Children's home run by Norfolk County Council in Norwich

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged Outstanding at the full inspection. At this interim inspection, Ofsted judge that it has Improved effectiveness .

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The manager has complied with the recommendations made at the previous inspection. She has replaced the fire retardant glass in the door way damaged previously. This minimises the potential risks for young people in case of fire. The home are offering short breaks for 29 young people with specific learning, physical, and sensory impairment. Introductions are currently in progress for three young people to the service. The staff, work in partnership with families, carry out careful assessments. These assessments are contained within the young people’s care plans. This means that staff have up to date information to care for young people with complex needs. This helps them to be able meet their needs and to help them to settle. Plans are in place for one young person to make the transition to an adult service provision. These plans include a leaver’s party to celebrate the achievements that this young person has made over the time she has been

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

attending the home. The manager and staff are particularly aware of their role in safeguarding this particular group of young people. They have reviewed and updated their response to monitoring young people welfare. Staff complete thorough observations of young people when they arrive at the home, and throughout their stay. This process helps to highlight any concerns to the manager. She reviews the information and makes a decision whether to escalate these concerns to a safeguarding discussion. This process has emphasised aspects of the young people’s care which may have previously gone unrecorded. This helps promote their safe-care. Staff use pictorial and other specific communications tools to build strong and supportive relationships with the young people. Staff use these regularly in meetings with young people that help to ascertain their wishes and views about activities and to engage them in developing their care plan. As a result, staff clearly

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

listen to the views of young people. Young people have access to a wide range of interests that they may not be able to access at home. These range from activities in the home such as cooking or using a number of specialist computer games, to visiting the beach or theme and adventure parks. Staff work hard to ensure that each stay provides fun, enjoyment, and opportunities for the young person. A placing social worker commented that: ‘The young people enjoy their short break. There is always so much for them to do.’ Staff continually monitor and observe the young people during their short break. They are intensely alert to the potential risks in the community for this most vulnerable group of young people. This monitoring reduces these risks, and as a result, they do not go missing from this home. Each young person has a missing from care assessment which staff follow in the event of a young person going

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

missing from the home. There is a high level of multi-agency work from a range of professionals who work together to ensure that staff follow safe-care practises. Placing social workers have no concerns about the young people receiving short breaks at this home. The manager and deputy use a number of approaches to observe and monitor the practice of staff. They are available in the home to note any practice which may cause concern or to support positive ways of working. Good quality supervision provides the opportunity for staff to reflect on the care they provide to the young people. Staff receive regular training to ensure that they have the knowledge and skills to meet the needs of these young people. The staff review their interactions over the short break to see how the young people are progressing against set targets. These targets are agreed at reviews and staff will re-evaluate these targets to ensure that they achieve the best possible progress.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The manager has an open dialogue with placing social workers. She has challenged the authority in relation to a safeguarding incident reported to her to ensure that the workers have followed it up appropriately. Placing social workers have a high regard for the work carried out in the home and recognise the positive role that the short break service has for families they work with. There have been no referrals to the local authority safeguarding officer and no notifications to Ofsted. Since the previous inspection, staff have not had to intervene physically to protect young people from harming themselves. This has been positive with staff learning from previous incidents, they know how to de- escalate situations and avoid the need to intervene in this way.

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Information about this children's home

This service provides short breaks for up to four young people who may have a learning disability, physical disability, and sensory impairment. The local authority own and operate this provision.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

04/03/2015 Interim Sustained effectiveness

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What the inspection judgements mean

At the interim inspection we make a judgement on whether the home has improved in effectiveness, sustained effectiveness, or declined in effectiveness since the previous full inspection. This is in line with the Inspection of children's homes: framework for inspection.

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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 focused on the effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of children and young people since the most recent full inspection.

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Information about this inspection

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 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

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

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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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