies, legal obligations and business needs of the home. Th

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Recommendations

is with specific regard to ensuring the manager receives training to effectively address performance issues and support her to develop a culture of professionalism within the staff team (NMS 18.1)  regularly monitor, in line with regulations, all records kept by the home to ens compliance with the home’s policies, to identify any concerns about specific incidents and to identify patterns and trends. Immediate action is taken to address any issues raised by this monitoring. (NMS 21.2) 6 of 11

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Outcomes for children and young people good

Young people are relaxed and assured in the home because they form strong attachments with key staff. They are able to share their feelings and views in their preferred communication methods, reducing negative behavioural incidents.

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Outcomes for children and young people good

Young people clearly grow in confidence and have good opportunities to develop many new skills. They learn to cook, shop, tend the planters and tidy bedrooms. Young people launder clothes, clean and help maintain communal areas with staff. This builds valuable adult life skills. A parent said: ‘He is developing excellent domestic skills.’ Another said: ‘I can see progress in all aspects; he is cooking, shopping and has his own flat. Staff guide and supervise him with chores and this helps.’ A social worker said: ‘He is starting to participate in independence programmes, cooking, laundry and washing. He has developed good routines.’

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Outcomes for children and young people good

Young people have extremely good attendance in school. They achieve well in school and develop aspirations for the future. They eagerly anticipate routines and benefit from this in their daily lives. Young people make progress in terms of their individual educational starting points and in respect of their previous experiences of education.

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Outcomes for children and young people good

Young people enjoy a range of trips and activities that support their hobbies and specific interests. They are able to develop their skills and confidence, in activities in the home and in community based activities.

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Outcomes for children and young people good

Young people benefit from positive contact with those who are important to them. They use pictorial prompts and social stories, which help to alleviate their anxieties and prepare them well for contact meetings. They are able to contact families and friends using a variety of media. Young people make good progress with their familial relationships. Some are now able to enjoy family holidays, which would have not been possible prior to living in the home. Positive experiences with family contact ensure young people maintain relationships with family members, supporting their understanding of their history and background and family dynamics.

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Quality of care good

Young people benefit from positive and constructive relationships with the staff who care for them. Staff focus on young people’s progress and take great pride in their achievements. One staff member said ‘I love coming to work; it is the best job as I can see the difference we make.’ Young people live alongside each other with acceptance, demonstrating tolerance of one another’s differences. 7 of 11 Staff actively seek young people’s views. They have developed relationships based on consistency and trust. Good use of pictorial prompts, symbols and signs enable young people to share their views and feelings. This includes ideas for the house décor, new resources, holidays, menus and trips out.

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Quality of care good

Staff maintain clear rules and boundaries. They promote consistency in their expectations of behaviour, young people’s attendance in education, daily chores, personal hygiene and respect of one another. Individual goals help young people overcome their difficulties and facilitate change. There is a focus on celebrating effort and achievement, which contributes to individual development of self-esteem and confidence.

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Quality of care good

Care plans include detailed guides for staff to follow, ensuring that young people are cared for in line with their specific needs and preferences. Staff record young people’s views about their care in daily living records and detail their emotional wellbeing, personal hygiene, diet and educational achievement. This provides a holistic overview of each young person and reflects the progress and difficulties that young people face, taking into account contributory factors. There is an improvement in the frequency and recording of key work sessions, which provide valuable support to young people. A social worker said: 'His key worker is excellent and has worked very well with him.'

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Quality of care good

Young people face barriers in accessing specialist health services, such as mental health and speech therapy. This is due to lack of resources within the county for young people who are placed by other authorities. Staff pursue these health services; social workers and parents report that staff chase appointments and actively advocate for young people. Managers in the home are taking action to commission some of these services, in order to support young people’s health.

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Quality of care good

Staff support young people to attend school daily and build routines that help them feel stable and secure. School and residential staff communicate throughout the day; sharing information about individual’s changing needs and tailoring support accordingly. The transition between the home and school is smooth and routine. This alleviates anxiety for young people who struggle with changes between environments.

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Quality of care good

Staff are active and enthusiastic about taking young people out. The staff teams work well to overcome barriers that young people face. There is a wide range of activities that staff offer including; cray fishing, swimming, cycling, eating out, go- karting and horse-riding. Staff regularly take young people further afield so they can enjoy train journeys, theme parks and visit places that individuals have expressed interest in.

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Quality of care good

Young people enjoy meals in the recently updated dining room, which now provides a more homely atmosphere. Staff are flexible in catering for young people who have limited tastes and fixed preferences. They routinely offer preferred foods and 8 of 11 alternative hot snacks. This ensures young people with limited food preferences are comfortable and nourished adequately.

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Quality of care good

The home is spacious and offers good facilities that support communal living well. Extensive gardens surround the property, giving young people the space to play. An intensive programme of maintenance, redecoration and deep cleaning has resulted in significant improvements to the whole environment. Young people have taken an active part in choosing colour schemes and contributing their ideas. Young people now have the specific resources they need to accommodate their individual requirements and fully promote their health and wellbeing, such as specialist beds. They benefit from highly personalised bedrooms with décor and stimuli to reflect their preferences and wishes.

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Keeping children and young people safe adequate

Young people in the home do not understand the concept of feeling safe, due to their complex needs. However, feedback from parents and social workers and scrutiny of the practice in the home demonstrates that staff care for young people in a way that promotes their safety.

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Keeping children and young people safe adequate

There have been two incidents of bullying since the last inspection; both are documented with a clear record of the action staff have taken to address the issues. The records demonstrate that staff manage issues of bullying well and assure the safety of the young people. Staff in the home have received training in managing bullying and self-injurious behaviours in young people with autism. They say this is beneficial and has helped to inform the way they manage and care for young people. There have been no incidents of young people going missing. Staff set clear expectations and boundaries, promoting positive behaviour that improves over time.

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Keeping children and young people safe adequate

In the six-week period since the previous inspection, there have been twelve incidents of restraint and five sanctions. Staff use restraint appropriately and as a last resort to promote young people’s safety. With the exception of one incident, staff have not completed the records clearly and accurately. The incomplete information includes the reason for using restraint, young people’s full names, the full names of staff and the effectiveness of a sanction. Monitoring by the manager has failed to identify these shortfalls. This does not directly compromise young people’s safety. However, lack of accurate recording does not provide clarity. It has the potential to cause difficulty in the case of a complaint or allegation made by a young person or those who have responsibility for them.

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Keeping children and young people safe adequate

The manager has introduced a recorded debrief with staff, following incidents, which helps to promote reflection. There is, however, no monitoring or analysis of patterns and trends in incidents. This means the manager misses opportunities to identify common triggers to potentially reduce the number of incidents. 9 of 11 Regular health and safety checks are in place and recorded. There are frequent fire evacuation drills, which help young people to understand how to act in the case of a fire. There are regular vehicle checks in place and the manager has a central record in the home to show when staff report safety issues and when the cars go into the garage. This system is much improved and gives staff the information they need to assess vehicle safety prior to taking young people out.

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Keeping children and young people safe adequate

The responsible individual has addressed regulatory shortfalls in information held in recruitment files. The records now have the full information, demonstrating that managers have obtained and verified safety checks such as gaps in employment and references. This promotes young people’s safety.

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Keeping children and young people safe adequate

The responsible individual has taken action to ensure that staff have awareness of the whistle blowing policy and feel enabled to use it. He has addressed this through staff meetings and ensured there is information on safeguarding referral routes throughout the home. This is in response to a recommendation raised at the previous inspection. Consequently, staff are clear about their responsibilities to raise any concerns, with young people’s safety at the forefront of their practice.

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Keeping children and young people safe adequate

The responsible individual has addressed premises related shortfalls identified at the previous inspection. The home has benefited from a deep clean, redecoration and good levels of maintenance. There have been no further issues with hot water, windows have been repaired and hazards addressed. This means the environment is physically safe for young people.

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Leadership and management adequate

The home has an experienced and qualified manager; she was registered by Ofsted to manage this home in February 2014. She demonstrates genuine care for and commitment to the young people. However, there has been a lack of clarity in management responsibilities between the manager and the responsible individual. Consequently, a culture of unprofessional practice has developed in some of the staff team; some staff communicate their concerns and negative views to parents, rather than to the manager. This heightens anxieties for parents unnecessarily. The responsible individual and the manager acknowledge this requires improvement, with clear role modelling needed from managers. The manager acknowledges that she would benefit from training in assertiveness and tackling poor performance to support her to provide stronger leadership of the home.

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Leadership and management adequate

The responsible individual and the manager have addressed all of the requirements and compliance issues raised at the previous inspection. They have addressed three of the four recommendations. The improvements made contribute to ensuring young people are well cared for.

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Leadership and management adequate

The remaining recommendation, to effectively monitor records and identify patterns 10 of 11 and trends, remains a recommendation for this inspection. Additionally, internal monitoring does not currently include a system to improve the care provided and it has not been submitted to Ofsted as required. Lack of effective monitoring by the manager does not ensure robust oversight of the home and compromises the manager’s ability to identify poor practice that may impact on the wellbeing of young people.

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Leadership and management adequate

The external monitoring of the home continues to provide a robust and appropriately critical view of the home, with clear detail of the actions the managers need to take in order to secure improvement. The external visitor has a focus on the wellbeing of young people and considers their views. This provides an extra layer of safeguarding for young people.

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Leadership and management adequate

Staff have received supervision in line with organisational policy since the previous inspection. They have accessed good quality training to refresh their skills in physical restraint and deprivation of liberty. Systems are in place to monitor when refresher training is next required, in order to avoid situations where staff are not equipped to manage young people safely.

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Leadership and management adequate

There is a significant improvement in the deployment of staff. The previous inspection identified insufficient staff to effectively supervise young people. The responsible individual has taken action to address this. New rosters are in place and records in the home show that there are appropriate staff numbers on each shift. Additionally, the senior leading the shift no longer has a young person allocated to them. This means they are able to lead the shift more effectively and young people are not restricted in their choices because they have to be with the senior.

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Leadership and management adequate

The staff in the home continue to demonstrate commitment to ensuring young people are not disadvantaged because of their disabilities or personal challenges. Staff advocate for young people, supporting them to access services, experiences and opportunities that enhance their lives and help them to develop in all aspects. Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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Leadership and management adequate

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Judgement Description

Outstanding A service of exceptional quality that significantly exceeds minimum requirements.

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Judgement Description

Good A service of high quality that exceeds minimum requirements.

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Judgement Description

Adequate A service that only meets minimum requirements.

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Judgement Description

Inadequate A service that does not meet minimum requirements.

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Information 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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Information 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 framework of inspection for children's homes.

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