Children's Home run by Norfolk County Council in Norfolk

Unique reference number SC068076 Inspector Deirdra Keating Type of inspection Full Provision subtype Children's home

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Registered person Norfolk County Council Children's Services Registered person address Norfolk County Council, Chief Executives County Hall, Martineau Lane NORWICH NR1 2DH Responsible individual Peter James Ronan Registered manager Aaron Peter Napper Date of last inspection 27/02/2014 2 of 8 Inspection date 22/10/2014

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Previous inspection good progress Enforcement action since last inspection none

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Overall effectiveness good

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

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Overall effectiveness

The function of the home is consistently good. Staff provide care that is personalised and incorporates young people's individual needs supporting them to grow as individuals. The established staff team encourage young people to build strong attachments with key adults. They work successfully with young people to overcome the barriers they face and make progress in all areas of their lives.

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Overall effectiveness

Young people are positive about the home; they receive a quality of care which has a positive impact on their life chances. Young people are prepared well for semi– independent living.

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Overall effectiveness

There have been no complaints about the home since the last inspection.

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Overall effectiveness

The shortfalls identified by Ofsted at the previous inspections have been acted on. At this inspection, two recommendations have been made. These relate to young people having access to communal areas, and ensuring that certain aspects of staff practice uphold the policies of the home. 3 of 8

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Information about this children’s home

This children’s home provides short-term placements and is owned and run by the local authority. It is registered for two young people with emotional or behavioural difficulties.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

27/02/2014 Interim good progress 28/10/2013 Full good 08/01/2013 Interim good progress 09/05/2012 Full outstanding

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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 all staff’s work is consistent with the home’s policies and procedures, this is in regard to smoking on site and the regularity of supervision provided to the staff (NMS 21.3)  ensure that restrictions for one child do not impose similar restrictions on other children in regard to access to food cupboards. (NMS 10.4) 4 of 8

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Outcomes for children and young people good

Young people have made consistent progress since being placed at the home. They have increased confidence and hold aspirations for the future. Young people who were at risk of exploitation through risky behaviour have decreased these behaviours. Young people are responsive to the boundaries in the home. They work with staff and have developed strategies to keep themselves safe while out with peers.

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Outcomes for children and young people good

Young people make good progress with regards to their educational attainment and attendance. Some young people are educated at the home and have a varied timetable of educational activities that supports their individual learning style.

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Outcomes for children and young people good

Young people maintain good contact with their home communities. Regular visits home ensure they maintain close relationships with their families and friends. Young people have earned the trust of staff and demonstrate they can be trusted to have free time with peers. They value this and mainly respect staff’s rules about return times. This allows them to become increasingly independent and learn how to maintain personal safety boundaries. This helps increase young people's readiness for leaving the home.

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Outcomes for children and young people good

Young people are consulted in the running of the home and in planning for their care. They use key worker sessions and direct contact with the staff to discuss feedback and any ideas they have. Young people choose soft furnishings in their bedrooms, choose menus and activities. They contribute their ideas confidently knowing that staff listen to them.

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Quality of care good

Staff are strong advocates for young people and provide good boundaries. This helps young people know that staff are consistently concerned with their welfare. Staff have high aspirations for young people and recognise their potential. This makes young people feel valued as individuals and enables them to develop new skills.

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Quality of care good

Staff encourage young people to share their feelings about the home. The manager is available for young people to speak to and he takes their requests and ideas about activities, resources and menus forward. Staff ensure young people understand the complaints procedure and know how to make a complaint about the home. This ensures that young people have a voice in the home and can speak openly about any concerns.

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Quality of care good

Staff provide clear guidelines and these are respected by young people. Behaviour is 5 of 8 good, young people demonstrate tolerance and acceptance of one another’s differences. The group dynamics are generally good. Young people benefit from living with peers of differing ages. This generates quality one to one staff time for some young people in the home and enables others to spend more time with peers of their own age. Staff clearly communicate expectations and this gives young people a consistent approach and helps them feel secure. Staff fully support young people to attend education and their attendance is good.

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Quality of care good

The house affords enough space and promotes a small family home type atmosphere. There is enough room for communal living and private space. Bedrooms are well kept and highly personalised, young people have keys for their rooms affording privacy. There is a small fitted galley kitchen and pantry that some young people are learning to use independently. However, staff lock food cupboards and this limits young people’s autonomy and independence.

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Keeping children and young people safe good

Young people say that they are safe and feel safe at the home. Social workers confirm this. The small number of young people accommodated results in high levels of adult supervision. Group dynamics are very good; there are no incidents of bullying. There are some minor disagreements, but generally young people live alongside one another amicably. This generates a calm atmosphere in which young people can relax and feel at home.

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Keeping children and young people safe good

The incidences of young people going missing are minimal and reducing. There are occasional times when young people return later than agreed. The staff have a good rapport with young people. This enables staff to keep in contact with young people while they are away from the home. This gives young people freedom to spend time with their peers in the local community.

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Keeping children and young people safe good

Behaviour is good, staff place a strong emphasis on positive reinforcement. Consequences are provided, however, young people are able to reflect on their actions and agree to these. Physical restraint has not been used in over a year.

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Keeping children and young people safe good

Staff are competent in their safeguarding knowledge. Regular training reinforces the home’s safeguarding policies and procedures. The safeguarding procedures in the home are clear. Staff understand their responsibilities and know what to do in the event of a safeguarding allegation or disclosure from a young person. This protects young people from potential harm.

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Keeping children and young people safe good

The recruitment procedures are robust. Staff files sampled demonstrate checks are completed on newly appointed staff. This ensures they are safe and suitable to work with children.

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Keeping children and young people safe good

Maintenance of the home is up to date. Fire prevention equipment is checked 6 of 8 regularly by an external fire services contractor. Staff risk assess the physical environment and practise fire drills with young people. This means young people are aware of what to do in the event of an emergency evacuation and potential hazards to young people are minimised.

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Leadership and management good

The manager of this home was registered with Ofsted in September 2009. He has extensive experience in managing the behaviours of children with complex emotional and behavioural needs. This is supported by a social work qualification. Management of the home is efficient and provides stability and continuity to the staff team. Staff are buoyant and upbeat, there are few changes in the team and this gives young people consistency of approach and continuity of care.

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Leadership and management good

There have been no external complaints or concerns since the last inspection. Complaints made by young people are processed in accordance with policy and outcomes are clear. Outcomes are agreed by young people, staff are consistent in sourcing and recording young people’s views.

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Leadership and management good

The manager has high standards and ambition for the home. Capacity for improvement is good and is demonstrated in the progress young people make. Good attention to detail and clear direction for staff result in good practice from a professional staff team. Previous shortfalls have been addressed.

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Leadership and management good

The Statement of Purpose gives an overview of the facilities the home offers. This provides placing authorities, social workers and parents with details of the home and staff.

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Leadership and management good

External and internal monitoring provide extra safeguards. External monitoring raises some shortfalls and gathers the views of young people and staff. The managerial review of care reports on patterns and trends and includes feedback from young people and stakeholders. This demonstrates the overall progress young people make. Placement matching has been successful promoting a family type atmosphere in which all young people have progressed. A social worker said: ‘The staff are very good advocates for my young person. Care is planned and organised, and contact I have with the home is very good’.

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Leadership and management good

The physical environment of the home is maintained well. Décor is fresh and safety checks are carefully undertaken. This promotes a safe and well-kept environment.

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Leadership and management good

Staff are united and share a vision of improving the lives of young people. The manager uses the wider organisation to secure training opportunities. Training is good and equips staff with knowledge and confidence in meeting the unique needs of young people placed. Supervision is provided and staff say that they feel supported. However, this is not always in line with the supervision policy. In addition, although 7 of 8 staff who smoke do so away from children, they contravene the policy by smoking on site. This practice undermines organisational policy and procedure.

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Leadership and management good

Young people’s files hold all the required information. Records of other events in the home are clear. Good monitoring improves practice and provides oversight of sanctions given to young people. This helps ensure that staff are proportionate and young people are treated equally.

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Leadership and management good

The management of the home focuses clearly on children’s lives and experiences. Staff meetings, shift handover sheets and staff supervisions focus directly on the changing needs of the individual young people. Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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Leadership and management good

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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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