Children's Home run by Suffolk County Council in Suffolk

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC063110 1 SC063110

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Suffolk County Council

Monitoring visit Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This local authority home provides care for up to five children aged between 11 and 17 who may have experienced neglect and/or emotional abuse, or had a traumatic experience that has left them vulnerable and who may find it difficult to manage in society.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager resigned with effect from 20 August 2018. A temporary interim manager started in post on 17 September 2018.

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This monitoring visit

This home was judged as requires improvement to be good at the full inspection in April 2018. The interim inspection, in August 2018, found that the home had declined in effectiveness. Concerns about practice, the leadership and management of the home and regulatory shortfalls led to Ofsted serving a notice of restriction of accommodation.

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This monitoring visit

The primary purpose of this monitoring visit was to ensure that the provider is complying with the notice restricting accommodation. The home is currently full; no children have left the home and no children have been admitted since the last inspection. The provider is complying with the restriction notice.

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This monitoring visit

The requirement relating to the admission of children to the home is restated as this cannot be tested currently.

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This monitoring visit

An experienced manager has been employed for an interim period of six weeks. He started in post on 17 September 2018. He has started to review records, systems and practice alongside the deputy managers. This process is in its infancy. The requirement in respect of leadership and management is restated.

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This monitoring visit

Lack of effective risk assessment was identified as an area of concern at the interim Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC063110 2 inspection. Some work has started on improving risk assessments. One risk assessment that was of concern at the last inspection was reviewed at this visit. Important information has been included along with triggers for behaviour, and signs for the staff to look out for. Some progress is acknowledged; however, further improvements are required to ensure that identified actions are followed up and recorded. The requirement is restated.

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This monitoring visit

Some progress has been made to address hazards at the home. New flooring has been fitted in the bathroom and shower room. Children’s bedrooms were not viewed as part of this visit. The requirement will remain and will be reviewed at the next visit. The home continues to require redecorating to provide children with a homely and nurturing environment.

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This monitoring visit

There has been one incident of bullying since the last inspection. There is an improvement in the overview of incidents. The one record that has been completed reflects the action taken, the way that the incident was addressed with each child concerned and the consequence of the children’s actions. As there has only been one incident, the effectiveness of the recording and monitoring cannot be properly tested. This requirement is restated.

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This monitoring visit

The provider has replaced the gate to the home. This satisfies the requirement raised at the interim inspection.

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This monitoring visit

The restriction of accommodation remains in place and is subject to ongoing monitoring.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 07/08/2018 Interim Declined in effectiveness 04/04/2018 Full Requires improvement to be good 19/07/2017 Full Requires improvement to be good 26/04/2017 Full Inadequate Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC063110 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 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—

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Requirement Due date

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;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand how to keep safe;

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Requirement Due date

have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm;

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Requirement Due date

manage relationships between children to prevent them from harming each other;

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Requirement Due date

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare; and

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Requirement Due date

that the home’s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm. (Regulation 12 (1)(2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(vi)(b) 26/10/2018

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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.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

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Requirement Due date

that the premises used for the purposes 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)) 26/10/2018 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC063110 4 This is in regard to the cleanliness of the bedrooms. The leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that—

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Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

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Requirement Due date

lead and manage the home in a way that is consistent with the approach and ethos, and delivers the outcomes, set out in the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each child and use this understanding to inform the development of the care in the home;

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Requirement Due date

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) and (2)f)(h)) 01/10/2018

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Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children—

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Requirement Due date

receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home; and

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Requirement Due date

have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

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Requirement Due date

ensure the effective induction of each child into the home; and

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Requirement Due date

manage and review the placement of each child in the home. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b) and (2)(b)(i)(ii)) 26/10/2018

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must prepare and implement a policy for the prevention of bullying in the home, which must in particular set out the procedure for dealing with an allegation of bullying. (Regulation 34 (3))

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Requirement Due date

This is in particular regard to recording and monitoring incidents that include bullying. 26/10/2018 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC063110 5

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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.

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Information about this inspection

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

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Suffolk County Council

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Children’s home details

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

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Inspector

Louisa Bayley: social care inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC063110 6 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 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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