Children's Home, Residential special school run by Acorn Norfolk Limited in Norfolk

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC435322 1 SC435322

p.1

Acorn Norfolk Limited

Monitoring visit Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The children’s home and school is owned by a private organisation and is registered to provide accommodation for up to 40 children. This service specialises in working with young people who have autistic spectrum disorder, complex needs, moderate or severe learning difficulties, communication difficulties and challenging behaviour. All the children have a diagnosis of autistic spectrum disorder. There is a school on site that is registered with the Department of Education to cater for children and young people aged from four to 19 years. Children and young people live at the home for either 38 or 52 weeks a year.

p.1

This monitoring visit

The purpose of this monitoring visit was to review the progress made by the provider in meeting the compliance notices served following the interim inspection on 7 and 8 March 2018. These notices related to the failure to comply with the regulations in respect of safeguarding and leadership and management. This monitoring visit has found that the compliance notices have been met. However, one breach of regulation relating to physical interventions has been identified. This resulted in a statutory requirement being made. Three statutory requirements and one recommendation made at the last inspection were not monitored at this visit and are restated to be followed up at the next inspection. Since the last inspection:  The management team has devised and implemented an action plan designed to address the shortfalls identified at the interim inspection. This action plan has had a positive initial effect.

p.1

This monitoring visit

 The management team has taken action to ensure that the staff are clear about what to do if they have concerns about a child in their care. These actions include ensuring that staff have read the safeguarding policy and Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC435322 2 testing out the staff’s understanding of the policy in supervision sessions. Consequently, the staff are aware of who the safeguarding leads are, when they should contact them and how.  A clearer system of accountability relating to recruitment checks has been introduced. The manager signs off all recruitment records. In the one example where references revealed information that needed following up, follow-up occurred.  The management team has completed a review of staff training. Additional training has been provided for staff in safeguarding children who have disabilities. This includes short briefing sessions and formal training days. Two

p.1

This monitoring visit

further formal training days are booked. This helps the staff to understand the increased vulnerability of children who have disabilities to abuse.  A new, clearer monitoring system is in place for supervisions. This allows the manager to monitor and act to ensure that supervisions occur. As a result, the frequency of supervision has increased.  Senior managers now receive copies of any incident where a ground recovery hold is used. This enables effective senior management monitoring.  Routine monitoring and debriefing of staff following incidents lacks reflection and learning. While there is further work to be done, this is acknowledged by the management team. A plan is in place for further training in reflective practice.  This inspection found that there was one example of a physical intervention taking place that was not necessary. Managers had already identified this and are planning additional training for staff involved.

p.2

Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 07/03/2018 Interim Declined in effectiveness 07/06/2017 Full Good 13/07/2016 Full Requires improvement 18/05/2016 Full Inadequate Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC435322 3

p.2

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.3

Requirement Due date

Restraint in relation to a child is only permitted for the purpose of preventing— injury to any person (including the child); serious damage to the property of any person (including the child); or a child who is accommodated in a secure children’s home from absconding from the home. Restraint in relation to a child must be necessary and proportionate. (Regulation 20(1)(a)(b)(c)(2)) 22/05/2018

p.3

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) 30/09/2018

p.3

Requirement Due date

The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety. The registered person may permit an individual to start work at the home despite the fact that the requirement in paragraph (3)(d) has not been met if the registered person has taken all reasonable steps to obtain full information about each of the matters in Schedule 2 in respect of the individual, but the enquiries in relation to any of the matters in paragraphs 3 to 6 of Schedule 2 are incomplete; full and satisfactory information in respect of the individual has been obtained in relation to the matters in paragraphs 1 and 2 of Schedule 2. (Regulation 32(7)(a)(b)) 22/05/2018

p.3

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)) 22/05/2018 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC435322 4

p.3

Recommendations

 When a child returns to the home after being missing from care or away from the home without permission, the responsible local authority must provide an opportunity for the child to have an independent return home interview. Homes should take account of information provided by such interviews when assessing risks and putting arrangements in place to protect each child. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 45, paragraph 9.30)

p.4

Information about this inspection

The purpose of this visit was to monitor the action taken and the progress made by the children’s home since its last Ofsted inspection.

p.4

Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000.

p.4

Children’s home details

Provision sub-type: Residential special school

p.4

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Acorn Norfolk Limited

p.4

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 1 Merchants Place, River Street, Bolton BL2 1BX

p.4

Inspector

Ashley Hinson, social care inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC435322 5 to 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.

p.4

Inspector

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.5

Inspector

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

p.5

Inspector

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

p.5