Children's Home run by Consensus Support Services Limited in Suffolk

children since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged as good at the full inspection. At this interim inspection, Ofsted judges that it has improved effectiveness .

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children since the most recent full inspection

There has been sustained improvement in the home since the last full inspection. The manager has driven improvement through challenging and reflective work with the staff. Through hard work, the home has met the one requirement and all of the recommendations that were set at the last inspection. Most of the staff team is qualified with a level 3 diploma in residential childcare. Those staff who have not yet completed their qualification are undertaking it, and the manager has implemented daily workshops for these staff to get support to complete their qualifications. One member of staff is undertaking the assessors’ award which will help drive further development. This helps to ensure that the staff working with children are suitably trained and experienced. Staff report that the workshops have been extremely helpful. This has had a positive impact on staff morale and staff retention.

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children since the most recent full inspection

The manager has systems in place to assist in the evaluation and the monitoring of the quality of care provided in the home. The systems are detailed and explore all of the required areas to help improve the service and care provided to the children. Feedback forms from parents, carers and other professionals are shared in a timely way and responded to, which contributes to continual improvement.

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children since the most recent full inspection

The children have good relationships with the staff. The staff are committed to the children in their care. For example, they arrange exciting days out, coffee mornings and parties at the home, and invite family members. The children recently enjoyed an open day in their back garden and going to the theatre to watch a Beatles tribute. The staff provide a good variety of inclusive activities, including the use of the home’s sensory room, which provides sensory and physical stimulation. The staff encourage the children to make choices about the activities that they take part in. All of this can be seen in the abundance of photos of the children having fun, which adorn the walls of the home.

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children since the most recent full inspection

The children have made good progress from their initial starting points. Progress is in ‘small steps’, with the staff consistently supporting the children to learn and develop new skills. For example, staff set, review and amend key goals for the children to work towards. The children are learning important personal and social skills that promote their independence. For example, one child who had difficulties in communicating has taken part in a safer recruitment campaign, helps bake, and is known to neighbours and shopkeepers in the local community.

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children since the most recent full inspection

The staff support the children to attend school and have good relationships with education providers. The staff attend meetings and reviews. A headteacher said, ‘The communication is excellent.’ He also described the staff as the ‘best of the bunch’.

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children since the most recent full inspection

The staff follow care plans and risk assessments, which provide practical, detailed information. Families are fully involved in the care planning and review process. The staff meet the individual health needs of each child. They follow key plans, regimes and protocols that promote the children’s physical and emotional well- being. Children’s files are of a very high standard; they are maintained immaculately and hold all of the required key information.

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children since the most recent full inspection

The staff use a variety of communication systems to gain an understanding of how the children feel while they are at the home. Skilled and enthusiastic staff communicate with children through their relationships, observation, language and other forms of communication. Staff report, record and refer any concerns to others when needed. The staff have a good knowledge and understanding of safeguarding, with all concerns recorded. Incident reports are detailed and contain all relevant information. However, a place has not been identified to gauge the comments or signature of the children, where appropriate. Independent visits to the home have occurred, providing an additional layer of scrutiny. Reports have identified areas to improve and develop, which the manager has acted upon.

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children since the most recent full inspection

The manager completes thorough pre-admission assessments, in which they collate and share information and meet with the children and their families. The children then visit the home, enabling all parties to consider if the home can meet their needs.

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children since the most recent full inspection

The children live in an environment that feels warm, welcoming and homely. The decoration and furnishings are of a very high standard.

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Information about this children’s home

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

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 08/12/2016 Full Good 16/03/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness 24/08/2015 Full Good 21/01/2015 Full Adequate

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further the service should take account of the following recommendations:  Children must be consulted regularly on their views about the home’s care, to inform and support continued improvement in the quality of care provided. Due consideration should be given to the child’s cognitive ability in the development and implementation of any consultation processes. Children should be able to see the results of their views being listened to and acted upon. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 22, paragraph 4.11)

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Recommendations

In particular, ensure that there is a section included within incident reports for children to comment and sign, where appropriate.

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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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