Children's Home run by BREAK in Norfolk

Good

The children's home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 The young people make progress as a result of the service provided. They are assisted to develop skills and confidence needed to successfully manage their lives as adults.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 The manager is ambitious. She is child focussed and inspires confidence in her management team, families and professionals.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 The home is spacious, accessible and well equipped. Families and young people experience a warm and welcoming atmosphere.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 The young people build trusted and secure relationships with the staff. The young people feel valued and supported.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 The young people enjoy access to a range of social and recreational opportunities in and outside the home.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 The young people are able to share concerns which are taken seriously.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 There are few sanctions applied and when they are staff apply them appropriately.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 The home is sufficiently staffed and resourced to meet the needs of the young people living there.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 There is creative practice in relation diversity.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 The staff do not currently access training specifically on safeguarding disabled children. Generic safeguarding training is not routinely refreshed.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 Where a young person has a potential risk relating to running away the young person’s plan does not thoroughly consider this.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 Some risk assessments are inconsistent with practice within the home.

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further the service should take account of the following recommendation(s):  Ensure that skills in safeguarding are gained and refreshed. This relates to staff receiving training in safeguarding disabled children and updates in generic safeguarding training. (The Guide to the Quality Standards, page 43, paragraph 9.12)  Ensure that where there is a possibility that a child will run away or go missing, their placement plan includes a strategy to minimise this risk. (The Guide to the Quality Standards, page 45, paragraph 9.24)  Ensure that risk assessments accurately reflect the day to day running of the home and are consistent with the statement of purpose. (The Guide to the Quality Standards, page 42, paragraph 9.5)

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Information about this children's home

This home is registered for up to six children and young people with emotional and/or behavioural difficulties, physical disabilities and learning disabilities. The home provides two different services within the same building. A short breaks scheme is provided for young people over weekends and school holidays. During the school term the home provides boarding placements to young people attending linked special schools.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

p.5

Recent inspection history

10/02/2015 Interim Improved Effectiveness

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Recent inspection history

04/03/2014 Interim Satisfactory Progress

p.5

Good

The home is spacious, accessible and well equipped to meet the needs of the young people. A young person said: ’The bedrooms are en-suite, the beds are very comfortable and the desks are made of solid wood.’ Throughout the building there are many regularly updated noticeboards that include photographs and artwork by staff and young people. This contributes to families and young people experiencing a warm, friendly and welcoming atmosphere when they come into the home.

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Good

The young people build trusted and secure relationships with the staff. Interactions between staff and young people are warm and relaxed. One professional said: ‘He felt valued and safe whilst in their care.’ Staffing stability has increased and reliance on agency staff has reduced. As a result young people experience consistency in the care they receive.

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Good

The staff undertake one to one sessions with young people. They listen to them and act on what they hear. They are interested in young people’s experiences. The staff support young people, including those with complex communication needs, to participate in decisions about their lives. For example, the staff supported one young person to decide on his future living arrangements. They then assisted him to turn these into a reality. A professional said: ‘The home has been fantastic, they have supported him and always been at the end of the phone for him and for me.’ Subsequently young people feel valued and supported.

p.6

Good

The staff ensure young people attend school. They attend key educational meetings, but recent rota changes mean that they do not attend as many external meetings as they have previously done. Whilst this does not immediately impact upon the quality of direct care provided, it has the potential to influence the development of relationships with external professionals. The manager is aware of this and will monitor the effect.

p.6

Good

Young people’s case files are well kept and records are clear. Regular audits are completed. The homes young people’s risk assessments and care plans are generally detailed and offer a clear picture of the young people. The staff update the documents regularly. This means that staff have access to accurate and up to date information about young people.

p.6

Good

The staff encourage young people to engage in a variety of activities when they stay at the home. A parent said: ‘I am happy with the range of activities. There is a good balance. They have lots of facilities and also go out into the community.’ The young people, including those who receive short breaks, participate in a range of social and leisure activities. A parent said: ‘It has surprised me how social he has become. It made my week that he has gone out and made friends.’ As a result young people enjoy access to a range of social and recreational opportunities in and outside the home. This increases young people’s social skills and broadens their experience.

p.6

Good

Where appropriate the staff support young people to further develop their independence. One social worker said: ‘being at (name of home ) was the catalyst for moving forward for him.’ Consequently young people are assisted to develop skills and confidence needed to successfully manage their lives as adults.

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Good

The young people report feeling safe. They are supported to understand how to talk about what is difficult. They know who they can turn to and how to complain. A young person said: ‘I feel safe here. The staff are good and lovely. If I am not happy I could tell the staff. They will help me with stuff.’ Another young person said: ‘If I was not happy I could tell the staff.’ This means young people are able to open up to staff and share concerns. When young people have raised concerns the staff have taken these seriously and young people have been included in the resulting process. Consequently young people know their views and opinions matter.

p.7

Good

Parents spoke positively about the service received. There is effective communication between the home and parents. A parent said: ‘each member of staff has been great and enthusiastic. They respect the parents and are interested in my opinions. They have kept me informed and updated if there have been any issues. They work with me.’ Another parent said: ‘I always receive really good feedback, get updates and have reviews. They make sure we are all updated.’ As a result parents have trust in the staff in the home

p.7

Good

Risk assessments are completed and regularly reviewed. However, some risk assessments are incongruent with actual practice in the home. For example, the staff sleep-in risk assessment and the emergency admissions risk assessment. Consequently there is a risk of confusion and staff who need to access the risk assessments may not be clear on what course of action is correct.

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Good

Although there have been no incidents in which any young person has going missing, it is recognised that there is a risk of absconding in relation to one young person. However, there is no individual protocol or detailed risk assessment relating to this. As a result, the risk is not considered as fully as it should be.

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Good

The staff take a non-punitive response to incidents of negative behaviour. Staff look beyond behaviours to understand the frustrations young people face. They are able to demonstrate empathy and understanding. As a result there are few sanctions applied and when they are staff apply them appropriately.

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Good

When physical interventions take place they are a last resort. They are generally recorded appropriately and the manager monitors the content. The staff are usually debriefed and support is offered from a member of staff who is able to deliver training in the methods used. The records demonstrate a reflective approach that looks to identify how practice can be further improved. This promotes a culture in which every effort is made to avoid physical interventions.

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Good

A permanent, suitably experienced and qualified Registered Manager effectively and efficiently manages the home. She has been in post for four years. She is ambitious, child focussed and inspires confidence in her management team and in the families and professionals she works with. Despite the number of strengths there was no complacency and the manager has herself identified areas for improvement.

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Good

Regular monitoring takes place. This includes monthly case audits completed by a senior support worker and regular checks by the manager. As a result the home is in a strong position to continue to improve. Where improvements have previously been noted as necessary, action has been taken. For example, the medication administration process has been significantly strengthened and staff are now monitored four times a year to assess competence. As a result the likelihood of medication errors is significantly reduced and young people are protected as far as reasonably practical.

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Good

A newly appointed independent person visits the home on a monthly basis. The first of these visits suggest that they will offer an appropriate level of scrutiny and are an improvement on previous visits which have lacked depth.

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Good

The home is sufficiently staffed and resourced to meet the needs of the young people living there. The staff team is stable. Staff speak clearly and knowledgably about the young people. They are able to discuss the needs and experiences of young people in an empathic and reflective manner. As a result, young people and parents have confidence in the staff. Staff meetings occur regularly are well attended, and records are good. Supervisions are regular and staff describe these as supportive. A wide range of training courses are available to staff. However, safeguarding disabled children training is not provided. This is a key area of practice and one in which staff should be trained. In addition, whilst the manager was already addressing the issue, some staff have not had safeguarding refresher training for a number of years.

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Good

Additional responsibilities are allocated to staff, based on their own interests and knowledge. This is an effective way of increasing the quality of service and developing the staff team. This has resulted in creative practice in relation diversity. Regular activities take place focussed on diversity. This is not limited to meal nights but has included ‘bedrooms across the world’, how different cultures celebrate birth and how different cultures experience April Fool’s Day. As a result young people are encouraged to respect difference.

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Good

The young people make progress as a result of the service provided. For example, one young person’s behaviour at home has improved significantly since starting to board. A parent said: ‘His behaviour has improved. He was getting violent at home but this has reduced and we are starting to see improvements in other areas too.’ Another young person has grown in confidence and made significant progress in his independence skills. As a result he is able to live in a semi-independent adult provision. A social worker said: ‘He is a very vulnerable young man who has made real progress. They gave him aspirations. This was the first time he has had them. After going to the home the life he now has the potential to lead is very different. They have altered his view of the world.’

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What the inspection judgements mean

The experiences and progress of children and young people are at the centre of the inspection. Inspectors will use their professional judgement to determine the weight and significance of their findings in this respect. The judgements included in the report are made against Inspection of children's homes: framework for inspection.

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What the inspection judgements mean

An outstanding children's home provides highly effective services that contribute to significantly improved outcomes for children and young people who need help and protection and care. Their progress exceeds expectations and is sustained over time. A good children's home provides effective services that help, protect and care for children and young people and have their welfare safeguarded and promoted. In a children's home that requires improvement , there are no widespread or serious failures that create or leave children being harmed or at risk of harm. The welfare of looked after children is safeguarded and promoted. Minimum requirements are in place, however, the children's home is not yet delivering good protection, help and care for children and young people. A children's home that is inadequate is providing services where there are widespread or serious failures that create or leave children and young people being

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What the inspection judgements mean

harmed or at risk of harm or result in children looked after not having their welfare safeguarded and promoted.

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people living in the children's home. Inspectors considered the quality of work and the difference adults make to the lives of children and young people. They read case files, watched how professional staff work with children, young people and each other and discussed the effectiveness of help and care given to children and young people. Wherever possible, they talked to children, young people and their families. In addition the inspectors have tried to understand what the children's home knows about how well it is performing, how well it is doing and what difference it is making for the children and young people who it is trying to help, protect and look after. This 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 Children's

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Information about this inspection

Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards. the guidance raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted, which is available from Ofsted's website: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted . If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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Information about this inspection

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, workbased learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It inspects services for looked after children and child protection. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 4234, 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,

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Information about this inspection

The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

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Information about this inspection

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Information about this inspection

Store Street Manchester M1 2WD T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted

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