Children's Home run by Barnardiston Hall Preparatory School Limited in Suffolk

Good

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

p.2

The children's home provision is good because:

 A number of staff have worked in the home for some years providing continuity for the young people who have lived together since the last full inspection.  Staff understand the young people well. Young people make good progress including developing skills in communication and self-care.  Incidents are few. Young people do not go missing from this home.  There is a new registered manager. He is having a positive impact.  Managers and leaders take issues of concern seriously. They take action and are responsive.  Young people of school age attend education daily. Their attendance is excellent.  Young people are involved in a broad range of activities within the local community.  Parents and professionals speak positively about the home and of their young people’s good experiences.  There is generous accommodation to meet the needs of the group.  There are some shortfalls in records maintained. Annual staff appraisals are

p.3

The children's home provision is good because:

not yet complete. The location risk assessment needs to be reviewed as it is lacking in detail. All staff should sign and date case records.

p.3

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.

p.4

Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees have their performance and fitness to perform their roles appraised at least once every year (Regulation 33 (4) (c)) 21/03/2016

p.4

Recommendations

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

p.4

Recommendations

Ensure that the review of the suitability of the location and premises of the home includes the identification of any risks, opportunities presented and the strategies for managing these. (The Guide to the Quality Standards, page 64 paragraph 15.1)

p.4

Recommendations

Ensure case records are signed and dated by the author of each entry. (The Guide to the Quality Standards, page 62 paragraph 14.3)

p.4

Information about this children's home

This home is one of a small group. Privately run, accommodation is provided for up to six males with moderate to severe learning difficulties.

p.5

Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

p.5

Recent inspection history

14/07/2015 Interim Sustained effectiveness

p.5

Recent inspection history

12/09/2014 Interim Sustained effectiveness

p.5

Good

Since the interim inspection there have been no new admissions or discharges. This means continuity for the young people within the group. A slight increase in the use of agency workers has had minimal impact because the core group of workers have been present for some years. This means that the majority of adults know each of the young people very well. They understand their needs and routes for self-expression. One parent said: ‘The staff are good and getting better at reading my child and anticipating what he is going to do next.’

p.6

Good

Each young person living in this home has complex learning and or social needs. One young person said: ‘I have autism which means that there are particular ways that I see the world. Living here has helped me to understand myself more.’

p.6

Good

Most individuals receive one to one support. They are encouraged to be active which means they have the opportunity to practice domestic tasks such as meal preparation. This helps to improve independence.

p.6

Good

Accommodation is spacious and arranged across two levels. Bedrooms are highly individualised reflecting unique personalities. Rooms benefit from en-suite facilities. This means that daily procedures take place undisturbed and without turn taking. This contributes to a peaceful atmosphere. Those who are older and assessed to require less help, live in self-contained space. However, they continue to benefit from high levels of supervision, guidance, and support. This helps to prepare for transitions and moving on to adult services.

p.6

Good

Young people continue to move forward in health, wellbeing, communication, and self-care. A representative from one placing authority said: ‘I can chart the progress that my young person has made in the home since his arrival. He has taken tremendous steps.’

p.6

Good

Young people of school age attend the setting run by the provider which is located a short drive away from the home. They make progress in education and learn new communication skills. Staff from the home work closely with colleagues in education providing continuity for the young people across the day.

p.6

Good

Families are welcomed into the home. This means that young people routinely experience and benefit from family contact. Staff go the extra mile to place priority on young people seeing relatives. As a result they feel included, kept up to date and able to approach managers and leaders where differences arise. One parent said: ‘The staff do listen to us and want to work in partnership with us.’

p.6

Good

Young people spoken to say that they feel safe and that they receive good support from staff who know them, understand them and go out of their way to make time for them.

p.7

Good

Those young people with limited or no speech receive help to increase their range of communication. For example, the team use personalised flash cards to help individual young people to choose an activity. For others, words have increased which means they are more readily able to express their needs audibly. This helps them to express their views, wishes, and feelings.

p.7

Good

The overwhelming majority of the young people are in a routine. They receive help to access community appointments and to take part in leisure activities such as going to the gym, roller skating, park, swimming, community drama groups and shopping. This means that young people engage with the local community regularly and as a result are busy, healthy, and active.

p.7

Good

Young people do not go missing from this home. Were a young person to leave without permission or unexpectedly, door alarms would provide an audible signal to staff who are aware of the action to take to ensure an expedient return.

p.7

Good

The numbers of incidents have reduced significantly and as a result physical interventions remain low. This means staff frequently and successfully employ a range of distraction and diversion techniques to help young people with their behaviour. One young person described the home is ‘outstanding’. He said: ‘Since the last inspection the staff have introduced an incentive plan. The approach is heralding results.’

p.7

Good

Parents and professionals spoken to for this inspection provided positive feedback about the home and the care that their young person receives. All said that they are confident that their young people are safe and receive good help. One professional said: ‘Staff have a good understanding of his needs. His behaviour is well managed and as a result the challenging behaviour has reduced. His progress is astonishing and impressive.’ This means that the help that young people receive makes a significant difference. Judgement grade

p.7

Good

The home has a new manager, registered with Ofsted. He has relevant significant experience having recently successfully managed another home in the group run by the responsible individual.

p.8

Good

Appropriately qualified with the required level five diploma in leadership and management he has a clear vision for involving young people and their networks in improving the home. Since starting he has implemented a new approach to placement planning which means that objectives are clear and measurable. He is actively working to improve information exchange between staff which in turn is helping them to be increasingly more effective in communication with parents and professionals about for example, the placement aims. He has the respect of the staff team who are responding positively to his organised and methodical approach.

p.8

Good

The manager, working with external leaders, has met both requirements from the last interim inspection. While some staff have not signed and dated a selection of the case records sampled. This shortfall has no impact for young people. The overall organisation and quality of the information in files is improving.

p.8

Good

The home is located in a small town with access to a range of social and leisure facilities. Reflecting care planning and partnership working with placing authorities, some of the young people access services in the community alone. The location risk assessment has been updated in line with regulation. However, the content falls short because it does not yet sufficiently document the risks and opportunities presented from the homes position. This short fall has no current impact for young people living in the home because the majority of current staff know the locality well.

p.8

Good

Staff receive supervision. Records sampled show that they have regular opportunity to reflect on their day to day work and the progress of the young people. They benefit from access to a range of training reflecting their job function including; managing physical intervention, manual handling, and first aid. Sampling of staff supervision files evidenced that annual appraisals have not yet taken place in line with regulation representing a shortfall. This does not help staff to improve their performance or to develop potential.

p.8

Good

Complaints are rare. The registered manager and seniors deal effectively with matters brought to their attention thoroughly and professionally. The manager refers safeguarding issues expediently to the delegated officer. Decisive action taken ensures the continued priority of young people’s safety. There is evidence of learning for the whole staff team from incidents. This means that leaders in the home are conscientious, responsive and take matters of concern seriously. On arrival the registered manager in partnership with external leaders identified initial areas for improvement within the home. These have been met. The homes new development plan is in progress. One young person said of the new manager: ‘As well as being good at all the paper work he is very good at making sure that he spends time with each of us. That makes a big difference.’

p.8

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.

p.10

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

p.10

What the inspection judgements mean

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

p.10

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

p.11

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 .

p.11

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,

p.12

Information about this inspection

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

p.12

Information about this inspection

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.12

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

p.12