Children's home run by BREAK

Inspection report children’s home: 1256794 1 Registered provider: Break

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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, which is run by a registered charity, provides care for up to two children who may have experienced neglect, abuse or trauma, and/or family or placement breakdowns. The manager has been registered since 2018.

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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: 1256794 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

13/03/2019 Interim Improved effectiveness 30/05/2018 Full Good 17/10/2017 Full Inadequate Inspection report children’s home: 1256794 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 leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that— helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and promotes their welfare. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to— use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13(1)(a)(b)(2)(h)) In particular, ensure that records are updated, and that the staff adhere to the missing-from-care protocols and maintain the children’s bedrooms to a good standard. 29/11/2019

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must— keep the statement of purpose under review and, where appropriate, revise it; and notify HMCI of any revisions and send HMCI a copy of the revised statement within 28 days of the revision. (Regulation 16(3)(a)(b)) In particular, make reference to the use of door alarms and specify the age range of children. 29/11/2019

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Requirement Due date

The registered person may only use devices for the monitoring or surveillance of children if— the monitoring or surveillance is for the purpose of safeguarding and promoting the welfare of the child concerned, or other children; the child’s placing authority consents in writing to the monitoring or surveillance; so far as reasonably practicable in the light of the child’s age and understanding, the child is informed in advance of the 29/11/2019 Inspection report children’s home: 1256794 4 intention to do the monitoring or surveillance; and the monitoring or surveillance is no more intrusive than necessary, having regard to the child’s need for privacy. (Regulation 24(1)(a)(b)(c)(d)) The registered person must review the appropriateness and suitability of the location of the premises used for the purposes of the children’s home at least once in each calendar year taking into account the requirement in Regulation 12(2)(c) (the

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Requirement Due date

protection of children standard). When conducting the review, the registered person must consult, and take into account the views of, each relevant person. (Regulation 46(1)(2)) In particular, assess the risks to children of criminal exploitation. 29/11/2019

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The overall progress of children is good. The staff build trusting and secure relationships with the children and know them well. They listen to children, invest time in them and act on their wishes. The staff have helped children to open bank accounts and enquire about driving lessons. This helps prepare the children for adulthood. The staff provide a range of positive experiences and recently took the children to Paris and Disneyland. The children have been paintballing, swimming and enjoyed trips to the seaside. The children’s engagement in these activities has increased as a direct result of improved relationships between the staff and the children. The staff help the children to understand how to complain and what has happened because of a complaint. This helps to empower the children to speak out if they feel unfairly treated. The children attend school or other education provision and make progress from their

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

individual starting points. The staff have ambition for children. They celebrate the children’s achievements and recognise the importance of their progress. This builds the children’s confidence and self-esteem. The manager successfully applied for children’s education funding. This advocacy and promotion of children’s rights to education leads to children improving their educational outcomes. The staff help children to access specialist drug and alcohol misuse support. The staff understand the signs and symptoms and work well with other professionals to support the children. The staff provide time for the children to talk during informal discussions about their involvement in drug misuse. This helps the staff to provide targeted support to improve children’s physical and mental health. The staff sensitively welcome new children to the home. They aim to build relationships Inspection report children’s home: 1256794 5

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

with children prior to their admission. This helps to reduce children’s anxieties about the home. The staff remain in contact with the children who have left the home. These children continue to feel cared for and considered by the staff. The home has a nurturing feel and the communal areas are attractively decorated. However, one child’s bedroom had not been cleaned to a reasonable standard. The manager had not identified this through the internal monitoring checks.

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

The staff respond well to significant challenges and children’s high-risk behaviours. They use positive strategies to de-escalate and manage the children’s behaviour. The staff help the children to make better decisions when they are in crisis. This reduces unnecessary conflict and potential police involvement. The staff are creative in reducing the children’s risk-taking behaviour. They have created a graffiti wall in the garden to channel the children’s graffiti interests positively. The manager has requested the use of a graffiti wall in the local neighbourhood. Permissible use reduces the potential for children to engage in antisocial behaviour. The staff provide coordinated responses that reduce the risk of harm to children when they are missing from the home. The staff actively look for the children. However, on one occasion, the staff failed to follow the missing-from-home procedure and this

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

delayed the notification to the police. This failure was not identified by the manager as a practice concern. Children receive independent return home interviews, but the staff do not always receive the details of these interviews. This means that opportunities to understand the reasons for children going missing may be missed. Although the staff coordinate well with other professionals to reduce risks to children, risk-reduction strategies are not fully reflected in the records. Individual risk assessments and care plans are not up to date. This could prevent the manager and staff from taking quick and effective action. The manager has not assessed the use of the bedroom door alarms or consulted with placing authorities about their use. This means that children’s movements are monitored without a clear rationale. The manager has failed to review the risks in the locality. The location risk assessment

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

does not refer to criminal exploitation. This means that the staff may not have all the information that they need to reduce the potential harm to children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is established and qualified for the role. He understands the strengths of the home and has a clear vision for further development and improvement. He has taken effective action to address all of the previous shortfalls. The manager has a clear understanding of the progress that the children make and takes effective action when necessary. He leads a staff team that provides tailored care that consistently meets the children’s needs. Inspection report children’s home: 1256794 6 The staff respect the manager and said that they are well led and managed. The manager provides effective supervision and support to the staff team. The staff have clear individual responsibilities that help them to fulfil their roles. The manager provides the staff with bespoke training related to the children’s needs. The staff have a good awareness of the safeguarding procedures. This helps the staff to remain informed about current topics.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The managerial monitoring is not good enough. The use of door alarms has not been risk assessed, case records need updating and a failure to follow a set procedure has not been identified. The statement of purpose does not refer to the use of door alarms or the age range that the home caters for. Collectively, these matters show that the managerial monitoring and oversight lack rigour. However, this shortfall has not undermined the overall quality of care provided to the children.

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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: 1256794 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Schofield House, 1 Spar Road, Norwich NR6 6BX

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Annriette Mynhardt

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Inspector

Lianne Bradford, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: 1256794 8 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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