Children's Home run by PCT Care Services Limited in Norfolk

Inspection report children’s home: SC471856 1 SC471856 Registered provider: PCT Care Services Limited Interim 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 provides accommodation for up to six children, aged between eight and 17, who may have experienced difficulties that relate to their emotional, behavioural and/or learning needs. The manager’s fitness was assessed on 23 October 2019 and registration was confirmed on 24 October 2019.

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Information about this children’s home

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

Some of the children have progressed well. Children now attend education, which helps them to build positive friendships, and their behaviour has significantly improved. Children hold the staff in high regard and have formed positive relationships with them. The staff’s interactions with the children are caring and supportive. Children develop some positive life skills through basic household tasks that they choose to engage in. They enjoy a variety of physical and creative activities, including belonging to community football teams, which help them to develop their confidence and self- esteem. Care and support planning are well organised, detailed and helpful. Records contain Inspection report children’s home: SC471856 2 good information and provide a unique picture of each child. The staff understand the children well and use their knowledge carefully to think about what events and behaviours mean so that they can help children to progress.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Risk assessments and behaviour management strategies are well planned. Staff know what to do when children get angry and frustrated. The staff provide consistent care and encourage the children to talk about their feelings and emotions. Staff enable the children to feel safe and secure in their home. Children build trusting relationships with the staff and talk to them about past life experiences. These relationships help the children to build emotional resilience. Staff deal with disclosures and other serious incidents promptly. They follow procedures and liaise well with other agencies. This demonstrates to children that the staff prioritise their safety. Children feel safe living at this home. The manager and staff work effectively with other professionals such as the police and social workers. The staff are proactive in seeking the views of other professionals for advice and guidance when required.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Some children’s placements have ended quickly and there has been insufficient preparation. In the absence of the manager, the responsible individual accepted a placement that was unsuccessful and resulted in another move for a vulnerable child. Failure to ensure effective matching has a detrimental impact on children. Staff are trained in the appropriate use of physical restraint, which is only ever used as a last resort to safeguard children. The records of physical restraint and incidents are completed in full. Debriefs with staff and children are undertaken to enable reflection on incidents and identify when changes to approaches are needed. Sanctions, when used, are proportionate and fair. Staff are proactive in preventing children from going missing. The missing-from-home protocols and logs are robust. However, out of six incidents of children going missing, only one incident has been followed up with an independent return home interview,

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

despite several requests by the home to the relevant placing local authority. This means that children do not receive a consistent message that social workers will follow up these incidents. Staff said that they feel supported by the manager and receive regular supervision. However, not all staff have received their yearly appraisals. Staff undertake mandatory training in core areas including safeguarding, physical intervention and first aid. This training ensures that the staff have the skills to meet the children’s individual needs. One member of staff has not achieved a relevant level 3 qualification in the required timescale. Although this does not have a direct impact on the care that the children receive, this is a failure to meet the regulatory requirement relating to staff qualifications. The independent person’s monthly reports give a good overview of the home and the care provided to the children.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The manager has met one of the requirements and the two recommendations that were raised at the last inspection. The requirement that was raised in respect of staff Inspection report children’s home: SC471856 3 qualifications is restated.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

19/06/2019 Full Good 13/03/2019 Interim Sustained effectiveness 22/05/2018 Full Requires improvement to be good 31/01/2018 Interim Sustained effectiveness

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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 care planning standard is that children— receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home; and have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— that children are admitted to the home only if their needs are within the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the home is to provide care and accommodation, as set out in the home’s statement of purpose. (Regulation 14(1)(a)(b)(2)(a)) 30/11/2019

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Requirement Due date

For the purposes of paragraph (3)(b), an individual who works in the home in a care role has the appropriate qualification if, by the relevant date, the individual has attained— 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. 31/01/2020 Inspection report children’s home: SC471856 4 The relevant date is— in the case of an individual who starts working in a care role in a home after 1 April 2014, the date which falls 2 years after the date on which the individual started working in a care role in a home; or in the case of an individual who was working in a care role in a home on 1 April 2014, 1 April 2016. The registered person may defer the relevant date if the individual— does not work, or has not worked, in a care role in a home for a prolonged period; or works, or has worked, in a care role in a home on a part-time

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Requirement Due date

basis. (Regulation 32(4)(a)(b)(5)(a)(b)(6)(a)(b))

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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)  All staff must have their performance and fitness to carry out their role formally appraised at least once annually. This appraisal should take into account, when reasonable and practical, the views of other professionals who have worked with the staff member over the year and children in the home’s care. As part of the performance management process, poor performance should be addressed by a timely plan to bring about improvement. (‘Guide to the children’s homes

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Recommendations

regulations including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.5)

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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. Inspection report children’s home: SC471856 5 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: PCT Care Services Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Old Hall Farm, Silfield Road, Silfield, Wymondham, Norfolk NR18 9NH

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Inspector

Cathy Russell, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC471856 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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