Children's home run by Norfolk County Council in Norwich

Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC034797 1 SC034797

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Norfolk County Council

Monitoring visit Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This local authority home provides medium- to long-term residential care for up to four children who have experienced trauma and may have experienced neglect and/or emotional abuse.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in April 2020.

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This monitoring visit

Following an inspection in September 2021, serious concerns were identified regarding the protection of children. Ofsted served one compliance notice.

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This monitoring visit

This visit was undertaken to review the provider’s actions in meeting the steps set out in the compliance notice. The visit concluded that the provider had met the steps in the notice.

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This monitoring visit

The visit was undertaken on site. The on-site activities included discussions with the staff, the registered manager, the service manager and a review of the records. At the time of the visit, one child was living at the home.

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This monitoring visit

Since the last inspection, the manager has improved the guidance available to the staff. This supports the staff better in managing and reducing risk-taking behaviour.

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This monitoring visit

At the previous inspection, the children’s risk assessments did not detail all known risks. Risk assessments now reflect known risks and give the staff clear risk- reduction strategies that help them to reduce risk-taking behaviour. The children’s risk assessments are more detailed. Staff receive greater support from the manager and the service manager. This support increases staff confidence when working with the children. Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC034797 2 Managerial oversight has strengthened. The manager and the service manager have amended records and modelled preferred ways of working. The manager gives the staff clear expectations. This has improved the staff’s practice and improved the children’s experiences.

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This monitoring visit

The manager has booked behaviour management training for the staff. This will add to the staff’s abilities to manage challenging behaviour more effectively. Since the inspection, the only incidents of concern have been related to a child going missing from the home. Missing-from-home incidents have been managed well by the staff and in accordance with the child’s plans. Good management of these incidents has reduced the risks to this child.

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This monitoring visit

The manager has reviewed systems, records and practices to ensure that he and the staff are working with the children’s interests at the heart of what they do. This has improved the care provided. As a result, children’s behaviour is more settled.

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This monitoring visit

The two requirements that were made at the last inspection have been met. Four further requirements and one recommendation made at the previous inspection were outside the scope of this visit and have not been reviewed. These are therefore restated. Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC034797 3

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 07/09/2021 Full Inadequate 08/01/2020 Interim Declined in effectiveness 04/04/2019 Full Requires improvement to be good 08/08/2018 Full Inadequate Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC034797 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, ensure that damage to the home is repaired promptly and carry out refurbishment to the home to make the environment more homely.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the full inspection and is restated. 29 October 2021

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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— 29 October 2021 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC034797 5 understand and apply the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

provide personalised care that meets each child’s needs, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans, taking account of the child’s background. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(iv))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that children’s plans detail what action staff need to take to support a child to keep their bedroom clean and tidy.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the full inspection and is restated.

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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—

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Requirement Due date

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

This requirement was made at the full inspection and is restated. 29 October 2021

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Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children—

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Requirement Due date

receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home; and

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Requirement Due date

have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— 29 October 2021 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC034797 6 that children are admitted to the home only if their needs are within the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the home is to provide care and accommodation, as set out in the home’s statement of purpose. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the full inspection and is restated.

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that all staff consistently follow the home’s policies and procedures for the benefit of the children in the home’s care. In particular, ensure that all staff are aware of and follow the home’s policy on the use of mobile phones when they are working with children. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 54, paragraph 10.20) Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC034797 7

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Information about this inspection

The purpose of this visit was to monitor the action taken and the progress made by the children’s home since its last Ofsted inspection.

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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: 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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Inspector

Lianne Bradford, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC034797 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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