Children's home in Mid Suffolk

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

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The children’s home’s provision is good because:

 This is a child-focused service, which is flexible in its delivery to ensure that children’s individual needs are well met.  Children benefit from staff who know them well, ensuring that their preferences for daily routines and a calm and ordered environment are fulfilled.  Staff are passionate about making a difference for the children, and consistently employ communication regimes which help the children to gain more control over their environment.  Children enjoy their short breaks. They are safe, happy and relaxed, enjoying opportunities to take part in activities and pastimes that otherwise would not be available to them.  The children make individualised progress and grow in confidence at a pace that is suitable to them.  Good partnership working means that children and their families are able to access the support they need. Professionals and parents are complimentary about the service offered to their children, highlighting that this highly

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The children’s home’s provision is good because:

valued short-break service really does make a difference.  Detailed, individualised care plans and risk assessments paint a picture of each child and really help staff to understand them and their support needs.  The service is well managed by a manager who is able to maintain the balance between management and a hands-on approach to the children accessing the service. The manager clearly knows both the staff and the children well.  Some areas for development have been identified, but these do not have an impact on the high-quality experiences which children and their families enjoy. The manager has been asked to undertake some training in safer recruitment and provide all staff with an annual appraisal of their practice. They have also been asked to ensure that privacy screening is fitted to all bedroom windows and to ensure that all records are accurately maintained. The provider has been asked to review current quality assurance

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The children’s home’s provision is good because:

arrangements to ensure that they are fit for purpose.

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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 within the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

The registered provider must appoint, at the registered provider’s expense, a person (‘the independent person’) to visit and report on the children’s home carried on by the registered provider. The registered provider may not appoint as an independent person a person who has, or has had, a connection with the registered person. (Regulation 43 (3)(g)(i)) 21/11/2016

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that an independent person visits the children’s home at least once each month. The independent person must produce a report about a visit (‘the independent person’s report’) which sets out, in particular, the independent person’s opinion as to whether children are effectively safeguarded, and whether the conduct of the home promotes children’s well-being. (Regulation 44 (1)(4)(a)(b)) 21/11/2016

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Recommendations

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

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Recommendations

 Provide a homely, domestic environment, which complies with relevant health and safety legislations. In particular, provide appropriate privacy screening for all bedroom windows. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9)  As set out in regulations 31-33, the registered person is responsible for maintaining good employment practice. They must ensure that recruitment, supervision and performance management of staff safeguards children and minimises potential risks to them. In particular, ensure that all staff undertaking recruitment activities receive training in safer recruitment. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.1)  All staff must have their performance and fitness to carry out their role formally appraised at least once annually. This appraisal should take into account, where

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Recommendations

reasonable and practical, the views of other professionals who have worked with the staff member over the year and children in the home’s care. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.5)  Ensure staff understand the importance of careful, objective and clear recording, ensuring that information regarding the child is recorded in a way that will be helpful to the child. In particular, ensure that staff meeting minutes are accurate and care plans include accurate information regarding the child’s cultural and religious needs. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4)

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Information about this children’s home

The home is a privately run establishment. It is registered to provide short breaks for up to four children and young people with severe learning disabilities, such as autism and cognitive developmental delay.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 21/01/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness 22/09/2015 Full Good 26/02/2015 Interim Improved effectiveness 04/12/2014 Full Good

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people living in the home are

The setting provides short breaks to children and young people with learning disabilities and complex behaviour. Parents remain responsible for organising and maintaining their child’s health and education in accordance with short-break arrangements. However, staff, having received appropriate training and competency assessments, ensure that any complex care needs and medication are well managed.

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people living in the home are

The level of progress made by children is highly individual, in accordance with their particular disabilities. Some make small, but personally significant, steps, while others make great progress in their communication, behaviour and self-care. The children are consistently appropriately stimulated and experience an immersive learning environment. They enjoy a variety of physical and sensory activities promoting a better understanding of the world around them.

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people living in the home are

Parents and professionals comment on how flexible and child-focused the service is. Staff really try to meet the family’s needs in time of crisis, ensuring that the child’s needs are very much central to the support provided. For example, on occasion they have helped families stay together by providing a shared care arrangement or temporary full-time care. On one occasion, staff stepped in to support the child until a suitable long-term placement could be arranged, minimising change and disruption for them. This parent said staff have, ‘been brilliant at stepping in to support us so she doesn’t need to go anywhere else.’

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people living in the home are

The manager ensures that a comprehensive assessment, including a specific assessment break, is undertaken prior to each child using the service for the first time. When children require alternative services, such as a full-time placement or adult residential care, the manager ensures that sensitive, well-planned transitions take place involving all key people. This minimises distress for the vulnerable children, ensuring that the routines which help them feel safe and secure are adhered to. This strong partnership approach ensures that children and their families feel well supported during this difficult time.

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people living in the home are

Good-quality assessments and care planning arrangements guide staff effectively in how to meet individual children’s complex needs. The home’s ‘all about me’ plan is child-focused and highly individualised, giving staff a clear sense of the child’s personality, likes and dislikes, and communication needs. One child’s plan held incorrect information regarding some cultural support needs due to poor recording. However, this had no impact on the child as these particular activities are met within the family, rather than at the short-break setting. Children have their favourite staff, but they build relationships with all staff. The consistency of staff approach helps children to feel safe and settled in their environment. This is particularly important for those children who are unable to articulate their emotions and anxieties verbally. One parent said, ‘Staff know her really well. They know her needs and they are very well met.’

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people living in the home are

The children are encouraged to communicate through the use of pictorial communication systems. For example, they can help themselves to prominently displayed symbols showing that they want to go out or have something to eat. Staff constantly seek children’s thoughts, wishes and feelings through the use of these, as well as through direct discussion and observation. Staff describe their joy at watching the children grow and develop. This familiarity over extended periods of time means that the staff really get to know the children well and what all of their particular non-verbal communication signifies. This is particularly important as some of the children do not use any other form of communication.

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people living in the home are

High staffing levels enable staff to be responsive to children’s individual wants and needs. They have fun enjoying their short breaks, playing in the sensory den or on the trampoline. They particularly enjoy the opportunity to go out for walks, and to do things they otherwise wouldn’t do, such as visit the local arcades and sea life centre. Photographs around the home help them to remember and share memorable moments. One social worker said, ‘She has really enjoyed her time at the home.’

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people living in the home are

The home only offers a service to children who are physically mobile, so children benefit from an environment which is suitable to meet their needs. However, the privacy screening, placed on bedroom windows to prevent people seeing in, has yet to be fitted to one bedroom.

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people living in the home are

Parents and partner professionals speak very highly of the home. They refer to a ‘fantastic home’. One parent said, ‘I am 100% really happy with the care.’ Another parent said, ‘I have absolute confidence they have my child’s best interests at heart.’

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people are helped and protected

The children feel safe, secure and well cared-for. This is demonstrated in their laughter and the way in which they respond to staff. One child said the home was ‘good’ and that they ‘like’ it. Staff ensure that the routines children have in place at home, which reflect their individual needs, are consistently implemented during their short breaks. This helps to reduce any anxieties the children may experience. Families and professionals have absolute confidence in the service to safeguard the children effectively. They describe them enjoying their short breaks and always indicating that they feel safe. One said, ‘She likes being here, she feels safe. She now asks to come back to the home when we are out.’ Another parent described how staff’s sensitive approach had given them the confidence to allow their child the opportunity to enjoy a short break. They said, ‘We were very nervous about leaving him, but he is really happy there, and we feel he is safe and well looked

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people are helped and protected

Safeguarding is at the core of staff practice. There have been no safeguarding concerns or complaints in the past year. Staff are aware of the additional vulnerabilities of children with disabilities and are conversant with the home’s safeguarding and whistleblowing procedures.

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people are helped and protected

Suitably detailed risk assessments ensure that risks are identified and understood. These are regularly updated and shared effectively among the team, enabling staff to be successful in managing risk effectively while continuing to promote children’s development. For example, staff have clear risk assessments and management plans in place to respond to their behaviours, and to manage community and transport risks.

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people are helped and protected

Behaviour management is appropriate. Each child’s individual behaviour support plan reflects their particular needs and vulnerabilities providing effective guidance for staff. Staff recognise behaviour as a means of communication, and seek to ensure that the child’s potential needs are met. Staff use distraction techniques rather than restraint or any form of sanction to redirect any negative behaviour. As a result of the inclusive communication approach and consistent boundaries, some children make significant progress in their behaviour, and levels of challenging behaviour are low.

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people are helped and protected

The children are protected from unsuitable people gaining employment within the home through robust pre-employment vetting processes. However, despite being involved in staff recruitment, the manager has not undertaken training in safer recruitment. This potentially undermines their full understanding of best practice. The building is safe, with regular servicing of equipment and suitable fire prevention measures in place. Appropriate security and supervision arrangements mean that there have been no significant incidents, or occasions where children have gone missing. Judgement grade

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leaders and managers

The home is well led by the suitably qualified, enthusiastic and experienced registered manager. Staff feel that they are well supported by a committed manager who has high aspirations for the children and high expectations of them. This suitably resourced home delivers a high-quality, individualised caring experience to children in accordance with the statement of purpose. Children enjoy their short breaks and make progress according to what their individual needs and circumstances allow. Staffing levels meet the children’s individual needs and the manager ensures that the interests of the children remain paramount.

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leaders and managers

Staff enjoy working at the home and children benefit from their enthusiasm. The organisation provides a selection of relevant training for staff in order to enhance their professional development and meet the needs of children with disabilities. All staff who have been working with young people in a children’s home for over two years have completed their level 3 diploma and all remaining staff have been enrolled. Staff receive a thorough induction process, which has helped new staff to gain skills and confidence prior to taking on their new roles. However, no formal staff appraisals have taken place. While this has no direct impact on children, it does mean that there is no formalised opportunity for the staff member to reflect on their practice and professional development across the past year with their manager.

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leaders and managers

Recording systems within the home are generally sound. However, on specific occasions, suitably detailed records are not maintained. For example, one child’s ‘all about me’ plan detailed inaccurate cultural information and the minutes of a staff meeting gave poor and incorrect guidance to staff on managing some routines of the home.

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leaders and managers

The manager communicates closely with parents and partner agencies, building strong partnership working and ensuring that the best possible all-round support is provided to children. As a result of these close relationships, families and partner agencies are consistently highly positive about the home. One social worker commented, ‘This is a really child-focused service and the manager will always ask for help for families, advocating on their behalf.’

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leaders and managers

Internal quality monitoring systems are effective in ensuring that the manager has a good understanding of children’s, families’ and other agencies’ views of the home. The manager has clear aspirations for further development of the service to enhance children’s experiences during their short breaks. The organisation’s quality monitoring systems, however, are not in accordance with regulatory requirements. The independent visitor has a connection with the responsible individual and is therefore not suitable to undertake the role. The visits are not sufficiently robust and do not review the quality of care on offer effectively, or demonstrate a commitment to driving improvement. For example, the visits conducted are quite brief and the reports include very little information regarding care observed. In the absence of the ability to gain children’s spoken views, there is not a consistent approach to ascertaining other stakeholders’ opinions to understand the quality of

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leaders and managers

care provided effectively, and there is little evidence of the visits promoting improvements in care.

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leaders and managers

The manager has successfully addressed most recommendations set at the last inspection and has made substantial inroads into meeting the final recommendation. While two requirements and four recommendations have been made at this inspection, these do not have an impact on the consistently positive experiences of children receiving a short-break service. The manager retains good oversight and aspirations for driving improvement.

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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 children 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

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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, 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

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted

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