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

Inspection report children’s home: SC435322 1 SC435322 Registered provider: Acorn Norfolk Limited Interim inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

This home is registered to provide care for up to 18 children who are on 38-week or 52-week residential placement options. There are currently 13 children living at the home. The home specialises in providing care for children with autism spectrum disorder, complex needs, moderate to severe learning difficulties, communication difficulties and associated behaviours.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

There is an on-site school that is registered with the Department for Education. The inspectors only inspected the social care provision at this school.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in March 2020.

p.1

Inspection date: 10 January 2022

Date of last inspection: 28 September 2021

p.1

Inspection date: 10 January 2022

Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

p.1

Inspection date: 10 January 2022

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC435322 2

p.1

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged requires improvement to be good at the last full inspection.

p.2

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

At this interim inspection, Ofsted judged that it has improved effectiveness.

p.2

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Since the full inspection in September 2021, managers have put in place an action plan to make improvements and address the requirements and recommendation from that inspection. Of the eight requirements raised, the manager has met five. Two have not been fully met so are restated. One requirement was not considered during this inspection, as the timescale for completion has not yet passed.

p.2

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Managers and deputy managers of each house have been provided with additional training in relation to their management roles. This has led to improvements in monitoring of behavioural incidents, physical interventions and children’s plans. Managers’ reviews of incident and physical intervention records are thorough and seek to identify learning that can be taken from incidents.

p.2

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Children’s risk assessments are updated in response to any incidents to include any new behaviours and updated strategies. Strategies for staff to use when working with children are clearly outlined. Staff demonstrate a good understanding of children’s needs and how to keep them safe.

p.2

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff respond to children appropriately during behavioural incidents and in line with the child’s plans. There have been several physical interventions. These have been appropriate and proportionate. Records of physical interventions are clear and follow-up work is undertaken through debriefs with staff and children. This helps staff to learn from any such incidents and consider how best to support children in future.

p.2

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

There continue to be several staff vacancies. Managers have undertaken a review of recruitment practices and this has had positive results in terms of the number of applicants for vacant roles. Since the full inspection, managers have made the decision to temporarily close two of the houses on the site due to staff shortages. This has meant that staff from these houses have been able to provide support in other houses. No children have moved in since the full inspection. These steps mean that children are being cared for by the number of staff outlined in their plans. However, rotas do not always accurately reflect who is working with children on any given day.

p.2

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

A review of recruitment practices is ongoing in conjunction with the on-site school. There is now an agreement in place that staff working at the school and in the children’s houses will be subject to the same level of recruitment checks. However, Inspection report children’s home: SC435322 3 this work is still ongoing, to ensure that all staff are compliant with all necessary checks.

p.2

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Children have positive relationships with staff, who demonstrate a good understanding of their needs. Staff use these relationships to help children develop skills, appropriate to their needs, that support them to become more independent. Some children have been helped to cook their own meals, go shopping and learn to budget. These skills help to equip children for their futures.

p.3

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The home environment is well maintained and appropriate for children’s needs. Children’s bedrooms are personalised, and creative solutions have been found to make areas safe and appealing for children in response to specific environmental risks. Improvements have been made to the maintenance of outside areas. Children experience a good range of activities relevant to their interests. These include bicycle rides, forest school experiences and caving. One child has recently visited a theme park and another child was taken on holiday by staff to a location of the child’s choice to celebrate their birthday.

p.3

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Feedback from children’s parents and social workers is mixed. Some parents said that there is excellent communication from staff. However, other parents said that staff can be difficult to get hold of at times. The parent and social worker of one child were not made aware of a change in accommodation for the child until after it happened. The child moved to a different house on the site, with more emphasis on equipping them with independence skills. While the child may benefit from this, not including the child’s parents and social worker in the decision-making process meant that their views were not heard in relation to the move.

p.3

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff have called for police support in response to some incidents. Some of these incidents were of a level that staff could potentially have managed without the need for police support. Managers have met with the police and are in the process of putting in place new protocols in respect of when police should be called. Managers are also sharing further information about children with police. A lack of clear guidance for staff in this area before now has meant that police have been involved in incidents when this could have been avoided. Inspection report children’s home: SC435322 4

p.3

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

28/09/2021 Full Requires improvement to be good 25/02/2020 Interim Declined in effectiveness 08/05/2019 Full Requires improvement to be good 21/11/2018 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report children’s home: SC435322 5

p.4

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.

p.5

Requirement Due date

In meeting the quality standards, the registered person must, and must ensure that staff—

p.5

Requirement Due date

seek to involve each child’s placing authority effectively in the child’s care, in accordance with the child’s relevant plans. Regulation 5 (a)

p.5

Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that decisions relating to plans for children’s care are taken in conjunction with children’s social workers and parents as appropriate. 24 January 2022

p.5

Requirement Due date

The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety.

p.5

Requirement Due date

employ an individual to work at the children’s home

p.5

Requirement Due date

if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3).

p.5

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))

p.5

Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated. 21 February 2022

p.5

Requirement Due date

Schedule 4 sets out the other information that the registered person must keep in relation to a children’s home.

p.5

Requirement Due date

maintain in the home the records in Schedule 4;

p.5

Requirement Due date

ensure that the records are kept up to date. (Regulation 37 (1) (2)(a)(b)) 24 January 2022 Inspection report children’s home: SC435322 6 In particular, ensure that there is an accurate record of persons working at the home and a true record of the actual hours worked.

p.5

Requirement Due date

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

p.6

Requirement Due date

supply to HMCI a copy of the quality-of-care review report within 28 days of the date on which the quality-of-care review is completed. (Regulation 45 (4)(a))

p.6

Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated. 31 January 2022

p.6

Recommendation

 The registered person should agree with their local police force, procedures and guidance on police involvement with the home and provide staff with guidance in relation to this. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 47, paragraph 9.40)

p.6

Information about this inspection

This inspection focused on the effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of children and young people since the most recent full inspection.

p.6

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: SC435322 7

p.6

Children’s home details

Provision sub-type: Residential special school

p.7

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Atria, Spa Road, Bolton BL1 4AG

p.7

Inspectors

Joe Cox, Social Care Inspector Tom Anthony, Social Care Inspector Rachel Watkinson, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC435322 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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

p.7

Inspectors

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.8

Inspectors

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.8

Inspectors

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

p.8