Children's Home run by Broadlands Hall Limited in Suffolk

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC060936 1 SC060936

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Broadlands Hall Limited

Monitoring visit Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This privately owned children’s home provides care, accommodation and education for up to eight children who have moderate to severe learning difficulties and/or autism spectrum disorders. There is an education provision in the grounds of the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager was registered by Ofsted in November 2019.

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Information about this children’s home

Ofsted is aware of the challenges that COVID-19 (coronavirus) is currently posing to those we visit. During this visit, the inspectors took into consideration the impact of any measure being taken to slow the spread of COVID-19. This has included the effect that these have had on staffing arrangements.

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This monitoring visit

The purpose of the visit was to monitor the notice restricting accommodation that was served on 18 May 2020 and to assess whether the actions set out in the two compliance notices that were served following the last monitoring visit are met.

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This monitoring visit

This monitoring visit identified that the provider has not addressed all the actions that were set out in the two compliance notices served under regulation 12 and regulation 13. There have been no children admitted to the home since the last inspection.

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This monitoring visit

The responsible individual has appointed an independent person to undertake an internal investigation into the concerns, complaints and allegations about the management and staff that were identified at the last monitoring visit. Due to the significant number of concerns, this investigation is ongoing. The responsible individual will provide Ofsted and the designated officer with the investigation outcome when it has been finalised. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC060936 2 The registered manager is not working at the home while the investigation is undertaken. Two interim managers from the organisation’s other homes are providing interim management cover.

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This monitoring visit

The interim managers have made some progress in the managerial monitoring of the home, but further improvement is required. The interim managers monitor the paperwork and they have identified some areas for improvement. Changes to recording documents and providing clearer guidance have supported the staff to improve the quality of care. However, the interim managers do not consistently identify all errors in paperwork that are made by the staff.

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This monitoring visit

The placing authorities and children’s families said that they have no concerns about the care of the children. However, the communication from the staff remains poor. This is in relation to monthly reports and repeated failures to update new social worker details.

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This monitoring visit

The staff have not updated a child’s risk assessment in response to an incident. The strategies to reduce the recurring risks are not consistently recorded and are unclear. This places the child and the staff at risk.

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This monitoring visit

The interim managers have failed to record and manage complaints in line with the complaints policy. Consequently, there is an inaccurate picture of the number of complaints and a lack of evidence of the action taken and any reflective learning.

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This monitoring visit

The staff do not record the duration of each hold during physical interventions. Therefore, it is unclear how long children are physically held to keep them safe.

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This monitoring visit

Senior staff and the responsible individual have failed to update the statement of purpose in line with the current regulations. The reference to previous regulations is outdated. This oversight has not been identified during the monitoring checks.

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This monitoring visit

There has been some progress since the last monitoring inspection. The staff provide a safe physical environment for the children. The decrease in the number of incidents and physical interventions means that there is a calmer environment for the children.

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This monitoring visit

The staff morale is generally improving. No staff have left since the last monitoring inspection. The staff who were spoken with during this monitoring inspection were positive about the changes being made. All staff have been provided with opportunities to raise concerns, and most staff have received safeguarding training. The interim managers have devised a better system of managing practice concerns. This helps the staff to feel listened to and helps to identify poor practice.

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This monitoring visit

The interim managers have made a number of changes to the deployment of staff. These changes include matching staff skills, experience and competency to meet the Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC060936 3 children’s individual needs. The staff have benefited from training and clearer guidance.

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This monitoring visit

Daily records, placement plans and children’s health records are available in their original format. The records are up to date and are accessible to children and staff.

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This monitoring visit

A member of staff is accountable for vehicle safety and ensures that the vehicles are safe and roadworthy. Vehicle safety is continually monitored to ensure that the cars are maintained to a safe standard. Several children travel a considerable distance to their family homes, and this improved oversight ensures safe travel.

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This monitoring visit

There have been no significant incidents requiring notification to Ofsted.

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This monitoring visit

The two requirements and two recommendations that were raised at the last full inspection have not been fully reviewed at this visit and will be evaluated at the next inspection.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 09/09/2019 Full Requires improvement to be good 11/06/2019 Full Inadequate 07/03/2019 Interim Declined in effectiveness 26/06/2018 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC060936 4

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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—

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Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

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Requirement Due date

lead and manage the home in a way that is consistent with the approach and ethos, and delivers the outcomes, set out in the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home;

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Requirement Due date

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13(1)(a)(b)(2)(a)(f)(h))* 22/07/2020

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must make arrangements for the handling, recording, safekeeping, safe administration and disposal of medicines received into the children’s home.

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Requirement Due date

In particular the registered person must ensure that—

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Requirement Due date

medicines kept in the home are stored in a secure place so as to prevent any child from having unsupervised access to them;

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Requirement Due date

medicine which is prescribed for a child is administered as prescribed to the child for whom it is prescribed and to no other child. (Regulation 23(1)(2)(b)(c)) 30/07/2020 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC060936 5 The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety. (Regulation 32(1)) 30/07/2020

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Requirement Due date

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—

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Requirement Due date

a description of the measure and its duration. (Regulation 35(3)(a)(iv)) 22/07/2020

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Requirement Due date

*These requirements are subject to a compliance notice.

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that staff can access appropriate facilities and resources to support their training needs, and should understand the key role that they play in the training and development of staff at the home. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 53, paragraph 10.11) In particular, ensure that staff undertake training in relation to managing autism spectrum conditions.  The registered person should actively seek independent scrutiny of the home and make best use of information from independent and internal monitoring (including under regulations 44 and 45) to ensure continuous improvement. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 55, paragraph 10.24) In particular, ensure that independent monitoring results in timely report submission to the provider and Ofsted. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC060936 6

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Information about this inspection

The purpose of this visit was to monitor the action taken and the progress made by the children’s home since its last Ofsted inspection.

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Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000.

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Broadlands Hall Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Greenwood House, Greenwood Court, Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk IP32 7GY

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Inspectors

Natalie Burton, social care inspector Deirdra Keating, social care inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC060936 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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