Children's home run by Norfolk County Council in Norwich

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged as requires improvement at the full inspection. At this interim inspection, Ofsted judges that it has sustained effectiveness . The home is without a registered manager. A new manager has been appointed but is currently absent. The local authority has covered the post by using a qualified and experienced registered manager from another home temporarily to oversee the day-to-day running as an acting manager. The responsible individual, who has a senior manager in the local authority, is supporting the acting manager fully in this role. At the last inspection, two regulatory requirements were set regarding the protection of children. Since that time, the acting manager has introduced a specific risk-management tool. This helps to highlight concerns and informs the approach that staff use to target issues to minimise the impact for the child. This includes a pre-admission risk assessment, to identify the impact of a new

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

placement on the children already living in the home, and ways in which staff can work to ensure that they meet the children’s needs safely. Direct work has taken place to help the children to improve their relationships with one another. However, there is a shortfall in the missing-from-care risk assessments. The staff have not judged a child’s vulnerability accurately. Consequently, the plans to protect the child from this risk are not effective. A requirement was made at the last inspection concerning the management of allegations against the staff. There has been no issue in respect of the staff’s conduct, and no safeguarding matters have arisen. There has been one occasion since the last inspection when the police were called to support the staff to manage an incident. The staff did not notify Ofsted or make an assessment of the seriousness of the incident. This has prevented Ofsted from having current information and minimised Ofsted’s ability to take action to ensure

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

that the children were safeguarded. However, there have been no complaints since the last inspection. A requirement was made at the previous inspection, concerning the quality of care planning. The acting manager has improved the risk assessment process and she regularly audits the children’s files to ensure that they are up to date and accurate. The staff meet the children regularly as a group. This has helped the children to become more engaged in the day-to-day running of the home. Decisions regarding the menu, activities and computer games have been made at these meetings. Children are encouraged to participate in activities, such as trips to the cinema and visits to a wall-climbing centre. Observations during the inspection demonstrated positive relationships and interactions between the staff and the children. The staff complete regular one-to-one work with the children, which has supported the

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

development of the children’s positive connections with trusted adults. This has helped children to settle in this home when they had previously not been able to in other placements. Children speak highly of the staff. They said:  ‘There is a good staff group who I trust. That is why I feel safe. ’  ‘Staff really seem to listen and do something.’  ‘I have lots of fun.’ The staff are particularly keen to encourage children to participate in education. They support children to complete coursework in the home. Some children have engaged particularly well in the education provided in the home. A tutor said, ‘The home is to be congratulated on the wide range of activities that the child has engaged with. A good standard of supporting evidence has been provided in the portfolio, which is well presented and organised. All mandatory paperwork has been completed to a good standard. Well done, keep up the good work.’

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Placing social workers are complimentary about the care provided. One said, ‘I have high expectations of the care provided in homes and I think that this home has been very positive in managing the children.’ Staff promote positive contact with children’s families and friends in the community. Close liaison with the social workers has ensured that these relationships are supportive to the children. There is a shortfall in recording the decision-making process in regard to the assessment of suitability of some contact arrangements. This shortfall has limited impact on the children because all of the relevant checks had been completed. However, the lack of a clear record of the contact arrangements limits the staff in managing risk factors and preparing children to attend contact sessions. The acting manager has ensured that all staff receive direct supervision. She uses a specific recording tool, which helps to identify the strengths for each child. It also

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

highlights areas for staff to address and develop. All eligible staff have diploma- level qualifications. The staff have all received induction and updated training to provide them with the skills that they need to meet the children’s needs effectively. Staff currently lock the lounge and games room during school hours. The purpose of this is to encourage children to participate in education. However, this does not provide children with a homely environment. Trained staff physically intervene to prevent a child from harming themselves or others. There have been 10 recorded incidents of restraint since the last inspection. Some of the records of restraint had to be rewritten because they were illegible. The records need to be accurate and clear to promote safe care for the children. The acting manager has noted this shortfall through her ongoing audit of case records. She is sourcing further training to improve the staff’s recording skills and

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

to encourage improved safeguarding practice.

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Information about this children’s home

A local authority runs the home. It is registered to care for six children who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. The home is a crisis intervention, assessment and reunification service.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

16/10/2015 Interim Sustained effectiveness

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions which must be taken so that the registered person(s) 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(s) must comply within the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

12: The protection of children standard In order to meet the protection of children standard, the registered provider must: 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. 07/04/2017

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if an incident requiring the police involvement occurs in relation to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40(4)(b)) 07/04/2017

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further, the service should take account of the following recommendation(s):  Ensure that children are able to access all shared areas of their home unless there are specific reasons why this would not meet their needs. Limits on access may only be put in place to safeguard each young person in the home. Any decision to limit a young person’s access to any area of the home must only be made where this is intended to safeguard their welfare needs and be subject to review. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.10)  Record the level of delegated authority for decisions about overnight stays with friends in the placement plan. When the child wishes to stay overnight with friends, ensure that staff carry out the same kind of checks that responsible parents might in similar circumstances, to seek reassurance that the child will be

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Recommendations

well cared for and safe. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 38, paragraph 8.9)  Keep records of restraint that enable the registered person and staff to review the use of restraint to identify effective practice. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 49 paragraph, 9.59)

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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 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 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

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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