Children's Home run by Norfolk County Council in Norfolk

Outstanding

The children's home provides highly effective services that consistently exceed the standards of good. The actions of the home contribute to significantly improved outcomes for children and young people who need help, protection and care.

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The children's home provision is outstanding because:

 Children build extremely good relationships with the staff at the home.  Staff have very good knowledge of the children, as individuals, and their needs.  Children are making exceptional progress, due to the work which staff do with them.  Children make strong educational progress because of the support that they receive. There is a very clear focus on the importance of education.  Staff provide strong and consistent support for children to help them to manage their emotions and develop good social skills.  Staff work tirelessly to support children in transitioning to adulthood.  Staff provide very effective and valued support for children who move from the home to other placements. They maintain contact with children who have moved on from the home.  There are clear and well-understood routines for daily living in the home, including relaxed communal mealtimes.  Children’s individual interests are promoted through involvement with clubs,

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The children's home provision is outstanding because:

and cooking and guitar lessons.  The manager and staff are keen to improve their practice and develop initiatives to find more ways of helping children.  Children become involved in the community and in helping others through voluntary work, charity fundraising and taking part in organised groups.  Children are able to have fun and build positive childhood memories.  There is very little risk-taking behaviour by children.  Staff help children to manage their behaviour effectively. This contributes to a calm and homely atmosphere.  This home is exceptionally well managed. The manager inspires and develops the interest of the staff.  The manager and staff have a clear focus on children and their well-being.  There are very strong relationships with parents and other agencies. They have very positive views about the home and how it is run.

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Information about this children's home

This home is owned and run by the local authority. The home offers flexible-term care and assessment for up to four young people with emotional and behavioural difficulties.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 27/01/2016 Interim Improved effectiveness 09/09/2015 Full Good 16/02/2015 Interim Improved effectiveness 31/07/2014 Full Adequate

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Outstanding

Children build extremely good relationships with the staff in the home. One child said, ‘The staff are amazing at Loki House. They care so much about us.’ A social worker described a child’s relationship with a member of staff as ‘his most important’. An education professional said that they believe that the staff are loved and respected by the children. These high-quality relationships help children to feel valued and help the staff in working with children, especially when there are problems to overcome. Staff have very good knowledge of the children, as individuals, and their needs. This helps them to ensure that children’s needs are effectively met. Other professionals involved in the care of the children say that staff come to know children quickly and meet their needs. One placing social worker said that staff are meeting all of the child’s needs and ‘doing brilliantly with him’. Children are making exceptional progress, due to the work which staff

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Outstanding

The two school-age children are in full-time education. Two children beyond school age are attending further education and training which is directly linked to their chosen careers. One was able to describe his planned route through training to become a physiotherapist. Children make strong educational progress because of the support that they receive from the home and from their schools. Two children were recognised by an award from the local university for their progress in education. Thirty-five children were nominated for this and six received it, so for two of them to be from this home is tangible recognition of the quality of work that it is doing. A teacher described the home as ‘brilliant’. She said that, when talking to staff, it is clear that they know about the child’s homework and the subjects that he is studying. She said, ‘They are really, really supportive of his education.’ Staff are able to talk about children’s predicted grades and the work that they are

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Outstanding

currently doing. The registered manager will find external tutors to help children to attain the grades that they need. One child is being supported to improve his maths skills. There is a regular ‘Countdown’ challenge written up for children to solve which staff speak to them about. A child has also been able to choose a magazine subscription to help to encourage and develop his reading. The very strong focus on children’s education helps them to improve their educational outcomes, build their self-esteem and prepare for their future careers.

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Outstanding

Staff promote children’s health well. They help them to understand about healthy eating and lifestyles. One child stopped smoking while at the home. When required, additional health resources are provided, such as work from specialists regarding mental health and substance misuse. One child who was on prescribed medication decided that he wanted to stop taking it. His wish was respected, in line with his age and understanding, and in consultation with health professionals. This has been a very positive choice for this child and has benefited his overall health.

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Outstanding

Children form appropriate friendships with others in the home, at school and in the community through clubs that they attend. Children can do the joint activities with friends which are sometimes organised by staff. When friendships (in particular boy/girl friendships) end, staff support children to manage their emotions. Learning these social skills with the close support of staff helps children towards normal childhood experiences and to learn social skills that they will need in their future lives.

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Outstanding

Staff also help children to prepare for adulthood and independence through the work that they do with them. One social worker said that: ‘Staff at Loki have worked tirelessly to support this young person in transitioning to adulthood in very challenging circumstances.’ There are clear and well-understood routines for daily living in the home which include getting up and being ready for school and college, social mealtimes, which are used to talk about children’s day-to-day experiences, and settling times. Learning these routines help prepare children to organise themselves for when they live independently.

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Outstanding

Mealtimes are enjoyable social times when staff and children can talk and laugh together. Children take part in cooking communal meals. One child is very interested in cooking, so staff have organised regular private cooking lessons for him. The social worker recently employed by the home is working on several initiatives, including recording the recipes that children prepare and taking photos of the finished meal. These will be used so that each child can have an individual cookbook to take with them when they leave the home. Staff also help children to learn other life skills such as budgeting. Staff also help children to develop social responsibility. They are enthusiastically involved in voluntary work and raising money for charity. One child has a part-time job. Children are involved in projects such as developing the leaving-care services for Norfolk Children’s Services, being part of the recruitment of independent reviewing officers and working on a group

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Outstanding

which decides how funding for projects should be allocated. This exemplary involvement by children will boost their self-esteem and provide valuable experience to help them when applying for jobs. It also helps them to develop empathy and understanding.

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Outstanding

Children can express their views and be listened to, for example, the child choosing to make a significant decision over his prescribed medication. They are also involved in decisions in the home, such as the furniture that they have and how their bedrooms are set out. They choose the activities that they are involved in. These include boxing club, army cadets, rugby and trampolining. When children’s wishes are not met, the reasons are explained to them. For example, the children have asked for takeaways more regularly than once a month. The registered manager has said that she feels that monthly is realistic, pointing out that they also go to eat out at restaurants for occasions such as birthdays and Christmas. They also take part in some very notable activities. They are due to go to a television show recording soon and have been to an open day at the University of Cambridge, including lunch, a visit to the university library and time stargazing with

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Outstanding

the telescope. All of the children attended a summer camp with children from other homes, where they could spend time on activities such as canoeing and spoon carving, as well at sitting around the campfire for long periods talking with staff. These are the things which help children to build enjoyable childhood memories.

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Outstanding

The risks to children are clearly identified, and written risk assessments are used to help staff to keep children safer. The potential risk-taking behaviour of one child was recognised very soon after he moved in, so support services could be put in place quickly to help him to manage this behaviour. There is very little risk-taking behaviour by children. There have not been any instances of children being missing from care or away from the home without permission since before the last full inspection (over a year ago). There is no self-harm and no children are thought to be at risk of child sexual exploitation. Where children’s behaviour could put them or others at risk, this is addressed robustly. A youth offending team member said that this is the most effective and easiest home to work with that he deals with. He has attended team meetings and finds staff receptive, collaborative and keen to work

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Outstanding

with him. He said that the manager ‘is really keen to develop the team, which is to her credit’. While no children are at risk of child sexual exploitation, the manager did put the team forward to be part of research into this area by a local university. In a letter to the home, the researcher wrote that she was ‘impressed with the team’s understanding of child sexual exploitation and evident commitment to young people (in the home)’. Staff have had training to help them to manage risks related to children’s use of the internet. Children’s access to the internet is based upon their individual circumstances, and staff help them to understand about safe and appropriate use. There have not been any safeguarding issues in the past year, but staff demonstrate a clear understanding of safeguarding issues. They have the skills and knowledge that they require to help them to keep children safe and identify potential risks to them.

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Outstanding

Behaviour management in the home is extremely effective. There have not been any instances of restraint since May 2015. There is a very low use of sanctions. Children are involved in agreeing what is acceptable behaviour and what the consequences for unacceptable behaviour should be. Sometimes there are written agreements involving children and their parents. There is a restorative approach to helping children to resolve their conflicts, which is in line with the home’s statement of purpose. Also in line with the home’s recorded intentions in its statement of purpose, staff successfully role model behaviour for children. A placing social worker commented on how well this had worked for a child and that improvements in his behaviour have been as a direct result of the work that his key worker has been doing with him. The clear and consistent boundaries which staff set for children help them to manage their own behaviour, and create a calm and

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Outstanding

homely feeling in the home. This latter is commented upon by visitors to the home and helps to develop an atmosphere in which children can flourish.

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Outstanding

One child who left the home recently has returned to live with his family, which he says is working well. He is currently undertaking an apprenticeship in an area of work that he is interested in. He said that he enjoyed the time that he was at the home (about a year). He said that staff were really helpful and had helped him ‘100%’. Staff remain in contact with him, and he visited the home for Sunday lunch recently.

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Outstanding

Staff have very good working relationships with the police. The local officer visits the home regularly and attends some staff meetings. At one of these, she spoke to the staff about hate crime. Police officers have been to speak to children about their behaviour at times, including discriminatory comments, misuse of alcohol and possession of dangerous items. This has been done in a way which allows children to be spoken to about the seriousness and potential implications of their actions, but without criminalising them. Children know how to make complaints and have done so. Their concerns were responded to appropriately. This is an important safeguard for children.

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Outstanding

This home is exceptionally well managed by a permanent, registered manager who has been in post for three years. She is appropriately qualified and experienced. Both staff and external professionals are very complimentary about the manager. Staff commented that they always feel respected and valued by managers, who listen to their views and give them feedback. A social worker said that the home is excellently run and that the manager is excellent. They also said: ‘I have sat in on team meetings. I like how the manager looks with staff at what have they done, and what can they improve and learn from if something goes wrong.’ The registered manager will also challenge other agencies if she feels that they are not effectively meeting children’s needs. However, there are very good working relationships between the home and other agencies such as placing social workers, schools, the independent reviewing officer, the police and youth offending teams.

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Outstanding

Relationships with parents are also very good. Parents variously said that:

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Outstanding

 The home is doing a really good job and is always there for their child.  They are really impressed with the home, which looks at the whole picture.  It is just what their child needs at the moment.  The home is brilliant.  Their child is treated fairly and is really positive about everything. The manager provides regular supervision for staff and carries out annual staff appraisals. A member of staff said that: ‘Supervisions have always helped me to understand my own performance, the performance of the team and the young people whom we work with.’ The manager inspires staff to go beyond their normal role. She encourages and supports them to develop areas of interest which provide a better quality of care for children, for example, the development of an in-house magazine in which children are involved. There is a wide range of training for staff. Several staff referred to a particular training course which has helped them to

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Outstanding

understand the children’s behaviour and how to work with them more effectively.

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Outstanding

The manager and staff have a clear focus on children and their well-being. A teacher expressed a clear view to support this. Children make continual and considerable progress against their starting points. In the record of a child’s looked after review, an independent reviewing officer commented: ‘It is evident that (the child) has achieved so much since moving from fostering provision to residential living. It is apparent that he is maturing well and becoming a confident young man. His aspirations have grown and this is, no doubt, due to his environment and the people supporting him. The growth that has been seen in a year is really quite remarkable.’ Another external professional said: ‘I hold the home, its approach to supporting young people in care and the willingness to work over and above expectations as an exemplar of how such a home should be run.’

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Outstanding

The manager has identified a social work role at the home and this has recently been filled. The social worker is developing several areas of practice. She has collated documents that identify the progress that each child is making. These provide clear and accurate information to inform children’s care and to help them to see their progress. She has been given a budget to access research for the staff team to use, but research is already being used within the home. The social worker is undertaking life-story work with children. She has attended training and spent time looking at research to help her to identify the best ways to work with individual children. An ex-member of staff has attended a team meeting to present the research that he undertook on children with harmful behaviours as part of his degree. This reflects the desire and drive to improve the service constantly. The registered manager is well aware of the strengths and areas of development in the

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Outstanding

home. There is a clear development plan which is regularly reviewed to ensure that progress is being made against it.

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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 looked after children 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 ‘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 0300 123 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 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

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

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