Children's home run by Clover Childcare Services Limited in North Norfolk

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

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

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

There were no requirements or recommendations made at the last inspection.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The group of children living in the home remains unchanged. The interactions between the children are similar to those between brothers and sisters, as they have a good relationship but occasionally have their differences. Staff manage these changing relationships effectively to enable the children to maintain positive relationships. The staff continue to offer support to a child who used to live at the home. This continued support demonstrates to the children that they are important to the staff both while they are living in the home and after they move out.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The children are achieving excellent levels of attendance and participation in school/tuition. A child described his school day as being: ‘Good. It was green with a little red.’ The staff explained that the child’s school is using a traffic-light system to help him to improve his behaviour. It is working so well that the staff have started to use a similar approach with him at home. This consistent approach enables the child to recognise the behaviours that he still needs to work on and the aspects of his behaviour that he has improved.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The child having home tuition remains on track to take her exams, and she continues to work towards reintegration into school. This is to enable her to benefit from the social aspects of being in a school environment.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

One child continues to volunteer at a local café and is becoming increasingly confident when participating in hosting the events that it puts on, such as a temporary ice-skating rink during the half-term holiday. All of the children participate in a wide range of activities such as swimming, guides, football and trampolining. These activities enhance the children’s opportunities to develop friendships in the community.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The staff encourage the children to have a healthy eating regime. A child was asking for a bag of crisps during lunch. He answered his own question by saying, ‘I know, I have to eat some fruit first.’ There is a positive change to the children’s eating habits because of this continual encouragement from staff. The children continue to benefit from the dyadic developmental psychotherapy approach that underpins the ethos of the home. A staff member described how one child can better manage her emotions and is now able to allow herself to feel and experience her emotions. The staff member said ‘[The child] was sad, and was able to just sit and be sad and talk, rather than change her behaviour.’ This is a positive development for the child, who has historically demonstrated her sadness through self-harmful behaviour.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

There have been no episodes of children going missing from home. The use of physical intervention is minimal. The manager thoroughly reviews any use to ensure that it is proportionate and to identify any alternative strategy that could be utilised to prevent future occurrence.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The staff update the children’s risk assessments at set intervals and more frequently if a new risk becomes apparent. The staff sign to confirm that they have read the current version, which ensures that the staff are working with up-to-date information.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The home has a monthly visit from an independent person. The reports of these visits highlight any actions that the manager and the staff team need to take to address any gaps in information or to improve their practice further.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The management team has a good understanding of the strengths of the service, and is continually improving and developing areas, such as aspects of the records. In the three months since the last inspection, there have been some unexpected staffing changes due to absences caused by events such as family illness and maternity leave. The staffing has started to return to normal. The manager dealt with these changes extremely well and he also covered some shifts to offer continuity to the children. The management team is aware that this has limited its ability to introduce some of the aspects of change that it had hoped to implement by this point in the year. Certain developments, such as the preparation for independence plans, have not yet commenced and will be explored at a future inspection.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The feedback from parents and professionals is very positive about the home. They said:  ‘I can’t praise them [the staff] enough. I wish they had a bigger resource. They make a real difference to the children and their families. The families tend to have a negative view of children’s services and the staff utilise their relationships with the families to do work that children services would like to do. They [the staff] understand the importance of the families in the children’s lives now and in the future.’  ‘They are doing really well. I feel that they are providing a very good service for [child]. They understand him.’

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Information about this children’s home

The home is owned and operated by a private company. It is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to five children who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 30/11/2016 Full Outstanding 29/03/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness 14/12/2015 Full Outstanding 05/03/2015 Interim Improved effectiveness

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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 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 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, 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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