Children's home run by Norfolk County Council in Norwich

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged good at the full inspection. At this interim inspection, Ofsted judges that it has improved in effectiveness . The management team has addressed the requirements and recommendation made at the full inspection. The following improvements have been made:  The majority of children experience fire drills and have updated personal emergency evacuation plans.  The manager proactively seeks fire training for the staff who need it.  Managers gather information to ensure that a full employment history, together with a satisfactory explanation of any gaps in employment, is obtained in writing for successful applicants.  Managers are proactive in gathering the views of children, including those who have left the service, parents, placing professionals and education professionals.  Managers and staff reflect on and improve communication methods and the use of symbols.  The frequency of supervision for staff has increased. This has been driven by

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

the management team’s monitoring of the supervision matrices and records to ensure that the supervisions are taking place.  The majority of staff access the necessary training courses and dates are booked for the staff to attend training updates.  The management team ensures that staff are aware of what to do if they have concerns about their personal safety during a lone-working visit. The children benefit from well-planned individualised introductions to the service. The speed of the transition is influenced by the child and the family. A parent said, ‘[Child] is nearly 15 and had never spent a night away. She looks forward to going [to the home]. They [staff] have worked around all of her commitments. She loves it.’ A professional said of a child’s transition, ‘She loves going. Her behaviour was the best indicator of how well they [staff] had managed this.’ When children move on, it is almost always due to the child reaching the age of 18.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The staff support the children to work towards realistic goals. The staff are beginning to capture evidence of the children’s progress more effectively in the paperwork. No children have gone missing from the home. There have been 11 physical interventions since the last visit. Although this is an increase, seven relate to one child, who was placed in the home on an emergency basis. The interventions are proportionate. The manager reviews the records of the interventions and countersigns the forms. The records include the children’s views. However, there is no record of the post-incident debriefings with the staff concerned. This makes it difficult to monitor the use of these measures and for staff to reflect on and refine their practice. Some families have chosen to make complaints following cancelled stays. The cancellations arose from the home taking a child as an emergency placement. This was in line with the home’s statement of purpose. Although families were upset

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

about the cancellations, one parent was clear, in discussion with the inspector, that the home had dealt with the situation well. Effective monitoring arrangements are in place. An independent person visits the home each month and provides reports that offer challenge and have contributed to improvements. Feedback from external professionals is very good. Feedback received as part of the home’s own consultation process, and feedback received by the inspector during the course of the inspection, was very positive. A social worker said, ‘The staff have been brilliant and it has prevented him [child] going to an out-of-county placement that he would not have known. You just feel the children are safe here. I do not feel remotely anxious about them. I know they are well looked after.’ An independent reviewing officer said, ‘I have been impressed with the input. They [staff] have been insightful about the needs of the young person.’

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The management team shares safeguarding concerns with professionals. The staff are aware of what they should do if they have a concern. The senior manager responsible for the home is known to the staff and visits the home regularly. A member of staff said, ‘We know who he is and how to contact him.’ This visibility and accessibility increases the opportunity for staff to share concerns should they need to.

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Information about this children’s home

This local authority children’s home provides short breaks for a maximum of nine children who have a learning and/or physical and/or sensory disability, multiple disabilities or complex health needs.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

30/03/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness

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Recent inspection history

16/03/2015 Interim Sustained effectiveness

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further the service should take account of the following recommendation:

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Recommendations

 Ensure that records of physical interventions include the details of debriefings with the staff involved and that these debriefs inform the subsequent review of the incident. (‘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 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 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

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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