Norwich Road (15)

Inspection report children’s home: SC034480 1 SC034480 Registered provider: Norfolk County Council Children’s Services Interim inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

A local authority owns and operates this home. The home provides emergency and short-term placements for up to four children for whom, at the time of admission, family, foster care or other community-based placements are not possible. A registered manager has been in post since 26 September 2019.

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Inspection date: 7 January 2020

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC034480 2

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children 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 improved effectiveness.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Two requirements were made at the last inspection, relating to the quality of staff appraisals records of complaints. Staff appraisals now include more management evaluation of staff practice and ongoing suitability. This helps to ensure that the staff remain suitable for their role and that they receive any additional support or training that they need. There have not been any complaints since the last inspection, so it is not possible to review the progress in this area. For the last four months, a child has been living at the home as a single placement due to her specific needs. The psychiatrists working with the child and her independent reviewing officer described her progress as ‘amazing’ and said that this is down to the care that she has received at the home. The quality of her day-to-day experiences has improved significantly while she has been at this home. The child was previously detained under the Mental Health Act and was given

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

significant levels of medication. Since living at this home, she has refused to take her medication, so the staff have worked with her and health professionals to resolve this. All her medication has been stopped with no adverse effects, and other areas of her health have improved because of this. When the child came to the home, she had a history of self-harming behaviour. This has stopped now. She was initially restrained frequently due to her aggressive and destructive behaviour. The frequency of restraints has decreased over time and she has not been restrained for the last six weeks. This is at least in part due to the positive relationships that she has built with the staff and the way that the staff have helped her to manage her emotions. A psychiatrist spoke about how the child can cry now and how positive this is. The psychiatrist described the staff as ‘resilient, brave and warm’. She also said that they are doing a ‘brilliant’ job and are

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

willing to amend the way in which they work to do what is right for the child and meet her very specific needs. The community mental health team has worked very closely with the manager and the staff to support them and help them to meet the child’s needs. This has been very effective, with staff being open and receptive to the support and consultation available to them. There are good relationships with the local police. These positive relationships have contributed to reducing the instances of children becoming unnecessarily involved with the criminal justice system. This child’s move into the home was very well planned and undertaken in a way that she could manage. All the other children who have moved on from the home since the last inspection have had positive moves in line with their plans. Some of those children have returned home, some have gone to foster care and others to Inspection report children’s home: SC034480 3

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

appropriate long-term residential placements. Careful decisions about who should move into the home have helped significantly in the positive outcomes for these children. Managers have a good understanding of the home and the areas that they need to develop. They use the findings of the independent visitor’s monthly visits and their own reviews of the quality of care effectively to inform their development plans. Staff spoke about the improved management of the home and the confidence that this has given them to manage some challenging times. Inspection report children’s home: SC034480 4

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

24/06/2019 Full Good 16/10/2018 Interim Sustained effectiveness 29/08/2018 Full Requires improvement to be good 10/01/2018 Interim Declined in effectiveness Inspection report children’s home: SC034480 5

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Information about this inspection

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

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people, 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: SC034480 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Norfolk County Council

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: County Hall, Martineau Lane, Norwich NR1 2DH

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Inspector

Clive Lucas, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC034480 7 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.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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