Children's Home run by Flying Spur Limited in Norfolk

Inspection report children’s home: SC470585 1 SC470585 Registered provider: Flying Spur 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 provides care and accommodation for up to six children who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. It is privately owned by an individual.

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Judgement at last inspection: good

Date of last inspection: 15 November 2017

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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 home’s management and the staff have worked to address the concerns that were identified at the last inspection. One requirement will remain, as the date for action has not yet passed. The following improvements were identified during this inspection:  Children’s risk assessments are updated regularly. They are detailed and thorough.  Risk-taking behaviours are discussed with the children through individual key- working sessions. The strategies to manage these behaviours are agreed with the child and recorded during the key-worker sessions. Positive incentives are used to reinforce good behaviours.  Reports from the independent visitor state whether children are being safeguarded effectively and whether the conduct of the home promotes their well-being. Inspection report children’s home: SC470585 2  Children are encouraged to explore and are provided with opportunities to develop their identity.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

 The suitability of new admissions to the home is assessed against the needs and welfare of the children who already live there.  Incidents of bullying are recorded in a dedicated log and appropriate consequences are used to deter further incidents. The home, which retains many of its original features, is an old, large, spacious building set in extensive grounds. The staff provide a supportive and nurturing environment that is welcoming and creates a homely feel. However, some improvements are necessary. For example, one of the internal fire doors does not meet fire safety regulations. Fire doors that fail to fully close pose a risk to children and staff. This shortfall was raised with the provider during the inspection, and the provider confirmed that immediate remedial action would be taken. The house and grounds are generally well maintained, but the area outside the home that used to house chickens has items that have the potential to be dangerous to the

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

children and could cause injury if left unattended. Parts of the home require decorating and the external guttering and woodwork needs attention. This detracts from what is otherwise a well-presented and furnished home. The staff manage the children’s behaviour well. The positive incentive system enables children to earn rewards for good behaviour, for example having a treatment by a beautician. Physical interventions are used infrequently and appropriate consequences are used to discourage negative behaviour. The home has a clear missing-from-home protocol that the staff follow. The staff report the child as missing to the police, try and contact the child via telephone and search local areas. The incidents of children going missing are generally well managed and responded to by the staff. Risk assessments are up to date and detailed and the home has a good relationship with the police. However, there have been incidents when

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

children have been missing for prolonged periods of up to 72 hours. Although child sexual exploitation has been a risk factor, the manager has not notified Ofsted of these incidents. This failure to notify means that Ofsted is not provided with a current picture of the incidents at the home or the action that staff have taken to safeguard children. Issues with the internal and external monitoring systems in the home were raised during the last inspection. The independent visitor now comments on the well-being of the children and if they are adequately safeguarded. The manager has discussed with the independent visitor how the monthly reporting process can be improved, for example gaining feedback from the children’s parents and external professionals. The manager has gained the views of children and staff and these will be included in the next internal monitoring report of the care that the home provides. The requirement raised at the last

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

full inspection in relation to internal monitoring is restated, as the manager’s report of the review of care is not yet due. The staff feel well supported and listened to by the management. Staff value the opportunity of individual supervision sessions and group team meetings. One member of staff said, ‘Everyone gets along well and can’t do enough to help each other. The Inspection report children’s home: SC470585 3 managers are great and are always there to help. If you do something well, they tell you.’ Staff are trained to enable them to do their jobs effectively. However, specialist training to care for children who have specific needs, such as self-injurious behaviour, is not provided in a timely way. This can leave staff with shortfalls in the skills that they need to manage this behaviour safely and effectively. There are good relationships between the staff and the children. Children feel safe at the

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

home. The staff seek the children’s opinions. One child said, ‘I feel safer here than anywhere else I’ve lived. Staff ask my views at house meetings and there is a form I can fill out, asking me if I am happy.’ This sense of safety helps the children to feel valued and part of the home. Children are able to engage in a range of activities with the staff. One child listed trampolining, painting, soft play and going to the seaside as their favourite activities. Children are encouraged to join local clubs such as the cadets. Accessing community- based resources like this has the potential to promote children’s social skills and emotional well-being. Education is promoted by the home, with three of the four children in mainstream full- time education. The other child is currently refusing to engage in education. The staff are working with the wider professional group to resolve this. This focus on the importance of children going to school helps children to achieve academically.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The management and staff develop and maintain good relationships with the other agencies that are concerned with the welfare of the children. One social worker said, ‘I’ve seen that [child] is settled and seems much happier. This is the longest placement [child] has been in, so I have seen improvements from the very start.’ The staff promote contact between the children and their family and friends. Staff take the children to see their families or facilitate this at the home when appropriate.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

15/11/2017 Full Good 29/03/2017 Interim Improved effectiveness 23/11/2016 Full Requires improvement 10/02/2016 Interim Improved effectiveness Inspection report children’s home: SC470585 4

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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 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 the premises used for the purpose of the home are designed, furnished and maintained so as to protect each child from avoidable hazards to the child’s health. (Regulation 12(1)(2)(d)) In particular, remove the hazards present in the outdoor area where the chicken coop was situated. 18/04/2018

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that the requirements of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 and any regulations made under it, except for article 23 (duties of employees), are complied with in respect of the home. (Regulation 25(2)(b)) In particular, ensure that all fire doors meet fire safety regulations. 26/03/2018

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Requirement Due date

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)) 18/04/2018

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that the quality of care review provides for ascertaining and considering the opinions of children and staff. (Regulation 45(5)) 31/03/2018

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Recommendations

 For children’s homes to be nurturing and supportive environments that meet the needs of their children, they will, in most cases, be homely, domestic environments. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9) This is in particular regard to the maintenance of the external guttering and paintwork, and internal decoration.  The registered person should ensure that staff can access appropriate facilities Inspection report children’s home: SC470585 5 and resources to support their training needs, and should understand the key role that they play in the training and development of staff in the home. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 53, paragraph 10.11) In particular, ensure that the staff receive training that is specific to the needs of the children who live at the home.

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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’.

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Flying Spur Limited

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Inspector

Ricky D’Arcy, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC470585 6 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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