Children's home run by The Exeter Royal Academy for Deaf Education

Inspection report children’s home: SC489640 1 SC489640 Registered provider: Exeter Royal Academy for Deaf Education Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

This children’s home is run by a charity that specialises in the education and care of children and young people who are deaf. The home was registered in July 2015. It provides care and accommodation for up to three children and young people. In addition to a sensory impairment, the children and young people may also have a learning disability and/or emotional and/or behavioural difficulty. The manager was registered with Ofsted in September 2018. She is in the process of completing her level 5 qualification.

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

p.1

good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

p.1

good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

p.1

good

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

p.1

good

Date of last inspection: 16 January 2019

p.1

good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

p.1

good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC489640 2

p.1

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

16/01/2019 Full Good 13/12/2017 Full Good 05/01/2017 Full Good 08/11/2016 Full Inadequate Inspection report children’s home: SC489640 3

p.2

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff provide a warm and welcoming home for children and a high standard of nurturing care. Children enjoy living here and take pride in their home. Both children who live here are making good progress in all areas of their lives. They are both achieving well towards their individual education plans and have clear goals and aspirations which are supported by staff. Both children articulately explained to the inspector how they feel they have changed since they moved into the home several years ago. One child spoke of losing her independence when she arrived and how difficult she found this. However, she realises now that she was not keeping herself safe and that she is now able to do so. The child is now able to take age-appropriate risks. In addition, the staff support her personal relationships appropriately. Both children commented to the inspector that they love their home and the staff who care for them. Their

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

relationships with staff were seen to be warm and nurturing. Children are very much valued by the manager and the team and have attended important family celebrations. Good support is provided to children to promote their development to being happy and healthy young adults. This includes supporting them to spend time independently from staff both in the community and at home. Children have full access to information about their lives. However, recordings by staff do not always demonstrate appropriately the nurturing care provided to children. This does not provide a positive dialogue for them to look back on when they are older.

p.3

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

Safeguarding practice is of a good standard. Responses to safeguarding concerns are effective. The registered manager ensures that staff have consistent refreshers of their safeguarding knowledge. The registered manager seeks to prioritise the communication needs of children where possible. This includes translating important information into sign language and helping children to access communication support as often as possible. An example is a live signing support system which enables deaf people to use the telephone. Children are provided with clear and consistent boundaries; however, they are also supported to take age-appropriate risks to promote their developmental needs. The requirement made at the previous inspection regarding the need for pathway planning to be completed is met. Pathway plans have been developed in conjunction with good additional support to prepare children to move on when they are old

p.3

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

enough. Inspection report children’s home: SC489640 4 The use of door alarms is not individually assessed or reviewed regularly in line with children’s needs. This does not promote the rights of children to privacy. Records of physical interventions lack clarity. This does not promote important learning opportunities. It is also not clear that the registered manager has reviewed all physical interventions as this is not recorded.

p.3

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager’s oversight of practice and the running of the home is effective. She ensures that care planning is dynamic to meet the changing needs of children. There is an evident positive culture in this home which is underpinned by high expectations and aspirations for children. Children are learning that their opportunities in life are boundless. This includes staff supporting them to learn to drive, continue to higher education, access employment and to travel. The registered manager is a strong advocate for children. She ensures that children’s needs are closely reviewed and met. For example, one child may need some medical treatment which the NHS is unable to provide. The manager has escalated this matter and secured funding for private treatment if required. Supervision provided to staff is thorough and supports reflective practice. Supervision is used to explore how staff can meet children’s changing needs

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

effectively. Recruitment is of a good standard overall. However, verification of references is not completed by the registered manager, which reduces additional scrutiny of potential new staff. Inspection report children’s home: SC489640 5

p.4

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.

p.5

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 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)) In particular, ensure that the use of door alarms on children’s bedroom doors is clearly assessed, regularly reviewed and reduced if children are safe in order to avoid invasion of privacy. 24/03/2020

p.5

Requirement Due date

Behaviour management policies and records The registered person must ensure that— within 24 hours of the use of a measure of control, discipline or restraint in relation to a child in the home, a record is made which includes— the name of the child; details of the child’s behaviour leading to the use of the measure; the date, time and location of the use of the measure; a description of the measure and its duration; details of any methods used or steps taken to avoid the need to use the measure; the name of the person who used the measure ("the user"), and of any other person present when the measure was used; the effectiveness and any consequences of the use of the measure; and a description of any injury to the child or any other person, and any medical treatment administered, as a result of the measure; within 48 hours of the use of the measure, the registered 24/03/2020 Inspection report children’s home: SC489640 6

p.5

Requirement Due date

person, or a person who is authorised by the registered person to do so ("the authorised person")— has spoken to the user about the measure; and has signed the record to confirm it is accurate; and within 5 days of the use of the measure, the registered person or the authorised person adds to the record confirmation that they have spoken to the child about the measure. (Regulation 35 (3)(a)(I)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(viii)(b)(I)(ii)(c))

p.6

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: SC489640 7

p.6

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Exeter Royal Academy For Deaf Education

p.7

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 50 Topsham Road, Exeter, Devon EX2 4NF

p.7

Inspector

Polly Soper, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC489640 8 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.

p.7

Inspector

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.8

Inspector

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.8

Inspector

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: http://www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.8