Children's home run by A & T Home Limited in Mid Suffolk

Interim inspection report children’s home: 1183621 1 Registered provider: A&T Home Limited Interim inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This children’s home is run by a private company. The home is registered to provide a service for up to four children. It is a task-focused assessment unit working with children to help them reunite with their families and/or secure permanence in their future. The service has a therapeutic ethos, and ongoing family outreach services are available if required.

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Judgement at last inspection: good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

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

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The requirements made at the last inspection have been actioned effectively. The registered manager has implemented risk assessments for the fire extinguishers that are not visible, safer recruitment is more robust and staff have received training in safeguarding. Of the five recommendations made, three have not been met. The registered manager is new to the role and has worked hard to improve recording systems to ensure that staff evidence the action that they have taken to engage the children. For example, all of the children’s files have been reviewed, updated and are well ordered and presented.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

All of the children have progressed in education. Although some children still struggle, Interim inspection report children’s home: 1183621 2 staff continue to work with them to engage them in learning or activity programmes. However, the children do not currently have access to a computer or the internet to further enhance their educational attainment. Staff have good links with social workers, teachers and tutors, and issues regarding non-attendance or the children’s behaviour are addressed in multi-professional meetings.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Reports and care plans for children are thorough, highlighting the individual’s successes and areas for continued development. Children contribute to all aspects of their care. They attend care-planning meetings and play an active role in decision making.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

One child has left the home since the last inspection. The children who live at the home currently are stable and secure. They make good use of forums such as the children’s meetings and key-work sessions to influence how the home is run and to learn appropriate behaviours and social skills. The children are all making good progress. They enjoy positive relationships with the staff and each other. Staff know the children well and provide care that meets their individual needs. However, although issues of bullying are addressed and recorded, there is no central log for the manager to monitor effectively incidents of restraint, going missing from care episodes and sanctions.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Children’s emotional needs are a priority. Children are supported to attend therapy. Staff have a good understanding of the impact that therapy has on children and how best to assist them. This therapeutic support helps the children to become more open about their past and present experiences.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Children are supported to maintain contact with their families and carers in accordance with their care plans. Staff clearly understand the importance of contact and support contact arrangements both at and outside of the home.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Safeguarding issues are managed well. However, not all notifications have been reported to the appropriate external agencies. Staff were able to demonstrate a good understanding of the home’s whistle-blowing process. However, they were unsure of how to report concerns in relation to relatives of senior management, if required.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff demonstrate good knowledge of the child sexual exploitation and going missing from home policies. They know how to implement the policies. One child who was previously at risk of sexual exploitation has reduced the number of times that she goes missing.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Children are now able to sustain positive behaviour, and they have learned coping strategies for when they are angry or distressed. The positive relationships between the staff and the children mean that staff are able to identify triggers for negative behaviours, and they act swiftly to de-escalate situations. However, the registered manager does not closely monitor incident records to ensure that interventions are necessary, justified and proportionate, and to share any lessons learned with the staff or the children.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The manager and staff have a strong bond and a good working relationship. However, Interim inspection report children’s home: 1183621 3 the manager is not ensuring that staff supervision is held regularly and in accordance with the home’s supervision policy. This means that staff are not afforded opportunities to reflect on their practice and their performance is not fully addressed. Staff do not have an individual email address to receive work-related confidential information, which prevents information sharing of a private nature.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The environment is homely and children are able to personalise their rooms. However, the kitchen looks worn, tired and in need of repair and the shared bathroom facilities echo this. The dedicated room for staff to sleep in has not been adequately thought through and does not have enough space for a single bed.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

26/04/2017 Full Good 10/08/2016 Full Requires improvement 09/05/2016 Full Inadequate

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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 quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed and furnished so as to meet the needs of each child. (Regulation 6 (1)(2)(c)(i)) This is with particular reference to the worn and broken kitchen, the bathroom and the sleeping facilities in the staff sleep-in room. 31/05/2018

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Requirement Due date

The registered provider must ensure that all employees receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience. (Regulation 33 (4)(b)) 30/03/2018

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must prepare and implement a policy 30/03/2018 Interim inspection report children’s home: 1183621 4 (‘the behaviour management policy’) which sets out how appropriate behaviour is to be promoted in the children’s home and the measures of control, discipline and restraint which may be used in relation to children in the home. The registered person must ensure that within 24 hours of the use of a measure of control, discipline or restraint in relation to a child in the home, a record is made which includes: the name of the child; details of the child’s behaviour leading to the use of the measure; a description of the measure and its duration; details of any methods used or steps taken to avoid the need to use the measure; the name of the person who used the measure (‘the user’), and of any other person present when the measure was used; the effectiveness and any consequences of the use of

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Requirement Due date

the measure; and a description of any injury to the child or any other person, and any medical treatment administered, as a result of the measure. Within 48 hours of the use of the measure, the registered person, or a person who is authorised by the registered person to do so (‘the authorised person’) has spoken to the user about the measure and has signed the record to confirm it is accurate. Within 5 days of the use of the measure, the registered person or the authorised person adds to the record confirmation that they have spoken to the child about the measure. (Regulation 35 (1)(a)(b)(3)(a)(i)(ii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(viii)(b)(i)(ii)(c)) The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40 (4)(e)) 30/03/2018

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Recommendations

 Children should have access to a computer and the internet to support their education and learning. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 29, paragraph 5.19)  Registered persons must ensure that procedures for dealing with allegations of bullying are in place and staff have the skills required to intervene, protect and address bullying behaviours effectively. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 39, paragraph 8.16)  As part of the policies for the protection of children, the registered person should include information about whistle-blowing, with clear procedures for how staff should report to an appropriate authority any concern they have about a child in the home being either at risk of, or already experiencing, significant harm. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page

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Recommendations

Interim inspection report children’s home: 1183621 5 43, paragraph 9.15) In particular, a process should be in place for staff to follow if they have any concerns with regard to staff working at the home who are related to senior management.  The registered person should ensure that staff can access appropriate facilities and resources to support their training needs, and should understand the key role that they play in the training and development of staff at the home. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 53, paragraph 10.11) In particular, review the email account arrangements for staff to receive training or confidential information.

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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

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

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’. Interim inspection report children’s home: 1183621 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: L B Group, Unit 7, Hydra, Orion Avenue, Great Blakenham, Ipswich, Suffolk IP6 0LW

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Inspector

Cathy Russell, social care inspector Interim inspection report children’s home: 1183621 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.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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