Children's Home, Residential special school run by Acorn Norfolk Limited in Norfolk

Assurance visit report: SC435322 1 SC435322

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Information about this children’s home

This home is registered to provide care for up to 28 children who are on 38- and 52-week residential placement options. There is an on-site school that is registered with the Department for Education. There are currently 12 children living at the home. The home specialises in providing care for children who have autism spectrum conditions, complex needs, moderate to severe learning difficulties, communication difficulties and associated challenging behaviour.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager has been in post since 3 March 2020.

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Information about this children’s home

Previous inspection date: 25 February 2020

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Information about this children’s home

Previous inspection judgement: Declined in 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. Assurance visit report: SC435322 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

There were 12 children at the home at the time of this visit. The accommodation comprises of several separate houses, each with a dedicated house manager and staff team.

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The care of children

COVID-19 restrictions have had an impact on how therapy has been delivered. However, the occupational therapy team has adapted its practice and coached care staff to enable them to deliver some of the work that was intended to be delivered by the occupational therapists. Since the easing of restrictions, the occupational therapists have recommenced work directly with children to support their needs.

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The care of children

There has been a significant improvement in the standard of accommodation, which provides a nicer place for children to live. One project during lockdown was to build an outdoor cinema space and mocktail bar area for the older young people. Children are involved in decorating the home ready for Halloween.

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The care of children

Children’s education has been supported well. During and after lockdown, children have been able to continue with their education by attending the on-site school. When one group had to self-isolate, a member of the education staff joined their bubble, so that the children’s education could continue.

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The care of children

Staff use different ways to get children’s views, and they do not let the children’s communication difficulties prevent this. Managers and staff listen and respond to these views so that children can be involved in their plans and decisions about the home that they live in.

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The care of children

Staff have helped children to keep in contact with their families during lockdown, so that they can spend valuable time with people who are important to them. Although visits to the children’s houses on the site were limited, there is a house on the site that parents can use to stay in with their children.

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The safety of children

Staff know how to respond to and report safeguarding issues, so there has been an improvement in this area. There has been effective work with the designated officer to improve practice and understanding. One exception to this is the failure of some staff to report an incident when a child was injured. This was a significant omission. Managers have responded appropriately in reporting the matter to the designated officer and undertaking disciplinary investigations of the staff concerned. While there is no evidence that the incident itself was a safeguarding matter, the failure of the staff to report it is a concern. Assurance visit report: SC435322 3 Staff have been doing a lot of work with children on topics such as COVID-19, wearing face masks, social distancing and what is acceptable behaviour when they are in the community. The staff helped one child to prepare for a trip to the cinema. When he returned, he was able to explain to other children in his house what it was

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The safety of children

like. These activities help children to understand about COVID-19 and to help keep themselves and others safe.

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The safety of children

There have not been any instances of children going missing from the home. The staff have clear information on how to respond to and protect children should there be any such incidents. Managers read and monitor the restraint records. The managers question practice with staff and learn lessons from the incidents.

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The safety of children

Since the last inspection, managers obtain evidence of agency staff checks to help ensure that children are not looked after by unsuitable people. In one case, however, the checks were not well enough scrutinised and the individual concerned worked at the home for a few hours. This was recognised by the organisation and changes to systems have been put in place to prevent a recurrence.

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Leaders and managers

The home was judged to have declined in effectiveness at the last inspection and to require improvement to be good at the inspection before that. A new management team has been working to address the identified shortfalls. The managers are aware that they have made some good progress, but still have some more work to do.

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Leaders and managers

Staff value the new management arrangements; they feel valued and listened to. The staff receive suitable induction and supervision to help them understand their roles and how they should look after the children.

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Leaders and managers

Managers monitor the home effectively and use information from this, and from feedback from other people, to make improvements. This is helping them to improve the care of children.

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Leaders and managers

Some parents have made a complaint about poor recording and passing on information about injuries that their child sustained. The matter has been investigated, but not yet concluded. Managers have identified areas for improvement. In other cases, there is good information sharing and working with placing authorities and parents.

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Leaders and managers

Staff continued to receive training in a flexible way during lockdown. However, one area that has not been well-enough covered is training on supporting children who self-harm. Managers have not used alternative ways to pass this information to some staff who are looking after children who self-harm. In most cases, the staff have continued to get important information to help them look after children and keep them safe. However, lack of information can limit staff’s ability to respond appropriately when children self-harm. Assurance visit report: SC435322 4 Managers are making progress towards getting the staff qualified to the required level. However, there are currently two staff who have worked at the home for over two years who have not yet gained a suitable qualification.

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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— that staff—

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Requirement Due date

understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person. (Regulation 12 (1)(2)(a)(v)) 13/11/2020

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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 promotes their welfare.

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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

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b)(2)(c)) 31/12/2020 Assurance visit report: SC435322 5

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Acorn Norfolk Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 1 Merchants Place, River Street, Bolton BL2 1BX

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Inspectors

Clive Lucas, Social Care Inspector Lianne Bradford, Social Care Inspector Assurance visit report: SC435322 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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

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