Children's home run by A & T Home Limited in Mid Suffolk

Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 1183621 1

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A & T Home Limited

Monitoring visit Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home, which is run by a private organisation, provides care for up to four children who may present with complex and challenging behaviours. The provider’s overall aim is to support children to reunite with their families.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered in December 2020.

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This monitoring visit

Following an assurance visit in September 2020, Ofsted served two compliance notices. These were in relation to the quality of the accommodation and the leadership and management of the home. A monitoring visit in October 2020 was undertaken to monitor the action taken by the provider to meet the steps that were set out in the compliance notices. The visit concluded that the provider had met the steps in the notices.

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This monitoring visit

This visit was undertaken following concerns raised with Ofsted by a third party. The visit was undertaken on site. The on-site activities included discussions with the children, the registered manager and the staff, a tour of the accommodation and a review of the records. At the time of the visit, two children were living at the home.

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This monitoring visit

There are several areas of the environment that are poorly maintained and inadequately furnished. One child’s bedroom has a broken window that has been boarded up for over for 10 days. The child has minimal bedroom storage and one chest of drawers is unusable because the drawers are broken. The two vacant bedrooms are not ready for occupancy and there is a strong odour of damp on the first-floor landing.

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This monitoring visit

The kitchen has some cupboards and drawers that do not close. One worktop moves away from the wall when the washing machine vibrates. The floor seals and trim are dirty and worn. One lounge curtain has come away from the curtain rail and there Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 1183621 2 are several untidy extension leads to the back of the television stand. The rear garden has extremely worn and damaged fence panels and there are broken items in the garden and the driveway. The home’s car is damaged and unroadworthy. It is not in use but is parked on the driveway. Overall, the standard of accommodation is poor and fails to provide the children with a welcoming or well-kept home.

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This monitoring visit

The staff hold regular fire drills and check the emergency fire equipment weekly. However, on five occasions the staff present during these drills are not recorded on the rota as working at the home. This could cause confusion during an emergency evacuation.

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This monitoring visit

The manager has provided some supervisions for the staff and has addressed practice issues when needed. However, the supervisions are not regular and, for new staff, this fails to provide enough managerial support and guidance.

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This monitoring visit

The children are provided with nutritious meals and enjoy eating these with the staff. The children eat a varied and balanced range of home-cooked fresh food. However, in some instances the staff have not stored or labelled fresh foods and vegetables properly. This does not teach children good life skills or encourage them to eat fresh vegetables.

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This monitoring visit

Despite the poor accommodation, both children are settled and recognise the progress that they have made. They engage well with a tutor at the home, and this is combined with an alternative vocational provision. Children have rebuilt contact with their families and have made friends in the local community.

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This monitoring visit

The staff have built a good rapport with the children; they provide stability and continuity. The staff turnover has reduced since the new manager registered in December 2020. The children enjoy spending time with the staff.

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This monitoring visit

The children feel listened to and can see that their ideas and suggestions are listened to and acted on. Pets have been bought in line with the children’s wishes. This has given one child a sense of purpose. The children actively contribute to house meetings in which their views are valued. This has given children a voice and a sense of belonging at the home.

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This monitoring visit

Two requirements that were made at the last inspection have been met. The responsible individual has appointed a manager, who has registered with Ofsted. The manager has taken action to reduce the risk of a fire at the home. Three further requirements and two recommendations made at the previous assurance visit were outside the scope of this visit and have not been reviewed. They are therefore restated. Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 1183621 3

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 05/03/2020 Interim Declined in effectiveness 02/04/2019 Full Requires improvement to be good 30/07/2018 Full Requires improvement to be good 27/02/2018 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 1183621 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— understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children; use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to— ensure that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed and furnished so as to— meet the needs of each child; and enable each child to participate in the daily life of the home. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(c)(i)(ii)) 4 June 2021

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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. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— that the home’s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm; and 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)(b)(d) In particular, ensure that each child has a clear and suitably detailed risk assessment that is consistently followed by staff. Furthermore, ensure that the drop from the patio is risk assessed. 30 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— 30 April 2021 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 1183621 5 helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and promotes their welfare. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to— 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; ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(c)) The leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that— helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and promotes their welfare. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the

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Requirement Due date

registered person to— 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; and 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; 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)) 30 April 2021

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees— receive practice-related supervision by a person with the appropriate experience. (Regulation 33 (4)(b)) This refers specifically to ensuring that all staff receive regular supervision in line with the supervision policy. 28 May 2021

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must— maintain in the home the records in Schedule 4; and ensure that the records are kept up to date. (Regulation 37 (2)(a)(b)) This refers specifically to maintaining accurate records of fire drills, visitors and the staff rota. 30 April 2021

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Requirement Due date

*These requirements are subject to a compliance notice. Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 1183621 6

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that all incidents of control, discipline and restraint are subject to systems of regular scrutiny to ensure that their use is fair. In particular, ensure a suitable independent review of each record of restraint by someone who is senior to any staff involved in or witness to the incident. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 46, paragraph 9.36)  The registered person should ensure that staff understand the importance of careful, objective and clear recording. Record information on individual children in a way that will be helpful to the child. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4)

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Information about this inspection

The purpose of this visit was to monitor concerns raised with Ofsted.

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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 address: Plot 8, Maitland Road, Lion Barn Estate, Needham Market, Suffolk IP6 8NZ

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Jeremy Jayasuriya

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Inspectors

Natalie Burton, Social Care Inspector Deirdra Keating, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 1183621 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

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

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