Children's Home run by Cambian Childcare Limited 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 home presents in good order and provides children with a nurturing environment where they feel valued and respected.

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The children’s home provision is good because:

 Children have good, trusting relationships with staff and are caring about one another.

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The children’s home provision is good because:

 Children are safer because of living in this home. Risky behaviours have either significantly decreased or ceased.

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The children’s home provision is good because:

 Children’s education attendance and engagement has significantly increased, and their educational outcomes have improved.

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The children’s home provision is good because:

 Children enjoy a range of activities, providing both fun opportunities and new social experiences.

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The children’s home provision is good because:

 An ambitious staff team provide good care experiences to children and support them to achieve good outcomes.

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The children’s home provision is good because:

 Parents hold the home in high regard and recognise the positive impact it has had on their children. The professional team around the child also share these views.

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The children’s home provision is good because:

 This inspection identifies some shortfalls and areas for improvement. These are in relation to specific staff training and the independent visitor assessing children’s welfare. The home has experienced a number of staff changes over recent months, which the home’s development plan does not reflect. Staff recruitment is ongoing and a permanently employed staff team will provide children with continuity in their care.

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions which must be taken so that the registered person 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 must comply with the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

The independent person must produce a report about a visit which sets out, in particular, the independent person’s opinion as to whether children are effectively safeguarded and the conduct of the home promotes children’s well-being. (Regulation 44 (4)(a)(b)) 18 June 2016

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Requirement Due date

13: The leadership and management standard In order to meet the leadership and management standard, with particular reference to staff supervising contact between family members and the young people, the registered person must ensure that staff: (2)(c) have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child. 18 August

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further, the service should take account of the following recommendations:  Ensure that the registered person has a workforce plan, and that the plan is updated to include any new training and qualifications completed by staff while working at the home, and is used to record the ongoing training and continuing professional development needs of staff, including the home’s manager. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 53, paragraph 10.8)

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Recommendations

 Ensure that the registered person makes every effort to achieve continuity of staffing, specifically by the employment of a permanent staff team. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 51, paragraph 10.1)

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Information about this children’s home

A private organisation owns and operates this home. It provides care and accommodation to three children with emotional or behavioural difficulties.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

22 February 2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness

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Recent inspection history

26 November 2015 Full Requires improvement

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Good

This home provides children with a very comfortable home environment. It presents in good decorative order and is well furnished. Large rooms and dedicated areas offer children both private space and ample room for community living. Children say: ‘The home is nice, I feel relaxed. It’s quiet around here and that’s a good thing.’ The three children currently in placement joined the home following the last inspection. Planned placements, which also considered the needs of the child against those already placed, have ensured good matching. One social worker reports, ‘The pre-admission was well organised and best efforts were made by staff.’ The children have formed very good relationships. They are supportive of one another and enjoy each other’s company. One child said, ‘We look out for each other.’ Another, speaking of a missing episode, explained that another child contacted him. ‘He called me. We talked about my troubles and he said, just come

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Good

home. I did.’ One young person informed the inspector that the children’s guide he received as part of his welcome pack was babyish, and in fact he threw it away. Staff worked with him to create a more age-appropriate guide for older children. Staff demonstrated how highly they regarded his views. The revised document offered him age-appropriate information in an engaging document, and it was then available to other older children that would join the home. Staff are committed to investing quality time into building relationships with children. They clearly enjoy spending time with them. One said, ‘They are a pleasure to be around.’ Key work sessions support individual discussions and help children to consider their behaviour and feelings. Staff also recognise how their involvement with the children in their activities offers space for them to engage in meaningful conversations. One child said, about members of staff, ‘I talk to him in

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Good

the car about my troubles at home,’ and ‘I have opened up to her over pool. We have really deep conversations.’ Without exception, children speak highly of their relationships with staff. Trusting, caring relationships are established and children believe that staff will work in their best interests. Staff set very clear boundaries and expectations of children. This steady and predicable environment offers a sense of safety and security for children. It has also proved to impact positively on behaviour. One parent noted, ‘He is much calmer, I have not seen that side of my son for some time,’ while another commented, ‘He seems to have grown up, his attitude has changed and he is a happier person!’ Prior to being placed, most children had experienced long periods out of education. However, all children are now positively engaged in some form of education. Staff work closely with education providers and the virtual school headteachers to

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Good

secure appropriate resources and to devise ongoing plans. For one child, his attendance at college has gone from under 20% to over 70%. Another child, who has been out of school for two years, engages well in home education with a plan in place to start full-time mainstream school soon. Children recognise their educational progress, and they are positively planning for their future careers. Staff hold high aspirations for children’s educational outcomes. Staff use a range of support techniques to help children succeed and reach their potential. Staff register children with the usual medical practitioners. Since placement, two children have newly prescribed reading glasses. All are generally healthy and enjoy a varied diet. All staff have training in medication administration and first aid, ensuring that they meet children’s immediate health needs. Some children were engaged in cannabis use prior to placement. This activity is now a rare occurrence,

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Good

although smoking remains an unhealthy pursuit for some. Having recently undertaken training, staff are better informed about the use and effects of drugs. This will support them in educating children and in supporting them to make healthy life choices. Children are positively engaged in social and recreational activities. The home’s manager has purchased activity equipment, such as a trampoline, cycles, a pool table, board games and a dartboard. These have given children many opportunities for fun, fitness and social interaction. Children have also engaged in new experiences, such as riding motorbikes in a safe, controlled environment. One child said, ‘I like riding bikes but this shows you how to do it properly.’ Staff recognise the importance of family to children placed. They appropriately encourage children to maintain and build on these family relationships by supporting and facilitating contact. They also value family members as an integral

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Good

part of the child’s life, and work closely with them in fulfilling contact plans. One parent said, ‘When I go there I usually cook dinner. Staff will go to the shop and buy the ingredients for me.’ A social worker for another child reported, ‘They have been excellent in their facilitation of contact. This has also helped the child to settle.’ More recently, staff have been required to undertake supervised contact between parent and child. Staff do not have specific training in this area, which limits their understanding and knowledge of supporting such contact. Judgement grade

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Good

Children are safe because of living in this home. The staff implement a range of risk assessments to ensure the safe management of children at the start of placement. Regular reviews and updates ensure that staff work with the most current assessments. As a result, risky behaviours have either significantly decreased or ceased. Prior to placement, some young people put themselves at great risk due to a significantly high number of episodes of missing. This behaviour has considerably decreased. Its only occurrence presently is when children go missing from family contact. Should this be the case, the staff take a lead in notifying the statutory agencies, while continuing to make contact with the child and their family until the child’s safe return. Physical intervention by staff has not been a necessary strategy to manage the children in placement. Staff are observant of individual behaviours and recognise

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Good

when children are struggling emotionally. They will offer them space to talk things over and engage them with positive activities to help to lift their mood. Staff demonstrate to children that they take their emotional well-being seriously, and respond appropriately. Prior to placement, some children placed themselves at risk of criminal convictions due to antisocial behaviour and/or criminal activity. The staff’s positive engagement of children has resulted in no children engaging in such activities. Children are safeguarded as a result. The home has robust measures in place should a child experience bullying. Staff hold children’s welfare as a high priority. They work with those concerned to address matters and find solutions using restorative practices. Staff competently and safely manage conflicts to ensure the protection of each child. The organisation has robust policies and practices in place should a concern be

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Good

raised about the professional conduct of staff. Staff, too, are aware of safeguarding responsibilities and the professional statutory bodies who work collectively to safeguard children.

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Good

The home has experienced a number of changes in staff, including the post of the home’s manager. In the past three months the registered manager has left, and an experienced children’s home manager has overseen operations until the recent appointment of a new manager. There is currently no registered manager in post but interim arrangements have been effective, offering continuity of care to children. Similarly, there have been changes within the staff group. A number of new appointments have filled some of the vacancies. However, while a robust recruitment campaign has identified some staff appointments, vacancies remain unfilled at present and the use of agency staff remains a feature. The home’s workforce development plan does not reflect the recent staff changes, and nor does it reflect the training and development needs of the staff. Although there have been changes in the staff team, those staff that have

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Good

remained and the newly recruited staff have quickly developed a strong team ethic, which holds children’s welfare at the centre of their practice. Recruitment checks undertaken on new staff ensure their suitability, and a well-established induction programme ensures that staff are introduced to policy, procedures and working practices. The organisation offers a comprehensive training programme to enhance staff’s knowledge and understanding of childcare theory and practice. All eligible staff have either completed the required level 3 diploma for residential childcare or have enrolled on the course, with completion planned to be within permitted timescales. Staff receive regular supervision, where discussions about meeting the needs of children and staff development are the main agenda items. Staff report that supervision is also a safe place for them to discuss personal issues and a place to debrief.

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Good

Staff work well with the wider professional agencies. One social worker commented, ‘They communicate with me all the time and I receive detailed reports.’ Another stated, ‘In meetings, they are well prepared.’ Their professional and competent liaison with the wider team ensures that there is appropriate representation of children. Their accurate accounts of a child’s behaviour and presentation contributes to the decision making and care planning of the wider team. Similarly, they work closely with parents and family, sharing information appropriately. Staff keep them up to date with their child’s progress. One parent comments, ‘They are brilliant. I can talk with staff 24/7 and they are a good link between me and the social worker.’ The independent visitor contributes to service improvement with their monthly audit and review of practice and process. However, their report has shortfalls, as it does not include their assessment of how well the home is safeguarding, nor how

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Good

it promotes children’s well-being. This reduces the effectiveness of this external monitoring role.

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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’. 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 children looked after is safeguarded and promoted. Minimum requirements

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What the inspection judgements mean

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 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, work- based learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It inspects services for children looked after 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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