Children's Home run by 4d Care Ltd in Norfolk

Inspection report children’s home: 1271979 1 Registered provider: 4d Care Limited

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Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is run by a private organisation. It offers therapeutic care for up to three children who may have experienced trauma, neglect, abuse and/or family or placement breakdowns.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager was appointed in December 2018 and registered with Ofsted in May 2019.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

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good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

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good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: improved effectiveness

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: 1271979 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

15/03/2019 Interim Improved effectiveness 05/09/2018 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report children’s home: 1271979 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The one child who is currently living at the home is making very good progress. He responds well to the calm and nurturing environment and enjoys a variety of positive experiences. During this inspection, the child was happy to share that he views the house as his home and intends to remain living at his home until he is ready to move on to independent living.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The responsible individual, manager and staff have high aspirations for the child. They encourage and support him with his individual education package. Prior to the child’s admission, he had not attended school for some time. He now attends the provider’s own school full time and was recently presented with an award for achieving the highest attendance. The child’s father said, ‘I’m very happy with the home. I can’t fault the staff, they have done wonders for him. He will be doing GCSE exams next year. He loves it [at the home]. The staff encourage him all the time.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff provide the child with the opportunity to undertake a range of stimulating opportunities and activities. The child has a love of vehicles and being outside. These two interests were recently combined, and he has successfully completed a tractor driving course. This innovative practice has enabled the child to increase his skills and to make happy memories while living at the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff openly acknowledge and celebrate the child’s achievements. This is done on an informal daily basis and more formally in an open day setting. The home recently held an achiever’s day. This was attended by the child’s family members and any other important people in the child’s life. It included all the children from the provider’s other home and school. Awards and certificates were given to each child to celebrate their progress. This increases children’s self-esteem and promotes positive behaviour.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

One child has been admitted and discharged since the last inspection. His social worker said, ‘The staff worked really well as part of his transition plan. There was good, considered matching. The staff are very child-focused. Communication was always very good. The child liked the placement and the staff. They really went above and beyond for him.’

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

The child feels safe living at this home. Staff work hard to establish good trusting relationships. The child said, ‘This home is so much better than my previous home. I assaulted staff in my other home. I don’t here because I like the staff. They understand me, and I can talk to any of them. I trust them all.’

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

A therapeutic approach underpins staff practice. The staff receive good-quality therapeutic training and are knowledgeable in their approach. The child benefits from regular in-house therapy sessions and having access to the home’s psychologist. The staff encourage the child to explore events and reflect on his feelings. This has resulted Inspection report children’s home: 1271979 4 in the child successfully undertaking work on his past offending behaviour, with no repeat incidents occurring.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

The staff give the child rewards for positive behaviour, helping with general housekeeping tasks and showing kind behaviour. Credits given can then be saved to purchase an item of the child’s choice. The child is responding well to this incentive system and shows a sense of pride in earning extra credits.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Well-written, detailed risk assessments highlight the child’s individual risks and vulnerabilities. These assessments provide clear guidance on actions to take to minimise and manage risks. Staff follow these well and are skilled in reducing the frequency of incidents.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

There have been five incidents of physical intervention since the last inspection. All staff are trained in intervention techniques. The staff only use physical intervention when necessary to keep the children and staff safe. There are detailed records of all incidents and the manager has followed up incidents with good-quality debriefings with staff, and gained the opinion of the child. However, the manager has not consistently signed off the records to confirm that the report is accurate and complete. This shortfall could result in the safety of the children and the staff being compromised.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The dedicated and suitably experienced manager registered with Ofsted in May 2019. She is currently working towards achieving a relevant level 5 diploma.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is very child-focused. She ensures that children are involved in decision- making about their lives. The manager is passionate about improving children’s outcomes. She leads an enthusiastic staff team that speaks highly of her and their love of working at the home. A member of staff said, ‘I feel very well supported. I couldn’t want for a better manager.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager and staff communicate well with external professionals. All professionals spoken with during this inspection said that any new information is shared promptly. Social workers particularly like receiving the detailed weekly reports on the children. Youth offending professionals praised the quality of the in-house therapeutic work and the prompt staff responses when information is requested.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Monthly staff meetings are well attended. The staff use this time to discuss children’s progress and to monitor their own interactions. This ensures that the children continue to receive a consistent response.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Internal monitoring systems review and evaluate the quality of care provided by the home. The independent visitor’s monthly report now includes their opinion on whether the children are safeguarded. However, not all the reports have been submitted to Ofsted. This prevents effective monitoring of the home by Ofsted.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has met to good effect the two requirements and one recommendation set Inspection report children’s home: 1271979 5 at the last inspection.

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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

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—

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Requirement Due date

has signed the record to confirm it is accurate. (Regulation 35(3)(b)(ii)) 20/09/2019

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Requirement Due date

The independent person must provide a copy of the independent person’s report to HMCI. (Regulation 44(7)(a)) 20/09/2019

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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

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: 1271979 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 8a New Road, Mepal, Ely, Cambridgeshire CB6 2AP

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Inspector

Lynne Drage, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: 1271979 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 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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