Children's Home run by Flying Spur Limited in Norfolk

home are

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

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The children’s home provision requires improvement because:

 The home has been without a registered manager for 43 weeks. While a manager was in post for most of this time, a further unexpected change left the home without a manager. Prompt action, which in many areas has been effective, was taken to cover this gap. However, some notable areas have not been working as effectively as they had previously done.  Recruitment checks, while previously sound, have not been fully completed to provide a robust safeguard for the children.  There has been a lack of challenge to ensure that all children receive appropriate education provision and that this is not avoidably disrupted, for example, by an unofficial suspension.  There is not a written policy on internet use, despite the initial date for this to be completed being 30 May 2016.  There are no records kept of the decisions on admissions of new children to the home. Therefore, no rationale for decisions is recorded, and no clear risk

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The children’s home provision requires improvement because:

reduction strategies are set out ready for the admission.  Although there is a location risk assessment, it lacks some detail and so is not as full and effective as it could be.  Some sanctions are not completely recorded.  Records on investigations relating to staff are not comprehensive.  Some staff have not had a full and timely induction.  The report prepared by senior staff to review the quality of care does not include the views of the children, their parents, placing authorities and staff.

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The children’s home strengths

 Staff have good relationships with the children. The recent appointment of someone as the cook/housekeeper has enhanced this, as the kitchen has become a focal point for the children. They spend time in the kitchen speaking to staff. This adds to a homely atmosphere.  Four of the five children are in mainstream school. They are supported by staff to maintain their education despite other difficulties in their lives. These children have clear ideas about their further education.  The children are encouraged to develop their interests and talents. They are involved in the local community, including doing voluntary work.  One child has been able to develop an interest in keeping chickens.  The children show a reduction in their risk-taking behaviours, such as going missing from care. A marked decrease in restraints shows improvements in the children being able to manage their behaviour.  Senior staff and other staff show sensitivity and insight into children’s needs.

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The children’s home strengths

 All senior staff are undertaking level 5 management training.

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions which 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 within 24 hours of the use of a measure of control, discipline or restraint in relation to a child in the home, a record is made which includes all of the information required under this regulation. This relates in particular to the effectiveness and consequences of the use of the measure. Further, the registered person must ensure that the registered person, or a person who is authorised by the registered person to do so, has spoken to the user about the measure, and has signed the record to confirm it is accurate, and that they add to the record confirmation that they have spoken to the child about the measure. (Regulation 35(3)(a)(iv)(vii)(b)(i)(ii)(c)) 31/01/2017

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety. The registered person may only employ an individual to work at the children’s home if full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2. In particular, this relates to having full employment histories, together with satisfactory explanations of any gaps in employment, in writing; a reference from the person’s most recent employer; and, if a person has previously worked in a position involving work with children or vulnerable adults, verification so far as reasonably practicable of the reason why the employment or position ended. Regulation 32(3)(d)) 31/01/2017

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that each employee completes an appropriate induction. (Regulation 33(1)(a)) 31/01/2017

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Requirement Due date

The registered person’s review of the quality of care provided for children must provide for ascertaining and considering the opinions of children, their parents, placing authorities and staff. (Regulation 45(5)) 31/05/2017

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Requirement Due date

8. The education standard: In order to meet the education standard, with particular reference to working with placing authorities to ensure that children have appropriate education and with schools to ensure that there are 31/01/2017 no barriers to education, the registered person must ensure that staff 2(a)(iii) understand the barriers to learning that each child may face and take appropriate action to help the child to overcome any such barriers; and (vii) raise any need for further assessment or specialist provision in relation to a child with the child’s education or training provider and the child’s placing authority.

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further, the service should take account of the following recommendations:  Ensure that staff are familiar with the home’s policies on record-keeping and understand the importance of careful, objective, and clear recording (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4). In particular, ensure that records of investigations into allegations are comprehensively recorded.

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Recommendations

 Ensure that placements are only accepted where managers are satisfied that the home can respond effectively to the child’s assessed needs as recorded in the child’s relevant plans and where they have fully considered the impact that the placement will have on the existing group of children (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 56, paragraph 11.4). In particular, ensure that there is a record to show the rationale for the decision- making process and how risks to each child have been considered and mitigated.

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Recommendations

 Support children to be aware of and manage their own safety both inside and outside the home to the extent that any good parent would. Staff should help children to understand how to protect themselves, feel protected and be protected from significant harm (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 43, paragraph 9.9). In particular, this relates to having and implementing a policy on safe internet use, including assessing whether and how children can access the internet.

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Recommendations

 Ensure the review of the appropriateness and suitability of the location and premises of the home at least once a year. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 64, paragraph 15.10)

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Information about this children’s home

This children’s home provides care and accommodation for up to six children who have emotional and behavioural difficulties. It is privately owned by an individual.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

10/02/2016 Interim Improved effectiveness

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Recent inspection history

16/02/2015 Interim Improved effectiveness

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people living in the home are

The home has been without a registered manager for 43 weeks and, consequently, leadership and management have been judged as inadequate. The previous registered manager left on 31 January 2016. A new manager took over straight away and was in the process of being assessed to be registered when they left without notice on 9 September 2016. In line with Ofsted’s guidance, a home which has been without a registered manager for more than 26 weeks is judged as inadequate for leadership and management and cannot be judged as higher than requires improvement overall. There are good relationships between the children and the staff. In particular, a change, to appoint an ex-residential member of staff as housekeeper/cook, has had a positive impact. The home has a large kitchen with a dining area. The housekeeper is based here, preparing home-cooked meals and snacks. When the children return from school, they gravitate to the kitchen, where they can get a

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people living in the home are

snack, and speak to the housekeeper and other staff who may also be there and to each other. This provides a homely atmosphere and gives the children a chance to discuss their time at school and their plans for the evening. The staff and the children sit down for meals together, which adds to the homely and social feel. The children said that they get on with the staff and that the housekeeper is a good cook. Some children become involved in cooking, and one has a special interest in Caribbean cooking, which staff encourage. She is working towards an incentive of a trip to a newly opened Caribbean restaurant. Children’s experiences on a day-to-day basis help them to make progress in various areas of their lives. Some of the children who have come to the home with histories of significant levels of being missing from care have shown marked reductions in this. The staff address children’s routine and specialist health needs.

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people living in the home are

Children are registered with the doctor, dentists and opticians. The staff make referrals for therapeutic and mental health services. This helps to promote children’s psychological well-being. Reductions in challenging behaviour are an indication that this is being effective. Four of the five children are in full-time, mainstream education. They show varying levels of attainment, and there are some very positive comments from schools. Correspondence from the school for a child who has issues with her education includes comments such as, ‘I am very proud of her. [She] has had an excellent week in school,’ and describes her attainment of a C in a science test as ‘excellent news’. Another school spoke of an excellent relationship with the home. The home manager had visited the school, and the teacher had visited the home. The teacher said that despite the child going through a difficult time, the staff were doing their

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people living in the home are

utmost to get the child to school. She is on track for her GCSEs and is preparing to go to college next year. Other children also have clear plans for their further education. Supporting children’s education through difficult periods helps children to maintain the routines of education and, ultimately, their educational attainment. One child is not in mainstream education. She has four hours a day with a tutor in the home but does not always engage with that. She has said that she wants to return to school, and staff have represented this view at her child looked after review. However, there has been some confusion over what is happening about her education. The staff have not been as proactive as they could have been in challenging this with the virtual school head. Further, one child was given an unofficial suspension from school, and staff did not identify that this was inappropriate. The children are able to have a variety of normal childhood experiences. Some

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people living in the home are

belong to clubs, such as army cadets; some take part in activities, such as horse riding and roller-skating in which they do well. Children also go on trips and activities with staff. These have included a trip to firework displays and the Natural History Museum. All of the children went on a holiday in the summer. Such experiences help children to socialise, develop their self-esteem and have fun. One child has four chickens, which he looks after with the help of another child. They provide eggs for the home and help the children to learn about responsibility. The staff help the children to develop their self-care skills so that they are more likely to manage well when they become independent. Some children live a significant distance from their homes. Staff transport them for contact and also for specialist hair care. The staff support the children in their contact and show sensitivity to the pressures that this can place on the children. Some children have

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people living in the home are

increasing contact, including one who has recently had contact planned for Christmas day. This helps children to maintain relationships which can provide them with a sense of identity and support.

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people are helped and protected

There is a process in place for obtaining checks on potential new staff, which has previously worked appropriately. However, there have been some recent instances in which these have not fully met the requirements of the Children’s Homes Regulations 2015. One member of staff had previously worked for five weeks at another children’s home. No reference was taken up from this employer, and, consequently, the only account of why they left was the unverified one, provided by the member of staff. For someone to work in a similar setting and only stay for five weeks should raise questions that need to be answered, in order to fully assess their suitability to work with children. In all cases, a reference should be obtained from previous employers. In addition, two staff had not provided full written employment histories, and this was not identified as something that was required. Not having a fully robust system to assess the potential suitability and fitness of

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people are helped and protected

new staff removes some of the safeguards to prevent children being looked after by unsuitable adults. There have been plans to compile a policy on internet use, with an initial deadline of 30 May 2016. This has not yet been completed. Consequently, there is no recorded strategy for protecting the children from the risk associated with using the internet and social media, including how children can learn to keep themselves safe. There is currently no internet access for the children in the home; staff take them to use it in the local library. Although the staff help the children to understand internet safety concerns, a lack of internet in the home does not enable the children to become more internet aware. It does not enable them to prepare for the reality of adult life when they will have internet access freely and need to make safe decisions about their use of social media. There is not a clear policy to

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people are helped and protected

help the staff to decide whether the children should have internet access and how this will be managed. There are no records in the home to evidence the assessment of potential risk for new admissions or the risk for the children already resident. This does not provide clarity about the rationale for accepting placements or clear risk reduction strategies for the staff to follow at the point of admission. There is a location risk assessment for the home, the strengths of which are an assessment of local crime data, opportunities for children and details about the locality. However, it lacks some details, such as practical strategies and risks posed in and around the grounds: for example, the speed of the road outside the home, whether the premises is fenced or whether it is possible for unauthorised persons to gain access. The assessment does help to protect children, but further detail would strengthen this.

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people are helped and protected

Sanctions used in the home are proportionate. The manager reviews the records, and there is an example of a consequence that has been overturned because it was not appropriate for that child. The children generally give their views. There are some records, however, that have not been fully completed with the effectiveness of the consequence, full details or the manager’s overview. Although the manager’s monitoring of sanctions is positive and helps to ensure that sanctions remain relevant and effective, a lack of some full records and overviews limits this in some cases. Staff manage consequences with sensitivity and insight. For example, one child had their television taken away from their bedroom, but staff recognised the issues that the children can have at night-time and the need for some distraction, so they were given a radio in place of the television. Five incidents of restraint have taken place since the previous inspection. These related to the same child and

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people are helped and protected

were in response to potentially harmful behaviours. The records are fully completed and reviewed by managers, which provides an additional safeguard for the children. The restraints for this child were in her initial period in the home. There have been no further incidents of restraint since August 2016, which shows that this child is making progress in managing her behaviour. There has been a significant reduction in the number of incidents of unauthorised absence and missing from home in the period from March to November 2016. Staff take the required action to ensure that the police are alerted and that the children are followed and grounds searched. Relevant agencies are informed, and staff speak to the children on their return. The children who previously had high levels of going missing have reduced these risk-taking behaviours. Individual risk assessments clearly identify the risks relating to the children and how to manage

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people are helped and protected

them, including risks from being missing and of being sexually exploited. Concerns about staff are referred promptly to the local authority designated officer and followed up. Gaps in the recording of the action taken, such as training courses booked, how staff will be monitored, whether allegations are found to be substantiated and records of discussion with witnesses, mean that the audit trail of action taken is not as robust as it could be. It is clear that action is taken in accordance with safeguarding procedures. The impact of this on children is therefore minimised. The staff demonstrate an understanding of whistleblowing and safeguarding processes. They are confident that they would raise concerns about colleagues if they needed to. They take appropriate action in response to safeguarding concerns. The records of complaints show that the children are listened to and that the staff act upon children’s concerns. This all helps to provide

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people are helped and protected

a safer environment for the children to live in.

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leaders and managers

There has not been a registered manager at the home since 31 January 2016. There was a planned handover to the new manager, who took over straight away, but they resigned with no notice before their application to register had been completed and assessed. A new manager has been appointed and is due to start their role in January 2017. Alternative arrangements were made promptly to cover the manager’s post, and in many respects, they have been successful, but a number of the shortfalls identified in this report may well be linked to the absence of a permanent manager: for example, a lack of challenge over one child’s education and gaps in employment checks for staff. Furthermore, the induction of new staff has been variable. Some have fully completed induction records, and others are missing records in significant areas, including missing from care, restraint and behaviour management. As there has been a significant number of

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leaders and managers

new staff, it is important that they have a full induction to help them to work appropriately and effectively with children from the start. Senior staff maintain a focus on children’s needs. They know the children and their individual strengths and needs well. The children are making progress as a result of the work done by the home. Staff take an interest in the children and have an insight into their needs. The staff receive regular supervision. On occasion, a month has been missed, but this has not been at a level at which it could be described as irregular and would be likely to have a negative impact on children. Staff have appraisals, which identify their training needs. There is a good range of training to help the staff to work effectively with the children. The deputy manager and senior staff are undertaking their level 5 award in management. There are plans in place to avoid any future problems due to the sudden loss of the manager.

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leaders and managers

Some staff spoke of the period of change with the different manager and a current lack of social work direction, but they recognise the positive work done by senior staff. One member of staff said that seniors are ‘very easy to speak to and brilliant with the kids… They get respect and are able to achieve the most with the children.’ Senior staff have a sound understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the home. They recently completed a review of the quality of care, which led to action points to improve. However, the review did not include the views of the children, their parents, placing authorities and staff. Consequently, the review was not as well informed as it could have been. Other agencies gave mixed feedback on their relationships with the home, ranging from very positive to one questioning the timeliness and accuracy of the information which they receive. There has been a lack of challenge by the home over one child’s education (as set out above in the

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leaders and managers

overall effectiveness section of this report). There is a good engagement with the local community through the activities which the children do and the clubs to which they belong. One child has also been involved in some voluntary work at a local animal shelter. This helps the children to develop a sense of worth and belonging.

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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

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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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