Children's home run by Norfolk County Council

Inspection report children's home: SC068955 1 SC068955 Registered provider: Norfolk County Council Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This local authority home provides care for up to two children, aged eight to 17 years, with emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager of the home registered with Ofsted in June 2021.

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Information about this children’s home

Due to COVID-19 (coronavirus), at the request of the Secretary of State, we suspended all routine inspections of social care providers on 17 March 2020.

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Information about this children’s home

We last visited this home on 9 December 2020 to carry out an assurance visit. The report is published on the Ofsted website.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

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good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

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good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

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good

Date of last inspection: 16 October 2019

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children's home: SC068955 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

16/10/2019 Full Good 05/12/2018 Full Good 31/08/2017 Full Good 27/02/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report children's home: SC068955 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

There has only been one child living at the home since the last inspection. This has enabled the child to receive intensive support that is tailored to her needs. This has clearly led to many positive outcomes and demonstrates the staff’s and the local authority’s investment in the child.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child has recently refused to attend an education placement that the staff had arranged. Therefore, she does not currently have a formal education placement. Staff and particularly the manager have worked tirelessly and creatively to create an education package that the child will engage in. The manager collaborates with a range of professionals to meet the child’s education needs. As a result, she is accessing some education at the home. In the last academic year, she obtained a GCSE in English. This is a remarkable achievement given her starting point at the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child’s mental health has improved significantly since the last inspection. Staff have helped her to improve her physical and mental health. These improvements are recognised by the child’s social worker and psychiatrist.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Social workers identified a positive transformation in the child since her time at the home. A social worker said that staff are creative and dynamic in their approach and that they do not give up. Staff communicate effectively with the social worker, which helps them to meet the child’s evolving needs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff put the child’s needs at the centre of their practice. Staff celebrate the child’s achievements and provide her with a good range of opportunities to engage in the community. Although the child is reluctant to engage outside of the home, staff are relentless and consistent in their approach to encourage her to do so. The staff retain photographic and written records of the child’s positive experiences. These provide a record of memories for when the child leaves the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff work collaboratively with other professionals to meet the child’s needs and to ensure that planning is well coordinated.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Staff’s approaches make the child feel safe. Staff’s responses to harm when it does occur are robust. As a result, there have been significant reductions in self-harming and behaviour that puts the child at risk.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Staff have established and strengthened their relationships with the child. She can name staff with whom she feels safe to share her concerns. Historically, the child has found it difficult to convey her feelings. Staff use restorative practice to good effect. This has encouraged the child to recognise and express her feelings. Inspection report children's home: SC068955 4 Consequently, the child feels empowered and that she has control and choice in her life.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

The staff are not risk averse, which means that the child is able to develop strategies to keep herself safe. Staff support the child when poor decisions or concerning scenarios arise. This enables the child to learn from these experiences.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Risk assessments are comprehensively written, reflect the child’s current behavioural profile and provide clear information for staff to follow. Risk assessments are regularly reviewed and updated. This keeps the child safe and the staff equipped with informed knowledge of how to mitigate risk.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Staff have a good understanding of the child’s needs, safeguarding and whistle- blowing processes. Staff have suitable training for the role.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

There have been no incidents of restraint or any episodes of the child going missing from the home since the last inspection. This shows that the child feels a sense of security at the home.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Overall, recruitment procedures are good. However, the manager had not ensured that there was sufficient exploration of two staff members’ employment gaps. This reduces assurances that staff employed at the home are suitable to work with children.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

The location risk assessment has been created in consultation with the police. The manager has used crime statistics effectively to assess the level of risk in relation to the location of the home. However, the risk of access to bridges is not considered in the location risk assessment.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has a good understanding of the strengths and areas for development at the home. She has made positive changes since her appointment. Her assessment of the home is realistic, and she has targeted areas that required improvement.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has a presence at the home and models to staff the expectations that she requires of them. The manager has established a positive relationship with the child and understands her needs exceptionally well. The positive changes that the child has made have, in part, been due to the manager’s leadership and management of the staff and the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Supervision has a good focus on training and the child’s needs. Relief workers have regular supervision, which ensures that the manager has good oversight of their practice. The manager receives regular supervision from her manager. Inspection report children's home: SC068955 5 The manager has high expectations of the staff and clear aspirations for the child. Since the manager’s appointment, she has prioritised tasks to improve practice and the care provided. Staff said that they feel fully supported by the manager.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has a range of internal monitoring systems in place that she uses to good effect. This ensures that records remain up to date and reflective of the child’s needs. The manager spends time with the staff to model good practice. This has improved staff practice and staff confidence to tackle situations that they were once less certain to deal with. Inspection report children's home: SC068955 6

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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 recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety.

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Requirement Due date

employ an individual to work at the children’s home if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3).

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Requirement Due date

full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2. (Regulation 32 (1) (2)(a) (3)(d))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that there is a written record of any gaps in employment. 5 November 2021

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must review the appropriateness and suitability of the location of the premises used for the purposes of the children’s home at least once in each calendar year taking into account the requirement in regulation 12(2)(c) (the protection of children standard). (Regulation 46 (1))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that there is suitable assessment of locality risks, specifically bridges. 5 November 2021

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people, using the ‘Social care common inspection framework’. This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000 to assess the effectiveness of the service, how it meets the core functions of the service as set out in legislation, and to consider how well it complies with the Children’s Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the ‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’. Inspection report children's home: SC068955 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Norfolk County Council

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: County Hall, Martineau Lane, Norwich, Norfolk NR1 2DH

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Children’s home details

Registered managers: Alix Graziani and Justina Self

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Inspector

Lianne Bradford, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children's home: SC068955 8 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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