Children's Home run by Cambian Childcare Limited in Norfolk

Requires improvement

The children's home is not yet delivering good help and care for children and young people. However, there are no serious or widespread failures that result in their welfare not being safeguarded or promoted.

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because:

 There has been a lack of planning and robust progression to establish an educational provision for young people. As such young people are unsupported in education and their opportunity for achievement has not been maximised.  There has been no liaison with the virtual head of the placing authority to establish an appropriate educational provision that meets the needs of young people placed.  The health needs of some young people are not robustly completed.  Some members of staff lacked clarity on the reporting procedure of safeguarding concerns.

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The children's home strengths

 The home places great value on maintaining family contact to preserve and strengthen young people’s identity and family relationships.  A balanced approach is in place to ensure that some of the most challenging of behaviours presented have not resulted in the criminalisation of young people.

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The children's home strengths

 Staff have maintained the placement and added to the assessment of a highly complex young person to establish and ensure the specific needs of this young person are met.   The robust selection and recruitment of staff mean only suitable staff work with young people.  Staff receive a range of training and specifically training to enhance their understanding and knowledge of the presenting behaviours of young people in placement.

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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 (England) Regulations 2015 and the Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards. The registered person(s) must comply with the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

In order to meet the education standard the registered person must ensure that staff:

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Requirement Due date

(2) (a) (vi) maintain regular contact with each child's education provider, including engaging with the provider and the placing authority to support the child's education and to maximise the child's achievements. 27/12/2015

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Requirement Due date

In order to meet the health and well-being standard the registered provider must ensure that:

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Requirement Due date

(10) (1) (a) the health and well-being needs of children are met. 27/12/2015

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Requirement Due date

12: The protection of children standard:

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Requirement Due date

In order to meet the protection of children standard, with particular regard to the management of allegations the registered provider must ensure that staff:

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Requirement Due date

(2) (a) (v) understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person. 27/12/2015

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Information about this children's home

This home offers care and accommodation for up to 3 young people with emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. A private organisation owns and runs this home.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Requires improvement

Some young people have struggled to build trusting and secure relationships with staff members. They clearly identify those who they struggle with and report this is because these staff members: ‘Do not follow through on what they say they are going to do.’ However, some trusting relationship are beginning to form. Young people described these as more positive because these members of staff: ‘Listen to me.’ Young people did report that they felt safe in the home. One of the reasons given for this was that there was no bullying going on.

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Requires improvement

Young people placed have not engaged in education or training. Whilst staff have supported some young to consider various options, due to specific circumstances such as a young person missing, these options did not come to fruition. For another young person an appropriate educational resource was not identified or in place at the start of his internal transfer from a sister home. Staff have not liaised with the virtual head of the placing authority to consider appropriate educational support. Whilst out of education the home has not offered an appropriate level of structured learning to support the young person’s educational progress.

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Requires improvement

Young people are registered with the appropriate local medical bodies and appointments arranged. For some, registration is temporary as health plans are completed. Some young people do not have completed health plans and on one occasion staff have not adhered to their policy on the ceasing of medication. As a result the health needs of young people are not robustly met. First aid training is part of the core induction training for staff and is refreshed regularly, having staff with these essential skills ensures young people receive appropriate attention in the event of an accident or health incident.

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Requires improvement

The organisation has a dedicated clinical team who begin an initial 12 week clinical assessment at the start of a young person’s placement. During this period they also work with the staff team to help in the understanding of presenting behaviours and offer guidance in behaviour management. This resource is a particular strength of the organisation as staff manage a range of complex and challenging behaviours.

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Requires improvement

Some young people present with significantly challenging behaviour which requires a high level of staff to young person ratio. At times staff appeared overwhelmed by the consistently present negative behaviours. These included physical assaults, verbal aggression and damage to property. Whilst the number of visitors to the home exasperated these behaviours, staff and a social worker reported that some positive progress has been made. They report that episodes have less intensity and are less prolonged. To assist further in understanding the triggers to behaviour the managers are compiling a comprehensive chronology. This will contribute to a fuller needs assessment to ensure that the appropriate services and resources are available to meet the complex needs of the young person.

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Requires improvement

The home does offer some external recreational activities, however, engagement in these have been limited as young people have been resistant to participate. The vast gardens, however, have offered young people an opportunity to become involved in gardening. This engagement offers opportunity to build on developing positive relationships and a healthy physical activity for young people.

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Requires improvement

An engaging children’s guide, which is available in two age appropriate versions, is used to welcome each young person into the home. Some young people have also benefited from an internal transfer where staff at the home had also worked with them at their previous home to assist in their transition. This helps to positively lessen anxiety for young people. The home also helps young people understand the reasons for their care episode by completing ‘my placement’ documentation.

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Requires improvement

The home places great value on maintaining family contact. They facilitate direct contact and have regular communication with parents. One parent noted how frequent telephone contact and a weekly written report from staff keeps them updated on all matters. This practice preserves family relationships and supports the young people’s identity.

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Requires improvement

All young people are encouraged to develop self-care skills. The home create an engaging incentive chart which sets out specific areas for development where achievement in these areas offers financial reward. Young people are also encouraged to take part in general daily activities such as cooking. The home offers a more distinct programme for independence coaching as young people near adulthood.

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Good

The young people living at the home have presented with complex and challenging behaviour. The home undertakes numerous risk assessments and review these risk with considered frequency. All staff are aware of any changes in the presenting risks and the strategy used in managing them. The staff also work with the clinical team to ensure that the identified risks reduce and young people’s welfare safeguarded. Some young people placed presented with high levels of cannabis use. The manager secured appropriate training to enhance the knowledge and skills base of the staff team. With this new learning staff supported young people to significantly decrease this unhealthy life style choice.

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Good

The home has robust processes in place should a young person go missing. They work closely with the police and adhere to the missing from care protocol. When young people have gone missing from the home the staff act efficiently and in accordance with protocols. On some occasions, the missing episodes have lasted several days. During these times, staff have kept in daily telephone communication with the young person encouraging them to make the right choices. A professional notes that: ‘The answering of the phone and the engagement in conversation showed the young person was respectful of the relationship with staff.’ This involvement offered the young person continued support and staff were assured of their welfare.

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Good

The home cares for some young people that make false allegations against staff. Strategies are in place to ensure the safety of both young people and staff members such as having high staff to young people ratios and high levels of observation. There is also close liaison between the manager, social worker and the local authority designated officer. This ensures that each allegation made is respected and appropriate consideration is given and action undertaken. Some members of staff lacked clarity on the reporting processes of safeguarding concerns. Further training is required to ensure that staff are clear on these processes in order to protect and safeguard young people.

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Good

The manager attends monthly community safety meetings with other service providers, police and youth offending services. The sharing of local anti-social activity offers specific insight into areas of possible vulnerability for young people and helps staff to protect and safeguard them.

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Good

The home presents in very good decorative order and offers young people a warm and comfortable living space. It recent times the home has suffered significant damage due to the destructive behaviour of its residents. The manager acts particularly swiftly to restore and refurbish the home to its usual standard. This maintains a protective, safe, environment for young people to reside. Judgement grade

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Good

The registered manager is appropriately qualified and brings a wealth of experience to the post. She has worked within the residential childcare field for over 15 years holding posts in both practice and management.

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Good

Whilst the manager, deputy and two senior care staff are experience in residential care work all of the residential care staff are in their probationary period of 6 months and for some this is their first experience of working with children in a residential care setting. To engage staff in the direct care of young people, to widen their understanding and experience the manager has sought alternative working environments for them. These relatively inexperienced staff are managing highly complex and risky behaviours. Staff report that they feel part of a supportive team. They look to their experienced manager and team leaders to help guide and advise them in their role and in managing the presenting behaviours.

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Good

Staff coming into the service are subject to robust recruitment and vetting procedures to ensure that only suitable people are working with the young people in the home. A comprehensive induction plan ensures staff train in core subjects and are familiar with the policies and procedures of the company. They receive regular and effective supervision, which offers time to focus and consider how to meet the needs of the young people in placement. It also looks at their continued developmental and training needs. The manager does source specific training for staff, which focusses on the presenting needs or behaviours of young people in placement. This is a particular strength as it ensures that staff gain understanding and knowledge in areas specifically pertinent to meeting the needs of young people placed.

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Good

The organisation has a number of monitoring tools, which the manager uses to monitor the quality of care provided. These also offer a critical analysis of the homes challenges and achievements over a set period of time and an action plan for future development. This demonstrates that the manager has an oversight of the service, she is able to identify its strengths, limitations and the areas for improving experiences and outcomes for young people.

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Good

Feedback from some of the professional team around the child demonstrate a service where communication is a particular strength. A social worker reports: ‘I receive regular updates, communication is really good.’

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Good

One young person appeared to be struggling with his move into the home. The presenting behaviours were particularly risky both to staff and themselves. The manager has considered the meaning of a range of behaviours to ensure the young person is not unduly criminalised. The manager called a disruption meeting, bringing the professional team together to discuss behaviour management and future plans. The social commented: ‘this meeting was particularly positive and since that time the young person has become less anxious and behaviour is more positive.’ Staff have maintained the placement, which offers a period of stability. This allows for information gathered to contribute to a fuller assessment to ensure that the appropriate resources and services are in place to meet the young person’s individual needs.

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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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