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

Requires improvement

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

p.2

The children’s home provision requires improvement because:

 The home is without a manager.  Staff morale is low.  The initial response from managers to letters of concern written by a vulnerable adult was not good enough.  At least one member of staff does not have the required qualification.  Risk assessments are not robust or effective.  One young person new to the home does not have a relevant placement plan.  Staff are not supporting work completed in school, with particular reference to sexual development.  The location risk assessment has not been reviewed.  While there has been some improvement in staff appraisals taking place, the quality and content varies and does not include feedback from others.  The quality of all written records continues to vary.

p.3

The children’s home strengths

 Families continue to praise the staff and give good feedback about their children’s overall experiences.  One young person continues to say that he feels safe and happy.  Most young people are in a good daily routine.  Young people of school age have very good attendance records.  Bedrooms are highly personalised and offer very good accommodation.  Young people are kept busy and have lots of opportunities to be out in the local community.  Staff work hard, and those spoken to in this inspection showed patience, understanding and kindness while working directly with the young people and the vulnerable adults living in the home.

p.4

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.5

Requirement Due date

12: The protection of children standard: In order to meet the protection of children standard, with particular reference to the recording and implementation of risk assessments, the registered person must ensure that staff:

p.5

Requirement Due date

(2)(a)(i) assess whether each young person and vulnerable adult is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the young person’s or vulnerable adult’s relevant plans, and, if necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the young person or vulnerable adult. 31 August

p.5

Requirement Due date

13: The leadership and management standard: In order to meet the leadership and management standard, with particular reference to staff morale, the registered person must ensure that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture that:

p.5

Requirement Due date

(1)(a) helps young people and vulnerable adults to aspire to fulfil their potential. 31 August

p.5

Requirement Due date

14: The care planning standard: In order to meet the care planning standard, with particular reference to placement plans, the registered provider must ensure that young people and vulnerable adults:

p.5

Requirement Due date

(1)(a) receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home. 31 August

p.5

Requirement Due date

The registered provider must appoint a person to manage the children’s home. (Regulation 27 (1)) 31 August

p.5

Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that each individual who works in the home in a care role has by the relevant date attained the Level 3 Diploma for Residential Childcare (England) ("the Level 3 Diploma"); or a qualification which the registered person 31 August considers to be equivalent to the Level 3 Diploma. (Regulation 32 (4)(a)(b))

p.5

Requirement Due date

The registered person must prepare and implement a policy which sets out the procedure to be followed in the event of an allegation of abuse or neglect with specific reference to vulnerable adults living in the home. (Regulation 34 (1)(b)) 31 August

p.6

Requirement Due date

The registered person must review the appropriateness and suitability of the location of the premises used for the purposes of the children’s home at least once in each calendar year taking into account the requirement in regulation 12(2)(c) (the protection of children standard). When conducting the review, the registered person must consult, and take into account the views of, each relevant person. (Regulation 46 (1)(2)) 31 August

p.6

Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further, the service should take account of the following recommendations:

p.6

Recommendations

 Ensure that, in line with their individual health plans and the ethos of the home, young people and vulnerable adults are offered advice, support and guidance on health and well-being to enhance and supplement that provided by their school. Staff should have the relevant skills and knowledge to be able to help young people and vulnerable adults understand, and, where necessary, work to change, behaviours in key areas of health and well-being such as, but not limited to, sexual health. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 35, paragraph 7.18)

p.6

Recommendations

 Ensure that all staff have their performance and fitness to carry out their role formally appraised at least once annually. This appraisal should take into account, where reasonably practical, the views of other professionals who have worked with the staff member over the year and of young people and vulnerable adults in the home’s care. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.5)

p.6

Recommendations

 Ensure that staff are familiar with the home’s policies on record keeping and understand the importance of careful, objective and clear recording, with specific reference to key work sessions undertaken and updates to records. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4)

p.6

Information about this children’s home

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

p.7

Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

p.7

Recent inspection history

14 July 2015 Interim Sustained effectiveness

p.7

Recent inspection history

12 September 2014 Interim Sustained effectiveness

p.7

Requires improvement

The young people using this service have complex learning needs. Some interact by using speech, some do not, and many use picture exchange to enhance communication. All are looked after on a one-to-one basis and some have two adults to guide and support them during waking hours. Young people should expect good quality individualised care. However, managers have not been able to sustain the development achieved and referenced in the last full inspection report. This has impacted on some young people’s individual progress in some areas.

p.8

Requires improvement

While the majority of young people are in a good day-to-day routine, individual progression has stagnated. For example, one young person new to the home does not have a relevant placement plan. The copy available was written before he arrived to live at the home and has not been updated. This example of poor placement recording demonstrates that staff do not effectively plan the detail of individualised care. They often use word of mouth to evaluate and evidence progress that young people make in areas such as health and well-being. In the context of a number of changes in staffing and an increase in the reliance on agency workers, this approach is likely to lead to inconsistencies in care practice and to mistakes.

p.8

Requires improvement

Young people who are 18 and under attend the educational establishment run by the provider. The term-time daily structure is clear and staff do a good job in getting the young people up and out for school. Overall, young people’s experiences are enhanced because of communication with the school. For example, school staff remind some staff in the home about the appropriate school clothing required for the young people. Some young people make progress in school and, as a result, increase their understanding and knowledge in mathematics and English. Some young people sit exams. However, the staff in the home are not yet doing enough to support education. For example, they do not consistently assist with newly introduced homework or help with exam preparation. Additionally, while staff are patient and kind and encourage young people to practise being independent, they do not approach this in a coordinated or

p.8

Requires improvement

structured way. The result is that the overall approach does not encourage young people to reach their full academic potential.

p.8

Requires improvement

The young people living in this home are adolescent or young men with developing health and well-being needs. They are all registered with the required locality services, such as doctor, dentist and optician. In addition, many access supplementary services from other national health professionals. The advice and guidance offered to support the input of partner agencies varies. Staff spend individual time with the young people. However, they often miss opportunities to give direction and to undertake structured interventions. They are not doing enough to enhance and supplement the work undertaken by the school. For example, in helping the young people to understand sexual health. This means that young people are not provided with the opportunity to explore sexual feelings.

p.8

Requires improvement

The interior of the home and the garden provide excellent physical space. Each young person has their own personalised bedroom and en suite bathroom. In addition, the garden and communal areas offer ample space for visitors. The majority of young people are encouraged to access the local community, which means that when not at school they are frequently out visiting local attractions, at the park or going to the gym. This promotes fun and positive physical well-being.

p.9

Requires improvement

A number of family members continue to have an active role in overseeing their child’s care, which means that they are regular visitors to the home or are in regular communication. This reduces isolation and acts as an additional safeguard. Parents spoken to consistently give positive feedback and one said: ‘The staff work hard and are brilliant.’

p.9

Requires improvement

Staff write risk assessments to help to anticipate the potential impact of situations in and around the home. The subject matter of the generic and individualised assessments ranges from using the hot tub in the garden to raising awareness about the possibility of allegations against staff. The assessments sampled during inspection do not provide sufficient detail. Reviews conducted are sparse. In addition, there is no evidence to confirm that the risk assessments are read and understood by other staff. This does not enable the team to share an accurate understanding of the arrangements to reduce risk and means that the information is not fit for purpose. This does not help to protect young people from harm.

p.9

Requires improvement

One vulnerable adult wrote more than one letter of concern implicating staff in mistreatment and sexual misconduct. Staff appropriately passed the letters to the home’s manager. The result was that the manager met with the individual to ask him about the letters. The manager did not immediately refer the matter to the host authority adult safeguarding team. The placing authority was subsequently satisfied that the letters had been written as a ‘joke’. However, this initial response from the home does not safeguard young people and vulnerable adults. It represents a failure on the part of the managers and leaders to implement policies for the protection of any young person or vulnerable adult living in the home. The responsible individual has since written to Ofsted in acknowledgement of this mistake, with details of some planned action to reduce the likelihood of recurrence.

p.9

Requires improvement

Young people do not go missing from this home. One young person said that he continues to feel safe and likes living at the home. He said: ‘The responsible individual seems to do a good job of recruiting people who understand us.’ Incidents of physical intervention continue to be rare and records show that staff manage these situations with sensitivity.

p.10

Inadequate

The former registered manager was promoted within the group and left in March 2016. The replacement manager left in June 2016. This means that the home is without a registered manager and therefore without strategic leadership and direction. This has had a significant impact on staff morale. Staff say that they, ‘continue to do their best’. However, they and the seniors leading the day-to-day care work long hours and as a result some staff are stretched.

p.10

Inadequate

Agencies say that staff work as positively as they can and that they are keen to shape effective relationships and ensure good communication. Overall, placing local authority social workers and services describe in positive terms their contact with the staff who they know. However, changes in staffing mean that there is reliance on a small number who have worked in the home for some years. These staff are also providing support to new staff members coming in. This puts pressure on the core staff and has the potential to undermine their effectiveness.

p.10

Inadequate

A recent internal investigation took place because staff appropriately reported that they had found an illegal substance in the staff bedroom. This resulted in the police coming to the home. The police took no further action. However, taking the matter seriously, managers discussed this breach of trust with all staff. Records show that each individual was asked to sign to say that they understand and will comply with the provider’s drug and alcohol policy. This evidences a sufficient response to this matter of concern.

p.10

Inadequate

Staff access training in areas such as safeguarding and the use of restrictive physical intervention. This helps to equip them to fulfil their roles. The majority of the staff who have worked for the provider for more than two years have the required qualification. However, at least one member of the team, working in different care roles for more than two years, had just enrolled for the level 3 diploma. This represents a failure to meet regulation because it does not ensure that all staff have the required level of skill to work in this sector.

p.10

Inadequate

A recommendation from the last inspection relates to the review of the quality of the content of the location risk assessment. This has not been completed. This failure means that staff are not actively identifying, reviewing and mitigating risks in the locality, including the busy main road.

p.11

Inadequate

A number of staff appraisals have taken place, resulting in some improvement. This was a requirement at the last inspection. However, the quality of the content of the appraisals is variable and none demonstrate that feedback from other colleagues had been taken into account. The result is a narrow assessment of the areas for professional development and the strengths of some staff.

p.11

Inadequate

Records, and internal and external monitoring reports, show some recognition and evaluation of the home’s strengths and areas of weakness. The home continues to meet the aims and objectives described in the statement of purpose. However, the impact of the lack of a consistent registered manager is profound. The result is that staff do not receive the support they need and young people and vulnerable adults make limited progress when they are capable of more.

p.11

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.12

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 children looked after 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.12

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.12

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.13

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.13

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,

p.14

Information about this inspection

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

p.14

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.14

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.14