Children's Home run by Broadlands Hall Limited in Suffolk

Inspection report children‟s home: SC060936 1 SC060936 Registered provider: Broadlands Hall Ltd Interim inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

This privately owned children‟s home provides care, accommodation, and education for up to 11 children who have learning, emotional, and/or behavioural difficulties. There is a large education building, inspected by Ofsted HMI education in May 2017, in the grounds of the home.

p.1

and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged requires improvement to be good at the last full inspection. At the interim inspection, Ofsted judges that it has sustained effectiveness.

p.1

and young people since the most recent full inspection

The registered manager resigned shortly after the last inspection. For a period of time one of the senior residential care workers was leading the home, with support from other managers within the organisation. Since then, the provider has appointed a new manager who has submitted an application to register with Ofsted.

p.1

and young people since the most recent full inspection

The new manager is experienced in working in children‟s homes. She has already begun to make a positive difference. For example, the culture in the home is changing, and the senior staff are more positive and proactive about their work with the children. As a result, morale across the staff team is improving. One member of staff said, „Things have changed for the better and that is because the new manager is making a big difference.‟ Inspection report children‟s home: SC060936 2 The new manager responds appropriately and comprehensively to complaints raised by children and placing local authorities. She has begun to meaningfully address some of the shortfalls raised at the last inspection. For example, some new staff have been appointed to work permanently in the home. Senior staff have received training on delivering effective supervision and, as a result, there is improvement. For example, new staff now receive an induction and practice-based supervision. However, because the

p.1

and young people since the most recent full inspection

improvement is recent and the supervision of agency staff, whom the home relies on, is not happening consistently, this shortfall is repeated.

p.2

and young people since the most recent full inspection

The senior staff are enrolled on, and about to begin working towards, the level 5 diploma in leadership and management. This is a positive step. Many of the new staff are enrolled to complete the required level 3 qualification. However, some of the staff who should have completed the required level 3 qualification, for example the waking night staff, have not yet done so.

p.2

and young people since the most recent full inspection

The provider has put effort in to ensure that the staff understand the internal whistleblowing procedures. The staff do raise concerns about the practice of their colleagues. This enables the provider to report allegations, liaise appropriately with the designated officer, act on their advice and take the necessary steps to terminate employment if appropriate. This action ensures that those who are unsuitable do not continue to work with vulnerable children.

p.2

and young people since the most recent full inspection

The permanent staff, and some of the agency staff who have worked in the home for some time, have good, warm relationships with the children. For example, one child had had his hair restyled by one of the staff. He said, „I like it here. The staff are good and I have what I need.‟ The children continue to attend the school located next door to the home, and their attendance is excellent.

p.2

and young people since the most recent full inspection

The children are staffed on a minimum of one-to-one. The staff respond to the children as they should when the children go missing or leave the building. For example, during this inspection one child was told that he could not do something, so he left the home in the dark. More than one member of staff went out to look for him immediately, on foot using torches, and by car. The child was found and returned to the home within minutes of leaving.

p.2

and young people since the most recent full inspection

Physical interventions continue in the home, although not every child is held. Many of the physical interventions relate to one particular child. The frequency of incidents is reducing, and the length of time that children are held for is reducing. This is a positive step. The provider has taken action to ensure that records show more clearly the role of individual staff when more than one adult is holding a child. Some of the staff have attended refresher training in restrictive physical intervention. However, records show that one member of staff involved in holding one child had not attended the training. Staff say that they do practice holds on one another at staff meetings, but they could not evidence this, so this shortfall is raised again.

p.2

and young people since the most recent full inspection

The new manager is implementing changes to systems and processes across the home. For example, she has introduced a new approach to the children‟s meetings, and the Inspection report children‟s home: SC060936 3 children have begun to chair these group discussions. The new manager is taking a proactive approach to building relationships with the children, and she spends time listening to their concerns and getting to know individual children‟s personalities. This is positive in relation to understanding the detail of each child‟s circumstance, and helps to achieve effective care planning. One social worker said, „The new manager is a very good point of contact and has managed to move things forward for our child by implementing what the health team have recommended.‟

p.2

and young people since the most recent full inspection

Some of the risk assessments for some of the children have been updated, and for some additional information has been added. For example, the new manager has completed a risk assessment evaluating the potential risks of admitting one new child into the home. This is an improvement, and meets this part of the regulation raised at the last inspection. However, the updating of risk assessments is not yet happening consistently or routinely for every child when new information comes to light.

p.3

and young people since the most recent full inspection

Some written records are improving. For example, the children‟s care plans sampled are bright, colourful and personalised. However, the overall quality and continuity of some written information continues to be poor. For example, staff occasionally carry out room searches, but records were not produced at this inspection, so staff could not evidence the outcome, or the rationale for this action.

p.3

and young people since the most recent full inspection

The provider has introduced an online training package, so training for staff is more readily accessible in areas such as prevent and child sexual exploitation. Staff can also access some face-to-face training, for example in safeguarding. This is an improvement. Not all staff have routine access to training in areas such as administration of medication, report writing, autism or managing sexualised behaviours. This means that not all staff undertake continuous professional development.

p.3

and young people since the most recent full inspection

The staff work creatively with the children, and use visual reward systems to promote positive behaviour and show the children when they have managed situations well. This is to good effect some of the time. However, in recent months the number of sanctions has increased. There is no clear guidance available to help the staff or the children to understand what a reasonable or fair sanction is. Since the last inspection, two children have left the home. This was because the new manager could see that the home could no longer meet these children‟s needs. The staff were increasingly concerned, and were unable to manage these children‟s behaviour effectively.

p.3

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

10/05/2017 Full Requires improvement to be good 08/02/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness 17/05/2016 Full Good 30/11/2015 Full Requires improvement Inspection report children‟s home: SC060936 4

p.3

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.

p.4

Requirement Due date

The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure that staff 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 and help each child to understand how to keep safe.(Regulation 12(1) and (2)(a)(i) (ii)) In particular, to improve the quality and relevance of the information recorded in written risk assessments. 26/01/2018

p.4

Requirement Due date

The leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the home that helps children to aspire to fulfil their potential and promotes their welfare. (Regulation 13(1)(a)(b)) 26/01/2018

p.4

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)) In particular, with regard to waking night staff. 26/01/2018

p.4

Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees undertake appropriate continuing professional development. (Regulation 33(4)(a) In particular, with regard to agency staff. 26/01/2018

p.4

Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that each employee consistently receives practice related supervision by a person with appropriate experience. (Regulation 33(4)(b)) In particular, with regard to agency staff. 26/01/2018

p.4

Requirement Due date

The registered person must maintain records (“case records”) for each child which are kept up to date and are signed and dated by the author of each entry. Case records must be kept 26/01/2018 Inspection report children‟s home: SC060936 5 securely in the children‟s home during the period when the child to whom the case records relate is accommodated there. (Regulation 36(1)(b)(c) (2)(c)

p.4

Recommendations

 Ensure that every member of staff follows the provider‟s policy where it has been assessed that there are reasonable grounds to carry out an immediate search of a child‟s bedroom. („Guide to the children‟s homes regulations including the quality standards‟, page 16 paragraph 3.20)

p.5

Recommendations

 Ensure that any sanctions used to address poor behaviour are proportionate, fair and restorative in nature. („Guide to the children‟s homes regulations including the quality standards‟, page 46, paragraph 9.39)  Ensure that each member of staff has been adequately trained in the principles of restraint. („Guide to the children‟s homes regulations including the quality standards‟, page 49, paragraph 9.57)

p.5

Recommendations

This is with particular reference to refresher training for every member of staff.

p.5

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.

p.5

Information about this inspection

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.

p.5

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: SC060936 6

p.5

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Broadlands Hall Ltd

p.6

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Greenwood House, Greenwood Court, Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk IP32 7GY

p.6

Inspector(s)

Rosie Davie, social care inspector Cathy Russell, social care inspector Inspection report children‟s home: SC060936 7 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.

p.6

Inspector(s)

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, 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 http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.7

Inspector(s)

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.7

Inspector(s)

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: http://www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.7