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

Inspection report for children's home: SC452461 1 SC452461 Registered provider: SES Turnstone Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The privately owned home offers a therapeutic model of care. The home provides long-term placements for up to eight children who have traumatic backgrounds and may have experienced neglect and/or emotional abuse. There is a school on site that is also run by the organisation.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager was registered with Ofsted in November 2015.

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Information about this children’s home

Due to COVID-19, at the request of the Secretary of State, we suspended all routine inspections of social care providers carried out under the social care common inspection framework (SCCIF) on 17 March 2020. We returned to routine SCCIF inspections on 12 April 2021.

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Information about this children’s home

We last visited this setting on 23 February 2021 to carry out a monitoring 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

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children's home: SC452461 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

10/03/2020 Full Good 30/01/2019 Full Good 14/11/2018 Full Inadequate 17/05/2017 Full Outstanding Inspection report for children's home: SC452461 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children’s quality of life has improved significantly since moving to the home. The staff provide children with individualised good-quality support. Consequently, children make notable and sustained progress from their individual starting points.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children enjoy a wide range of exciting and meaningful activities. These are available despite the restrictions of the COVID-19 pandemic. The staff offer enriching experiences, including a recent mountain expedition to Ben Nevis and a sailing trip. Children’s interests and talents are encouraged through local clubs including army cadets, Scouts, dancing and football groups. Varied and stimulating activities enhance the children’s well-being and increase their social connections. The variety of activities offered are commendable during a year in which essential routines have been interrupted.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

All children attend school. The staff work seamlessly with school staff and an educational psychologist to provide tailored academic and vocational learning plans. Individualised timetables and good communication with school staff have helped children exceed their previous academic expectations.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children make positive contributions to the local community. The children and staff recently arranged a charity football event to raise money for local causes. Two children have won awards at a national ceremony and one child has secured a scholarship to the Scouts’ world jamboree in South Korea. These achievements have increased the children’s pride and self-determination.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The staff work well with the children’s families. For one child, the staff have supported important life-story work, which has improved their family relationships. For another child, support from the family therapist and staff has meant the child was able to enjoy a family holiday. The grandparents highlighted that the support and progress that the child has made was instrumental in giving them the confidence to organise a holiday.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is spacious and well appointed, with extensive gardens. The children have personalised bedrooms that are decorated in line with their preferences. However, there are some decorative issues, including doors that have worn paintwork and stained carpets. These areas detract from the overall homeliness of the setting.

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

Children say that they feel safe because of the strong relationships that they have with the staff. The staff and children have nurturing relationships based on respect and trust. These relationships help the children to feel confident about engaging in open and honest communication. Consequently, children have a sense of security and stability that provides a protective factor. Inspection report for children's home: SC452461 4 Children’s emotional resilience improves due to the high-quality support provided by the staff. A consultant psychiatrist and educational psychologist work closely with the children and the staff. Individual therapy from specialists is provided alongside the support of the staff. A national consultant said that the staff are excellent in the support that they provide and that this fully reflects their specific model of therapeutic care.

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

Children take part in reflective meetings to decide on agreed sanctions following any difficult behaviours. The staff use a restorative approach. Difficult incidents between the children are managed well. Good staff support has enabled the children to resolve conflicts amicably.

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

When required, staff use physical interventions proportionately. Managers closely review the use of these interventions. They have established monitoring systems to identify trends and patterns to children’s anxieties and understand triggers. Insightful reviews of behaviour management strategies enable the staff to use safe and appropriate physical interventions.

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

Some children are vulnerable to being online and staff support them to manage this risk through individualised technology agreements. However, despite strong internet filters, children who have mobile data on their devices can bypass these filters, which means they could be placed at increased risk.

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

There are clear safeguarding procedures that are usually adhered to. However, on one occasion, the manager did not alert the designated officer of an allegation of abuse made by a child against a member of staff. The manager informed the child’s social worker by email with no response and this was not pursued. This meant there was a delay in the necessary enquiries being made to safeguard the child.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has been in post since 2015 . His longevity at the home has enabled consistent management oversight. He is supported well by a team of well- established leaders who collectively inspire and implement areas of research into the home’s philosophy of ‘no limits’.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

As part of the home’s response to COVID-19 complications, the manager has flexibly adapted the rota to ensure that consistent staffing is maintained. The management team has revised some key staff roles to offer internal promotion schemes and attract experienced and skilled staff. Combined with a successful recruitment drive, staffing vacancies have been minimised. This provides the children with good continuity of care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff feel well supported and valued by the manager. They enjoy working at the home. Regular child-focused supervisions give staff the opportunity to reflect and develop their practice. Inspection report for children's home: SC452461 5 The manager makes good use of a range of quality assurance systems. These inform his understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the home. This includes an internal quality of care review and external monitoring by an independent visitor. This level of monitoring contributes to the continuous improvements at the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The staff and manager have established good working relationships with professionals and families. Both have provided positive feedback about the difference living at the home has made to the children’s lives.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The staff take advantage of a wide range of training courses to equip them with the skills to meet the individual complex needs of the children. A large proportion of staff have the required level 3 qualification. However, three staff members who should have achieved this have yet to do so within the required timescales.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Systems for notifying Ofsted of incidents are usually timely and effective. However, recent incidents involving potential exploitation and an allegation of abuse that were highlighted during the inspection were not notified. As a result, Ofsted’s capacity to monitor safeguarding arrangements has been reduced. Inspection report for children's home: SC452461 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 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—

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Requirement Due date

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(vi))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that when there are allegations made about the staff, these are referred to the designated officer without delay. In addition, if a response is not received from the child’s social worker that the matter is escalated to the child’s placing authority. 31 December

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Requirement Due date

For the purposes of paragraph (3)(b), an individual who works in the home in a care role has the appropriate qualification if, by the relevant date, the individual has attained—

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Requirement Due date

the Level 3 Diploma for Residential Childcare (England) (“the Level 3 Diploma”); or

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Requirement Due date

a qualification which the registered person considers to be equivalent to the Level 3 Diploma.

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Requirement Due date

in the case of an individual who starts working in a care role in a home after 1st April 2014, the date which falls 2 years after the date on which the individual started working in a care role in a home; or

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Requirement Due date

in the case of an individual who was working in a care role in a home on 1st April 2014, 1st April 2016. 31 March 2022 Inspection report for children's home: SC452461 7 The registered person may defer the relevant date if the individual—

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Requirement Due date

does not work, or has not worked, in a care role in a home for a prolonged period; or

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Requirement Due date

works, or has worked, in a care role in a home on a part- time basis. (Regulation 32 (4)(a)(b) (5)(a)(b) (6)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if—

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Requirement Due date

a child is involved in or subject to, or is suspected of being involved in or subject to, sexual exploitation;

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Requirement Due date

there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there. (Regulation 40 (4)(a)(c)) 31 December

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that the home is a nurturing and supportive environment that meets the needs of the children. In particular, replace the stained and worn carpets on the ground floors and arrange for internal doors to be repainted. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9)  The registered person should ensure that staff continually assess the risks to each child and the arrangements in place to protect them. In particular, ensure that children’s devices with mobile data access are subject to the same checks and safety measures that are in place for the home’s internet provision. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations, including the quality standards’, page 42, paragraph 9.5) Inspection report for children's home: SC452461 8

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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 for children's home: SC452461 9

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: SES Turnstone Limited

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Inspectors

Mark Anderton, Social Care Inspector Jamie Cousins, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: SC452461 10 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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