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

Assurance visit report: SC443009 1 SC443009

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Information about this children’s home

This privately run home is one of a small group. The home provides care for up to six boys who have moderate to severe learning difficulties. The manager is registered with Ofsted and has been in post since 1 May 2019.

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Information about this children’s home

Previous inspection date: 12 February 2020

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Information about this children’s home

Previous inspection judgement: Improved effectiveness

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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.

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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. Assurance visit report: SC443009 2

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The care of children

A stable staff team builds trusting relationships with the children. The children are settled and are making sustained progress. Children spoke positively to inspectors about their experiences at the home.

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The care of children

Staff understand the individual needs of the children. They use this knowledge to design and implement good plans that support the children to become increasingly independent. As a result, children enjoy a broader range of opportunities at the home and in the community. They also benefit from thoughtful moves to adult services.

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The care of children

Children enjoy spacious, personalised rooms. The corridors at the home are decorated with colourful displays, including positive messages about the children. However, the kitchen is locked at night. The need for this restriction is not evidenced in risk assessments.

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The care of children

Staff supported the children well to help them manage the uncertainty around seeing their families during the lockdown period. They have helped the children to manage the emotional impact of this. Parents said that communication is strong. One child has minimal family involvement, but there has been limited effort to explore independent advocacy for the child. This means that the child is potentially missing out on this additional safeguard.

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The care of children

The staff and manager have a strong relationship with the organisation’s school. This enables proactive responses to the children’s needs. For example, during lockdown, the school staff and the home’s staff team worked together to provide face-to-face teaching at the home. For one child, this change to his routine was too much, so adaptions were quickly implemented to deliver education on the school site.

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The safety of children

The manager and staff reward positive behaviour. Staff recognise when children are being helpful and kind. This culture contributes to children feeling safe, settled and valued.

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The safety of children

Children have up-to-date behaviour support plans. Staff respond to behaviour in line with this guidance. Strategies are generally successful, with only one incident of physical intervention and few significant incidents since the last inspection.

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The safety of children

Risk assessments are in place for each child. These are consistent with the behaviour support plans and other risk assessments. However, some risk assessments lack enough detail to mitigate the areas assessed effectively.

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The safety of children

Staff know the actions that they need to take if a safeguarding concern arises. They know who to escalate concerns to if they are unhappy with subsequent actions taken. Assurance visit report: SC443009 3

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Leaders and managers

The manager continues to oversee improvements at the home and has a good understanding of the children. She is reflective and keen to develop as a professional. This willingness to learn positively influences the attitudes of the staff team. The support that the manager receives has improved.

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Leaders and managers

The staff and manager respond to issues arising from COVID-19 well. For example, the staff creatively support the children to understand risks arising from the virus and the ways in which their actions could reduce these risks. These positive pieces of work increase children’s safety and independence.

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Leaders and managers

Staff said that they are well supported, well guided and well led. They said that staff morale has improved considerably over the past year. This positivity has led to very little staff movement and resulted in a stable staff team.

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Leaders and managers

Records of incidents are clearer, and the manager monitors these. However, some other records require greater clarity and, on occasion, are missing important information. For example, although fire checks and drills are regularly carried out, there is no record of who has been involved in a drill. This makes monitoring staff and children’s involvement very difficult.

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Leaders and managers

Monitoring by an independent person has taken place virtually during the lockdown period. The visits have not gathered feedback from families or professionals. This limits the effectiveness of this monitoring.

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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 registered person must ensure that an independent person visits the children’s home at least once each month.

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Requirement Due date

When the independent person is carrying out a visit, the registered person must help the independent person—

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Requirement Due date

if they consent, to interview in private such of the children, their parents, relatives and persons working at the home as the independent person requires.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 44 (1)(2)(a)) 31/10/2020 Assurance visit report: SC443009 4

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Recommendations

 For children’s homes to be nurturing and supportive environments that meet the needs of their children, they will, in most cases, be homely, domestic environments. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9) In particular, ensure that any restrictions on children accessing areas of the house are risk assessed, necessary and proportionate and kept under review  Ensure that all children have access to appropriate advocacy support, and when possible, this should be provided by a person who the child chooses. Looked-after children are entitled to an independent advocate to advise them and ensure that they have the support needed to express their views, wishes and feelings about their care and lives. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 23, paragraph 4.16)  Ensure that records are clear and contain all relevant important information.

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Recommendations

(‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4)

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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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Inspectors

Ashley Hinson, Social Care Inspector Paula Edwards, Social Care Inspector Assurance visit report: SC443009 5 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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Inspectors

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