Children's Home run by Flying Spur Limited in Norfolk

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC470585 1 SC470585

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Flying Spur Limited

Monitoring visit Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This privately owned home provides care for six children who may have experienced neglect and/or emotional abuse or had traumatic experiences that have left them vulnerable.

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This monitoring visit

Ofsted judged the home as good in October 2019. Since January 2021, the manager has notified Ofsted of a child going missing from care. The child was still missing at the time of this visit. Another child, who recently moved into the home, was admitted to hospital following taking an overdose of medication. The focus of the visit was to establish how the home has managed incidents of children going missing from care and the arrangements for the storage and administration of medication.

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This monitoring visit

Three requirements and a recommendation were made at the last inspection. The manager has met the requirements relating to risk assessments and supervision records and the recommendation relating to closed-circuit television. The provider has not met the requirement relating to the environment in the home, and this is restated.

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This monitoring visit

There are six children living at the home. Five of the children have moved into the home since April 2020. One child was missing from care at the time of the visit, but the staff from the home are in regular contact with this child. The home is working closely with the placing local authority and the police to encourage the child’s safe return. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC470585 2 The children get along well together. On the day of the visit, one child was baking a cake for another child, to celebrate her first anniversary of living at the home. The home is settled. The children say that they trust the staff and feel safe.

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This monitoring visit

Interactions between the staff and children are warm and relaxed. There is a family atmosphere. Good support is provided to the children by a team of committed and experienced staff. Children’s individual talents and interests are nurtured. One child is creating a vegetable garden in the grounds. Staff support the children to attend therapy and to see and keep in touch with their families. A wide range of practical activities provided in the large grounds helps the children to develop new skills and build positive self-esteem.

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This monitoring visit

During the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic, the staff have supported the children to attend their education. Some of the children find a classroom environment difficult, but staff offer encouragement and reassurance. Staff liaise with relevant education professionals to try and progress plans for children who are without a suitable education provision.

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This monitoring visit

Staff receive regular supervision. A robust system of induction and appraisal is in place to monitor and review staff’s conduct. Training in restraint and safeguarding is arranged to ensure that all staff have the information and skills that they need to manage children’s behaviour effectively. Children are not often restrained, but when restraint is used the staff and children are debriefed and children’s views are documented.

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This monitoring visit

Detailed risk assessments guide the staff in the steps that they should take to manage risks inside and outside the home. Children’s plans are updated following incidents. Staff have a good understanding of how to manage the children’s behaviours. Meaningful key-work sessions give children the opportunity to discuss their feelings with staff and to reflect on their behaviours. Comprehensive safeguarding systems keep children protected from harm.

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This monitoring visit

A child who is missing from the home is in regular contact with the staff by telephone. Staff respond warmly to this child’s attempts to make contact and encourage her to return. Managers are working with relevant professionals to review the child’s plans. When children go missing from the home, staff take appropriate steps to follow them and to inform relevant professionals. The manager and staff request return home interviews and any discussions with children in these interviews are documented to inform the management of risks.

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This monitoring visit

The staff were not aware that a child brought unprescribed medication with her when she came to live at the home. This child took an overdose of the medication and was admitted to hospital. No serious injury occurred and there have been no further incidents of this nature. Systems for the management and administration of prescribed medication are adequate. However, opportunities have been missed to implement learning from this incident. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC470585 3 The home is a large period property in a rural location and benefits from extensive grounds. The children’s bedrooms are spacious and the children each have their own bathroom. However, one bedroom has not been redecorated after a child caused damage. The child was missing from the home, and an opportunity was missed to ensure that the room was homely and welcoming in preparation for her return. Damage in communal areas and bedrooms has not been repaired. Internal and

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This monitoring visit

external monitoring systems have not picked up or acted on these shortfalls.

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This monitoring visit

One child’s bedroom smells strongly of urine. Staff help the child to manage health issues, but these arrangements and the flooring in this child’s bedroom do not meet the child’s individual needs.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 08/10/2019 Full Good 19/06/2018 Full Good 14/03/2018 Interim Sustained effectiveness 15/11/2017 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC470585 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 quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children;

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Requirement Due date

use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential.

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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 the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed and furnished so as to—

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Requirement Due date

enable each child to participate in the daily life of the home. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(c)(i)(ii))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, promptly repair damage to the home and ensure that furniture and floor coverings are of good quality and suitable to meet the child’s individual needs. 8 April 2021

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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— 8 April 2021 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC470585 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, implement robust internal monitoring systems to identify and promptly repair damage within the home.

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Recommendations

 The registered person should make suitable arrangements to manage, administer and dispose of any medication. When a child moves into the home, determine if the child has any prescribed or non-prescribed medication in their belongings and arrange for the safe storage and administration of any medication that a child brings into the home. (‘Guide to the children’s home regulations including the quality standards’, page 35, paragraph 7.15)

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Information about this inspection

The focus of the visit was to establish how the home has managed incidents of children going missing and the arrangements for the storage and administration of medication.

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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: Flying Spur Limited

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Inspector

Angela Weston, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC470585 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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Inspector

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