Children's home run by Barnardiston Hall Preparatory School Limited in West Suffolk

Assurance visit report: SC427652 1 SC427652

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Information about this children’s home

This privately owned home is registered to provide care for up to four children who have complex learning and/or social difficulties, including autism spectrum disorder. The children generally access the school that is run by the provider.

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Information about this children’s home

There is a suitably qualified and experienced manager in post, who has been managing the home since April 2020.

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Information about this children’s home

Previous inspection date: 4 November 2019

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Information about this children’s home

Previous inspection judgement: Requires improvement to be good

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Information about this visit

Due to COVID-19 (coronavirus), Ofsted suspended all routine inspections in March 2020. As part of a phased return to routine inspection, we are undertaking assurance visits to children’s social care services that are inspected under the social care common inspection framework (SCCIF).

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Information about this visit

At these visits, inspectors evaluate the extent to which:

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Information about this visit

 children are well cared for  children are safe  leaders and managers are exercising strong leadership.

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Information about this visit

This visit was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000, following the published guidance for assurance visits.

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Information about this visit

Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education, Children’s Services and Skills is leading Ofsted’s work into how England’s social care system has delivered child-centred practice and care within the context of the restrictions placed on society during the COVID-19 pandemic. Assurance visit report: SC427652 2

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Findings from the visit

We did not identify any serious or widespread concerns in relation to the care or protection of children at this assurance visit.

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The care of children

At the last full inspection, the home was judged to be inadequate. Following a monitoring visit in November 2019, the judgement was changed to requires improvement to be good. At the monitoring visit, a requirement was raised in respect of the storage and administration of medication. These shortfalls have been addressed and there are now suitable arrangements in place for the management of medication at the home.

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The care of children

One child has come to live at the home and one child has left the home since the monitoring visit. These transitions have been managed well. One child has been helped by the staff to move to semi-independent accommodation. The staff keep in regular contact to offer ongoing support following the move. This child said that he has very happy memories of his time at the home and was given lots of photos and a party before leaving. He said that the staff always had his best interests in mind and taught him how to manage his anger.

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The care of children

The children keep in regular contact with people who are important to them. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the staff have used video calls and maintained face-to-face contact for children in line with the latest guidance. Family members are welcome to visit the home. A foster carer said that he was delighted with the quality of care provided by the staff.

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The care of children

The staff and managers seek the children’s views and discuss these in regular house meetings in which the children contribute to planning the weekly menu. The children said that they know how to complain and that they feel listened to. The staff take time to encourage the children who have limited language skills to express themselves.

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The care of children

The children attend a school that is also run by the provider. The staff transport the children to and from school, providing continuity for them. One child talked positively about his college course and his hopes to get a part-time job. The staff take the children on trips to the seaside. During lockdown, the children enjoyed spending time with horses in the neighbouring grounds. The manager brings her dog to the home, so that the children can experience the benefits of spending time with a pet.

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The safety of children

Positive relationships between the staff and the children help to keep the children safe. The staff work together and discuss incidents in team meetings to ensure consistency of approach in managing behaviours. The staff said that they feel able to be honest about mistakes, which helps them to improve their practice. Assurance visit report: SC427652 3 The manager ensured that the staff received face-to-face safeguarding training at a venue that enabled them to socially distance. The staff talk to the children about keeping safe, and take appropriate action in response to any health concerns. The staff are trained in restraint. Clear records are kept of any incidents and reviewed by the manager. The children do not go missing from the home.

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The safety of children

The staff show some understanding of the impact of abuse and neglect on children. When the staff become aware of risks, they respond by putting in place measures to prevent situations recurring. Improvements have been made to the supervision of children’s use of the internet to ensure that they are protected from online exploitation.

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The safety of children

Some of the children display challenging behaviour. Staffing arrangements are sufficient to ensure that the children are supervised in accordance with their individual plans. This reduces the risk of children experiencing harm.

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The safety of children

Each child has an individual risk assessment and detailed behaviour management plan. Although matching discussions take place before moving a new child into the home, there was no matching document or impact risk assessment for the child who recently moved into the home. This means that the staff did not have guidance on managing possible risks posed by one child to the other child.

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The safety of children

The home contained hazards at the time of the assurance visit that could pose a risk to a child’s safety. There were smashed tiles with sharp edges in a child’s bedroom. A broken window catch and loose screws in another child’s room posed a risk of injury. Outside, two sheds containing hazardous equipment were not secure and in poor condition. The sheds were taken down and sharp objects removed during the assurance visit.

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The safety of children

Gaps in fencing backing onto a road are blocked with an upturned desk and other wooden items. A child’s risk assessment says that he has no traffic awareness. Failure to enclose the garden leaves vulnerable children at risk from passing cars. Since the assurance visit, arrangements have been made for the fencing to be replaced.

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Leaders and managers

The home has a registered manager, but she is currently supporting the management of a sister home and is therefore only present for two afternoons a week. This does not give the staff team full-time and present management. Recruitment is under way to address this.

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Leaders and managers

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the independent visitor continued to monitor the home by using telephone and video calls. However, these virtual visits have not picked up several environmental hazards. The visitor has resumed visiting the home in person. Assurance visit report: SC427652 4 A lack of management presence on site has led to shortfalls in monitoring the home. Systems for checking the maintenance of the building are not effective in identifying items that pose a risk to children. Redecoration and repairs to children’s bedrooms are required to make the environment homely.

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Leaders and managers

The staff said that the manager is ‘brilliant’ and that they feel ‘100% supported’ under her leadership. There is a strong team spirit and the staff spoke with pride about the care that they provide to the children. The staff benefit from regular supervision and team meetings. Professionals talked about having regular communication with the manager, and said that they are happy with the progress that the children are making.

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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 protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed, furnished and maintained so as to protect each child from avoidable hazards to the child’s health. (Regulation 12(1)(2)(d))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, quickly repair damage to the home that poses a risk to children’s safety. 05/10/2020

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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— 05/10/2020 Assurance visit report: SC427652 5 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))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, increase the frequency of maintenance checks at the home and swiftly arrange follow-up repairs.

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Recommendations

 Staff should be alert to the possibility that children may be at risk from other children in the home, friends and others outside the home, and take appropriate steps to protect a child where there are concerns for a child’s safety. ‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 43, paragraph 9.13) In particular, document the matching process, setting out any potential risks that children may pose to each other and how these risks will be managed.

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Barnardiston Hall Preparatory School 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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Inspector

Angela Weston, Social Care Inspector Assurance visit report: SC427652 6 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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