Children's home run by Inroads Essex Limited in Mid Suffolk

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:

 Good-quality care planning and assessment mean that staff have a clear idea of children‟s individual needs and are equipped to meet these. Transitions into and from the home are well planned.  The children receive highly individualised, child-focused care, which has a positive impact on their lives. The children‟s well-being and progress are central to the service delivered.  The children are making strong, and in some cases excellent, progress from their starting points. They enjoy living together and the opportunity to develop lasting friendships.  The children feel safe and are safe. They are very positive about their experiences of living at the home. Their thoughts, wishes and feelings are constantly sought.  There is very good partnership working and, as a result, the home is extremely highly thought of by families and partner agencies.  This is a well-led and resourced home. High staffing levels and the strong

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The children's home provision is good because:

commitment that staff display mean that complex individual needs are well met.  Staff are strong at working effectively in partnership with families and professionals, ensuring that children receive the support they need.  The home is well managed. The manager has a clear overview of both the strengths and areas for development in the home and effectively drives improvement. The manager has, however, been asked to ensure that the fire prevention mechanisms are consistently robust. They have also been asked to address some aspects of recording, staff recruitment, training and support. The responsible individual has been asked to ensure that suitable arrangements are in place for the effective independent monitoring of the home.

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that must be taken so that the registered person/s meet(s) 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 person must ensure that the requirements of the regulatory reform (fire safety) order 2005 and any regulations made under it are complied with in respect of the home. In particular, they must ensure that all fire doors are kept closed in the absence of suitable automatic closures linked to the fire alarm system, and that all fire doors are of full integrity with intumescent strips fitted. (Regulation 25(2)(b)) 17/10/2016

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that within 24 hours of the use of a measure of control, discipline or restraint in relation to a child in a the home, a record is made, and that within five days of the use of the measure, the registered person or the authorised person adds to the record confirmation that they have spoken to the child about the measure. (Regulation 35(3)(a)(c)) 24/10/2016

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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(1)(3)(g)(i)) 28/11/2016

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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 the conduct of the home promotes children‟s well-being. (Regulation 44(1)(4)(a)(b)) 28/11/2016

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further, the service should take account of the following recommendations:  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 safeguard children and minimise potential risks to them. In particular, they must ensure, when recruiting staff from abroad, that all references and recruitment checks are translated prior to employment. They must provide all staff with an annual appraisal of their performance. („Guide to the children‟s homes regulations including the quality standards‟, page 61, paragraph 13.1)  Ensure that staff can access appropriate facilities and resources to support their training needs. In particular, ensure that all staff undertake training in epilepsy awareness and management. („Guide to the children‟s homes regulations

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Recommendations

including the quality standards‟, page 53, paragraph 10.8)

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Information about this children's home

The home is a privately owned residential service for up to six children and young people who have learning difficulties and challenging behaviour. It is one of a small range of local services operated by the organisation, providing support to children and adults who have learning disabilities. The home provides primarily long-term care. However, it continues to provide shared care to a very small number of children.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

01/02/2016 Interim Improved effectiveness

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Recent inspection history

02/03/2015 Interim Improved effectiveness

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Good

The setting provides residential and shared-care services to children who have learning disabilities and complex behaviour. The children flourish and grow in a stable, secure and happy environment. Social workers say that the ability of the home to provide such highly individualised care, with consistent implementation of good behaviour management, has made a huge difference. On occasion, this has prevented children from requiring specialised out-of-area care and the associated family separation. Strong partnership working with families promotes contact and ensures, when possible, that they remain key critical figures in their child‟s day-to- day life. Parents have absolute trust in the staff, who, they are confident, have their child‟s best interests at heart. They comment on how flexible and child focused the service is, and how their children enjoy living in the home. The children make great individual progress in their communication, independence,

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Good

personal care, behaviour and social skills. As a result of the good levels of care that the children receive, their confidence and resilience increase. Social workers say that some are almost unrecognisable from the unsettled, anxious and challenging child placed. One headteacher described how a child progressed from „distressed and anxious and self-harming to one that is now very settled and enjoying a fostering placement‟. Strong relationships develop between the children and the staff, who have lots of fun together. The children say that they really enjoy the activities and had a great time during their recent holiday. They look forward to seasonal events, such as the Halloween and Christmas fancy dress parties. One described how she was going to have to choreograph with staff their new dance routine for this year‟s event. They like the staff and all living at the home. One child described the home as

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Good

„awesome‟. Inclusion is central to the philosophy of care, and staff constantly seek children‟s thoughts, wishes and feelings through direct discussion, observation and use of communication systems. Staff continue to maintain contact with some children who move on, ensuring that they remain consistent figures in the children‟s lives. One headteacher said, „She just sparkles when he comes.‟ Healthy lifestyles are promoted and, as a result, the children maintain good physical and emotional health. Staff are confident and competent to meet the vast majority of the needs of the children placed. Most, but not all, staff have undertaken training in epilepsy management. It is imperative that staff receive good-quality training that is regularly updated in order to manage such needs effectively. Staff have high aspirations for the children, providing high levels of appropriate stimulation and, thus, children experience an immersive learning environment.

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Good

Staff maintain proactive liaison with education services to ensure that children receive their education at a level that meets their needs. One social worker said that the staff „have been instrumental in getting him into school and he has made excellent progress‟. One headteacher said, „I would have all of the children there if I could. When I am told they are going to this home, I go “Yes!”‟ Staff demonstrate a strong commitment to helping children to learn life skills. For example, one child recently independently researched how to make a particular bus journey and took staff out with them for lunch. This is something that, until recently, would not have been considered possible. Good pre-admission and transition planning ensure that in the vast majority of cases admissions to the home are smooth and successful. The good planning reduces anxieties for both the children and their families. This also helps the group

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Good

of children blend, and, as a result, friendships develop. One child said, „I wish they were my sisters and brothers, but they are my friends.‟

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Good

The children say that they like the staff and like living at the home. They feel safe, secure and well cared for. Parents have confidence in the staff and one said that their child „feels safe and happy‟. One headteacher said, „The smiles on the children‟s faces when they are going home and they see the staff tell me they love it.‟ Effective, collaborative working arrangements promote children‟s welfare. For example, one teacher said that staff have been „brilliant advising and assisting school staff regarding behaviour management‟. Staff have received suitable safeguarding training and are clear about their duty to safeguard children and about the processes and procedures in place. Any safeguarding concerns are appropriately managed with an open and transparent response. Comprehensive and regularly reviewed risk assessment and management plans guide staff in how to manage risk. These are shared among the team, enabling

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Good

staff to be successful in effectively managing risk while continuing to promote children‟s development. For example, staff observe children who wish to be more independent from a distance in the park. This allows them to mingle with their peers as would any other child. This effective approach and the children‟s attachments to the staff mean that there have been no episodes of children going missing. Staff recognise behaviour as a means of communication and seek to ensure that the child‟s potential needs are met. Staff work closely with behaviour specialists in identifying potential triggers for challenging behaviour, and this is reflected in each child‟s individual behaviour support plan. These behaviour management strategies are making a positive difference. As a result, children individually present as calmer than they did pre-placement. Staff are clear about the thresholds for restraint and only use it appropriately. However, incidents of physical or environmental restraint

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Good

do occur quite often, due to the complex needs of the children placed. Records of restraint are transparent and generally well documented. However, on occasion, no management overview has taken place in a timely manner. This means that the manager is not robustly monitoring the appropriateness of the measure, thereby ensuring that the child receives suitable support. When significant incidents occur, staff are swift and creative at identifying solutions, ensuring that children‟s welfare continues to be effectively promoted. For example, when a child experienced a crisis that created tension in the home, the others were taken on a short holiday. Any incidents of conflict within the group are effectively addressed, promoting a harmonious environment. One child said, „I like playing with all the others. They‟re my friends.‟ Staff vetting procedures are generally robust, and staff do not work at the home

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Good

until checks on their suitability have been undertaken. However, on one occasion, a written record of the translated content of these checks was not held for a member of staff employed from abroad. The manager is able to understand the contents of these checks and is satisfied with the suitability of the person. However, other people, such as the responsible person and the regulator, who may need to understand the detail of the information and how decisions regarding suitability are reached, are not able to. This means that there is potential for insufficient scrutiny of both the applicant and recruitment practices. Health and safety arrangements with regards to the regular servicing of equipment are well managed. Fire safety arrangements are, however, not consistently sufficiently robust. For example, alterations have potentially compromised one fire door‟s integrity and left another without suitable mechanisms to prevent smoke

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Good

from spreading. Furthermore, staff prop open one bedroom door in order to allow effective night-time observation. While such actions present potential risk, this is reduced by the constant one-to-one staff supervision provided. The manager took immediate action to address this and has instigated a longer-term solution. Judgement grade

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Good

The registered manager who has worked at the home for a number of years is suitably qualified and experienced. She provides consistent, good-quality leadership, ensuring individualised, child-focused care with effective prioritisation of children‟s needs. Significant incidents are rare, and when accidents or incidents occur these are well managed and the information is shared with parents and appropriate professionals. Staff are successful in building strong partnerships with parents and professionals. As a result, they have absolute confidence in the service. They really value the level of care that their child receives and the flexibility that staff provide. One social worker described the home as a „good service with aspects of excellent‟. The home is suitably resourced, to ensure that the service meets the individual needs of the children and the aims and objectives set out in the statement of purpose. The children are provided with clear information about the home in the

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Good

children‟s guide. High staffing levels allow staff to spend valuable time building positive relationships with the children. Staff deployment is flexibly arranged to meet the individually assessed needs of each child and of their families, when they are placed under a shared-care arrangement. The children like the staff who have lots of time to play with them. Staff feel well supported by the manager who supports and challenges them, helping them to promote reflective practice. They benefit from a comprehensive induction and suitable supervision arrangements, which help them to gain skills and confidence. 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 members to reflect on their practice and professional development over the past year with their manager. The staff benefit from a good selection of relevant training, which reflects the

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Good

needs of the children. However, some staff have not undertaken training in supporting children with epilepsy. All staff who have been working with children in a children‟s home for over two years have completed their level 3 diploma, and all remaining staff have been enrolled. Suitable internal monitoring systems are in place, and the manager has a clear sense of the strengths and areas for development in the service. 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 effectively review the quality of care on offer or demonstrate a commitment to driving improvement. For example, the visits conducted are quite brief, and the reports include very little information regarding

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Good

care observed. In the absence of the ability to gain children‟s spoken views, or to review care records, there is not a consistent approach to ascertaining other stakeholders‟ opinions, in order to effectively understand the quality of care provided, and there is little evidence of the visit promoting improvements in care. The manager has high aspirations for the home, and the staff are individually motivated to deliver a very good service to children. They have ensured that the recommendations set at the previous inspection, over which they have control, are met. While four requirements and two recommendations have been made at this inspection, these do not significantly impact on the overwhelmingly very positive experiences of the children.

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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 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

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What the inspection judgements mean

harmed or at risk of harm or that 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 that 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 whom 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, 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

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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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