Norwich Road (15)

Inspector Clive Lucas

Inspection date 24/01/2017 Previous inspection judgement Good Enforcement action since last inspection None

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged good at the full inspection. At this interim inspection Ofsted judge that it has sustained effectiveness .

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home provides emergency and short-term placements for children. Consequently, the children often move in following a placement breakdown and as such the home has limited time to help them stabilise their behaviour. Despite this, the children and the placing social workers are clear that the staff help the children to cope with any upset and trauma when they move into the home. This, in turn, helps them to settle. The staff support the children when they are in the process of moving from the home. They may be involved in helping the child to move, or in supporting visits to the possible new placement. Their knowledge of the child is passed on to help the social workers find suitable placements. When a child’s plan is for them to return home, the staff work effectively with the child and their family to help achieve this. In one case the staff have been very involved in arranging the child’s contact with their parent and helping both to ‘de-brief’ afterwards. A parent

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The children make progress while they are at the home. Due to his needs, one child shows very challenging behaviour, including violence towards the staff. The staff have a strong commitment to this child. Through an individual physical intervention plan, reward system and clear, consistent boundaries the staff have helped him manage his behaviour. The number of physical interventions for this child, while still high, have significantly reduced in number. His independent reviewing officer said that staff are to be commended in their consistency in setting boundaries for him. They also said that he is well looked after, cared for and safeguarded. His social worker said that she cannot give enough praise to the staff for the work they have done. The staff only use physical intervention when it is appropriate. The registered manager is not always signing the records to show that he has spoken with staff and that he agrees with the records in a timely was. This

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

has limited impact, but it could prevent mistakes or inappropriate practice being identified quickly.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Another child has previously gone missing frequently and put herself at risk. Since being at this home, she has only gone missing twice, which her social worker describes as a big improvement. The children feel safe in the home. The staff use risk assessments to help them understand how to manage risks for the children. However, these do not always contain all of the information. The staff are able to describe rigorous actions to reduce risk, which are not all recorded. While the actions taken by the staff are protecting the children, not having them recorded does pose a risk of inconsistent practice and ineffective review. There have been three complaints relating to the children climbing onto a roof. This is not only a source of frustration for neighbours, but it does leave the children at risk of falls and injuries. The managers have been in discussion with their surveyors, but to date no measures have been identified to reduce this risk.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The home has an independent visitor who undertakes monthly visits to the home. She writes reports which clearly identify any areas of concern or shortfall. She says that the registered manager and the responsible individual respond positively to any questions she raises or recommendations she makes. This helps to improve the standard of care for the children. The registered manager and deputy manager complete reviews of the quality of care. These reports provide a very detailed picture of the operation of the home. However, they do not have sufficient evaluation to identify clear and pertinent action plans to further improve the care of children. While the standard of care is already good, this does limit the opportunities for further improvement.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

One recommendation was made at the last inspection. This related to the locking of doors to communal rooms within the home. This is done during education times when any children not in off-site education have access to appropriate facilities in the education annex. This is to prevent conflict and encourage engagement in education. In addition, doors may be locked at times to safeguard the children. This includes restricting their access to areas with potential dangers, such as the kitchen, while they are in a heightened state and locking the external door as an emergency measure to protect a child who may go missing and put themselves in immediate and identifiable danger. The manager keeps records of such events so that their use can be monitored. Ofsted will continue to review when doors are locked and the reasons for this through future inspections.

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Information about this children's home

This home provides emergency and short-term placements for up to four young people who have emotional and behavioural difficulties. A local authority children’s services department owns and operates this home.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 03/05/2016 Full Good 19/01/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness 09/09/2015 Full Good 24/03/2015 Interim Improved effectiveness

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions which must be taken so that the registered person 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 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 ensuring that the registered person has signed the record to confirm it is accurate within 48 hours. (Regulation 35(3)(b)(ii)) 24/03/2017

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Requirement Due date

12. The protection of children standard In order to meet the protection of children standard, with particular reference to ensuring that children’s risk assessments include all relevant information (including actions to reduce risks), the registered person must ensure that staff: 2(a)(i) assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the child’s relevant plans, and, if necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child. 24/03/2017

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Requirement Due date

12. The protection of children standard In order to meet the protection of children standard, with particular reference to looking at how children’s access to the roof could be limited, the registered person must ensure: 2(d) that the premises used for the purpose of the home are designed and maintained so as to protect each child from avoidable hazards to the child’s health. 31/05/2017

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further the service should take account of the following recommendation:  Ensure that the review of the quality of care enables the registered person to identify areas of strength and possible weakness in the home's care which will be captured in the written report. The report should clearly identify any actions required for the next six months of delivery within the home and how those actions will be addressed. ('Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards', page 65, paragraph 15.4)

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What the inspection judgements mean

At the interim inspection we make a judgement on whether the home has improved in effectiveness, sustained effectiveness or declined in effectiveness since the previous full inspection. This is in line with the ‘Inspection of children's homes: framework for inspection’.

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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 focused on the effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of children and young people since the most recent full inspection.

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Information about this inspection

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 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 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, workbased 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

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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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