Children's Home run by Suffolk County Council in Suffolk

Inspection report children’s home: SC430022 1 SC430022 Registered provider: Suffolk County Council

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Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This local authority home provides care and accommodation for up to seven children aged between 11 and 17 years. The home looks after children who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

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good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

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good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

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good

Date of last inspection: 08 February 2017

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: Sustained effectiveness

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Key findings from this inspection

 The children have positive relationships with staff, who know and understand them.  The staff work with a wide variety of professionals in order to keep the children Inspection report children’s home: SC430022 2 safe.  The children say they feel safe living in the home and can speak to staff if they are worried or upset.  Staff support the children to learn to manage risks appropriately, and involve them with writing their individual safety plans.  The staff understand the importance of contact with their families for the children, and help this to happen.  The staff understand the importance of building children’s memories of their time in the home.  The staff are consistent at setting boundaries and challenging unwanted behaviours.  The children recognise their achievements and staff celebrate these with them.

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Key findings from this inspection

The children’s home’s areas for development:

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Key findings from this inspection

 Not all the staff have completed their required qualifications within the required timescale.  Social workers do not sign the placement plans to say they are in agreement with the plans. The children are not involved with their placement plans.  The children do not sign or comment on the records of their key-work sessions to say that they have understood the session.  There is little evidence of how children are consulted or how their wishes and feelings are acted on.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

08/02/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness 04/10/2016 Full Good 22/02/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness 06/10/2015 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: SC430022 3

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered person(s) must take to meet 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

The children’s views, wishes and feelings standard is that children receive care from staff who develop positive relationships with them, engage with them and take their views, wishes and feelings into account in relation to matters affecting the children’s care and welfare and their lives. (Regulation 7(1)(c)) 10/10/2017

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that an individual who works in the home in a care role has the appropriate qualification, the level 3 diploma for residential childcare (England) (‘the level 3 diploma’), or a qualification which the registered person considers to be equivalent to the level 3 diploma, by the relevant date. (Regulation 32(4)(5)) 10/10/2017

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Recommendations

 Support the child throughout their care and give opportunities to discuss the impact of the care. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 18, paragraph 3.31) This is with particular regard to ensuring that children and social workers have the opportunity to comment and sign the child’s placement plan.  Ensure that the children are actively encouraged to read their records and to add further information to them. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 63, paragraph 14.6) This is with particular regard to the key-work sessions.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children make good progress living at the home. The staff understand the importance of children being able to make progress and they work proactively with the children and social workers to achieve this. The staff understand the importance of setting realistic and achievable targets that are meaningful and support the children to progress. The children have visual charts, which means that they can monitor their own progress. They can earn financial rewards which Inspection report children’s home: SC430022 4 they can save towards something they want. This approach enables the children to gain a positive self-identity and promotes further progress. The staff understand the importance of promoting and maintaining children’s contact with their families. A child commented, ‘Yesterday I saw my mum for the first time in four months. The staff were really good and helped me sort it out.’ This understanding

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

enables the children to maintain positive relationships with their families. The children develop good and trusting relationships with the staff. A child commented, ‘I think the staff are great. They have done lots for me.’ Another commented, ‘Staff spend time listening to me if I am upset.’ These relationships enable the children to develop and maintain positive interactions with adults who care for them. The staff understand the importance of education and incorporate it into the children’s daily lives. The staff support and encourage the children to attend their education. A child commented, ‘I have just sat my GCSEs, and staff are taking me on Thursday to get my results. I also went to my school prom.’ A social worker commented, ‘The manager has been very good at realising when an issue has started to arise and works closely with the school.’ This practice shows that staff and school work together to support

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

children’s education. The staff promote and support children’s health needs. All of the children are registered with the local doctor, dentist and opticians. The staff encourage them to attend regular health appointments and teach them the importance of staying healthy and eating well. The staff have undertaken specialist training for a child with a life-changing condition in order to support them in managing their condition. This practice ensures that all of the children’s health needs are met. The staff support children in developing their independence in line with their age, understanding and ability. The children keep their rooms tidy and help with chores around the house, such as cooking and gardening. On the day of the inspection the children were involved with a garden project run by a charitable organisation. The children were observed digging a pond, making a den and putting up a hammock with

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

the project leader and staff. These projects support and enhance the children’s awareness of learning independence and looking after their environment. The staff understand that the children need to learn to manage risks and keep themselves safe while going out to meet friends in the community. The children learn to manage risks safely while they still have the support of staff. A social worker commented, ‘They have been able to give him more freedom to be able to enjoy his days out.’ A therapist commented, ‘He needed to learn to manage risk. The staff have enabled him to do this.’ This understanding shows that staff are not risk averse, and want the children to have the same experiences as their peers. The staff manage transitions into and out of the home well. There have been four children moving in and four moving out of the home within the past five months. A further two children are due to move out in the next week. The staff are aware of the

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

impact that children’s transitions can have on the group dynamics and have been proactive in supporting children leaving and arriving. The children have the opportunity to visit the home before admission. This practice allows them to meet the staff and the children and helps them to settle. A child commented, ‘One of the girls is moving this week; I’m really stressed, it’s like losing a sister.’ The staff ensure that the children have Inspection report children’s home: SC430022 5 time to say goodbye to staff and other children and they have the opportunity to go out for a meal with staff and children. This practice shows that staff understand the importance of children having positive endings. The children have memory boxes, and staff take photos of activities and celebrations. This practice ensures that the children take positive memories of their time in the home with them when they leave. The children have individualised placement plans that the staff review regularly and keep

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

up to date. The plans support the staff to work with the children consistently. However, there is no evidence to show that the children understand the plans in place for them, or that the social workers sign to say they are in agreement with the plans. The children attend regular house meetings. They have the opportunity to discuss plans and activities, and purchases for the house. These are recorded and put on the children’s noticeboard. However, there is little other evidence to show that the children’s wishes and feelings are taken into account and acted on. The children have key-work sessions, but these are sporadic and there is no evidence to show that they have the opportunity to comment or sign to say they understand the session. This does not fully involve the children in their sessions. The home is located just outside the main town. It has benefited from some redecoration since the last inspection, which gives it a more homely feel. A child

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

commented, ‘We are making our own artwork and putting it around the house, and a board with pictures from our summer holiday. It’s starting to look more homely now.’ The staff and children have put pictures of their handprints going up one of the staircases with their names and dates they lived or worked at the home. This shows the children that they will be remembered when they move on from the home.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

The children say that they feel safe living in the home and can speak to the staff if they are worried or upset. A child commented, ‘Staff are always around and control who comes into the house and that’s important to me.’ The staff challenge unwanted behaviours and reinforce boundaries, taking into account the child’s age and level of understanding. The staff discuss behaviours with the children, which gives them the opportunity to look at how they can behave differently. This supports the children to look at more appropriate ways to manage their behaviours. There have been several incidents of bullying since the last inspection. The staff record each incident and speak to both the victim and the perpetrator. On one occasion, the local police community support office came to the home to speak to the children regarding bullying behaviours and the consequences. This practice has had a positive effect, with incidents of bullying decreasing. A child commented, ‘There was some

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

bullying but staff jumped on it straight away.’ A social worker commented, ‘The home addressed any incidents of bullying.’ The staff recognise, understand and act to address any issues of bullying, which further safeguards the children. Sanctions are fair, proportionate and given appropriately. The staff discuss these with the children, who have the opportunity to sign and comment on them. The manager Inspection report children’s home: SC430022 6 comments on the sanctions and evaluates their effectiveness. This reflection helps the children to understand negative behaviours and to develop skills to reduce them. Comprehensive risk assessments are in place. These outline the risks, concerns and strategies for keeping the children safe, and support the staff to manage behaviours safely. The children are also involved in writing their safety plans with staff. An independent reviewing office commented, ‘Children are involved in writing their own

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

safety plan with staff, which gives them some ownership’. The staff have a good understanding of safeguarding. Any concerns are reported to the designated officer or manager and the staff follow any advice given. The staff understand the importance of keeping children safe by reporting concerns. There has been a significant increase in incidents of children going missing since the last inspection. The staff actively search for the children and follow their individual protocols, which are regularly reviewed and updated. A copy of the protocols is sent to the social workers and to the police. The manager attends a monthly multi-agency missing from care meeting to share information. The missing from care police coordinator commented, ‘Staff have really been working in partnership with other agencies around the children. Although children still go missing, they in a safe and supportive environment. The home isn’t just moving

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

the issue but working with multi-agencies to put plans in place to make them safer when they are out.’ An independent reviewing officer commented, ‘I think staff go above and beyond to keep him safe.’ The children work with staff in completing their safety plans. This has resulted in a slight reduction in missing from care incidents, as children are involved and own their plan. The children receive return home interviews by an independent person to try to establish the reasons for them going missing, which further safeguards them. The children know how to complain. A child commented, ‘I would just ask for an ‘‘I want you to know’’ form or just speak to the manager. If it was about the manager I know I have to go higher.’ The children understand that they can speak to higher management if they have concerns. There have been no complaints from children since the last inspection. However, there have been two complaints from neighbours to the manager regarding the level of noise

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

coming from the home during the evening. The manager met with the neighbours and spoke to the children. This resulted in the children making cakes and taking them to the neighbours as an apology. This supports the children’s understanding of living within and respecting their community.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager has been in post since May 2015 and has over 11 years’ experience working within residential care, and holds the national vocational qualification level 5. He has a clear vision for the home and recognises the strengths and areas he would like to develop. Staff, professionals and children spoken to hold him in high regard. There were three requirements from the last inspection – two have been met, and one Inspection report children’s home: SC430022 7 will be repeated. All of the staff have completed fire safety training. The manager notifies Ofsted of any significant events. However, the children and social workers still do not consistently sign the home’s placement plans to show they understand or agree with them. Both recommendations from the last inspection have been met. The children’s guide has been amended to incorporate the day-to-day routine of the home, and staff discuss risk assessments during staff meetings to ensure they are kept fully updated.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home is working in line with the aims and objectives set out in the statement of purpose and function. A comprehensive children’s guide is in place which gives children information about the home, including who to speak to if they are worried or upset and do not wish to speak to staff. This guide provides information for the children to help them settle when they are first admitted to the home. The manger monitors the care practice and uses the monthly reports from the independent person to support and drive improvement. The manager discusses the reports in staff meetings to ensure staff are involved and understand the recommendations made to improve the quality of care provided. The staff receive regular supervision, which is recorded, and all staff have updated appraisals. This supports the staff working with the children, and ensures that their development needs are met. The staff have completed their mandatory training. However, not all staff have

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

completed their level 3 diploma in residential childcare in the required timescale. Staff should have the relevant training to ensure that children receive care from staff who are appropriately qualified.

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people. Inspectors considered the quality of work and the differences made to the lives of children and young people. They watched how professional staff work with children and young people and each other and discussed the effectiveness of help and care provided. Wherever possible, they talked to children and 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.

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Information about this inspection

Using the ‘Social care common inspection framework’, this inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000 to assess the effectiveness of the service, how it meets the core functions of the service as set out in legislation, 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’. Inspection report children’s home: SC430022 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Suffolk County Council, Endeavour House, Russell Road, Ipswich IP1 2BX

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Inspector

Trish Palmer, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC430022 9 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, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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