Children's Home run by Flying Spur Limited in Norfolk

Inspection report children’s home: SC470585 1 SC470585 Registered provider: Flying Spur Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

This privately owned home provides care for six children who may have experienced neglect and/or emotional abuse or had traumatic experiences that have left them vulnerable.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in March 2017.

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

p.1

inadequate

How well children and young people are helped and protected inadequate

p.1

inadequate

The effectiveness of leaders and managers inadequate

p.1

inadequate

There are serious failures that mean children and young people are not protected.

p.1

inadequate

Overall judgement at last inspection: sustained effectiveness

p.1

inadequate

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC470585 2

p.1

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

21/03/2022 Interim Sustained effectiveness 08/11/2021 Full Requires improvement to be good 08/10/2019 Full Good 19/06/2018 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: SC470585 3

p.2

inadequate

This inspection was brought forward to address specific concerns raised to Ofsted in a safeguarding notification. Two children were living at the home at the time of this inspection. The provider has made progress in some areas since the last inspection. However, significant shortfalls in how well children are helped and protected and in the effectiveness of leaders and managers have affected how safe children are and the quality of care that they receive.

p.3

inadequate

Staff build positive relationships with children. Children said that they feel able to talk to staff and that staff help them in different areas of their lives. Key-work sessions are used to help children in different areas, such as when they have been struggling in their education or to talk with children about risks. However, after one significant incident when children were racially abusive to another child, staff did not undertake any work with the children who had displayed this behaviour. This failed to ensure that children were helped to understand the impact of their behaviour on others and what behaviour is socially unacceptable.

p.3

inadequate

The home is set in large grounds and has different communal areas for children to use. However, some of these areas are locked off from children in the evening and overnight. This means that children are not able to access all communal areas as they would in other homes. There are no specific risks identified that make this necessary. Preventing children from accessing some communal areas of their home does not create a homely environment.

p.3

inadequate

Children have made some progress in their education. One child’s attendance is very good and has improved in recent months. The other child’s education has been affected by safeguarding concerns when they have been at school. This has led to a period of the child not attending. Staff have worked with the child’s school and other relevant professionals to plan for the child to be able to return to school safely. Improvements have been made to children’s education plans, giving a clearer overview of how staff are to support them with their education.

p.3

inadequate

Children enjoy a good range of activities. These include clubs that children attend regularly. This helps to nurture their interests and skills in different areas and give them new experiences.

p.3

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

A recent incident involved a child drinking a significant amount of alcohol at the home. Staff witnessed the incident but failed to intervene until the child became ill. The child was taken to hospital in an ambulance, where they were admitted overnight. The manager has recognised shortfalls with how this incident was Inspection report children’s home: SC470585 4 managed, and actions have been taken in response to it. However, staff’s failure to intervene and protect the child resulted in the child being harmed.

p.3

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

Safeguarding concerns are not always responded to appropriately by staff. An allegation of sexual assault and allegations of sexual activity between children were not reported to managers for a three-day period. The manager was unaware of what, if any, risk-mitigation measures had been put in place during this period. In another incident, a staff member was present when a child made allegations about staff’s conduct to an external professional. The staff member failed to share the details of this with the manager. Consequently, managers were not aware of the allegations for a week after they had been made. Failure to share safeguarding concerns has the potential to leave children at risk with no measures to manage this.

p.4

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

Some improvements have been made to children’s risk assessments since the last inspection. There are clearer strategies identified to support staff to manage some risks. However, for one child, allegations relating to another child were not included in their risk assessment. Another child’s risk assessment fails to include some risks in relation to them going missing from the home. As a result, strategies for staff to support children are not in place.

p.4

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

At the time of this inspection, two staff with COVID-19 were working at the home. This was not in direct contravention of any current guidance. However, this does contravene the home’s risk assessment. The risk assessment had not been updated to reflect staff working while testing positive for COVID-19. Consequently, it is unclear whether managers had appropriately considered the potential risks to children, staff, and others.

p.4

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

Some behavioural incidents have been well managed by staff. The use of restraint is very rare, with staff using other approaches to help children. Staff respond well to incidents of children going missing from the home. They work in line with children’s plans and are proactive in searching for them. Managers work with children’s placing authorities to ensure that children are offered independent return home interviews.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The registered manager is suitably experienced and is qualified to level 5. COVID-19 has contributed to staff shortages in the home. These staff shortages have led to members of the management team working shifts and this has reduced their capacity for management tasks.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Management oversight of the home is poor. Managers have failed to identify significant gaps in staff training and in children’s risk assessments. They have not ensured that supervisions are of good quality and have failed to identify and address concerns about staff’s practice. Poor monitoring has meant that actions to make improvements are not always taken. Inspection report children’s home: SC470585 5 The manager has failed to identify and address staff practice issues. These have included incidents when staff have failed to respond appropriately to safeguarding concerns. A failure to identify issues in relation to staff practice means that it is more likely that shortfalls will recur.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Staff training is poor. Some staff have worked at the home for a significant time without completing the provider’s mandatory training. This includes training in safeguarding and more specific risks that children have been exposed to, such as child exploitation. Some poorly trained staff are in senior positions and are part of the on-call rota, offering support to staff out of hours. Staff have not always been appropriately equipped to undertake their roles. This has contributed to some shortfalls.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Some improvements have recently been made to training and plans are now in place for new staff to access it when they begin their role.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Staff said that they are well supported by managers. The frequency of supervision sessions for staff has increased since the last inspection. However, supervisions do not always include a good level of discussion about children’s needs. This means that opportunities to consider how staff are working with children are not always taken.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Children’s views are sought by the manager and usually responded to well. However, one child, who has left the home recently, made a complaint relating to the care that they received. The managers’ response to this complaint was defensive in nature. Managers failed to use the feedback from the child to reflect on the care provided and how this could be improved. Inspection report children’s home: SC470585 6

p.5

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.6

Requirement Due date

The positive relationships standard is that children are helped to develop, and to benefit from, relationships based on—

p.6

Requirement Due date

an understanding about acceptable behaviour; and

p.6

Requirement Due date

positive responses to other children and adults.

p.6

Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

p.6

Requirement Due date

help each child to develop socially aware behaviour;

p.6

Requirement Due date

encourage each child to take responsibility for the child’s behaviour, in accordance with the child’s age and understanding;

p.6

Requirement Due date

communicate to each child expectations about the child’s behaviour and ensure that the child understands those expectations in accordance with the child’s age and understanding. (Regulation 11 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(ii)(iii)(v)) 15 August 2022

p.6

Requirement Due date

The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

p.6

Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

p.6

Requirement Due date

assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the child’s relevant plans, and, if necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child; 18 July 2022 Inspection report children’s home: SC470585 7 have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm;

p.6

Requirement Due date

understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person;

p.7

Requirement Due date

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare; and

p.7

Requirement Due date

are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(iii)(v)(vi)(vii))

p.7

Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that when children are at risk, staff take necessary action to keep them safe and that staff report safeguarding concerns to managers without delay.

p.7

Requirement Due date

The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

p.7

Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

p.7

Requirement Due date

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. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(b))

p.7

Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that children’s risk assessments include strategies to manage all known risks to children and that risk assessments relating to COVID-19 are kept updated to reflect all currents risks. 15 August 2022

p.7

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—

p.7

Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

p.7

Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

p.7

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)) 29 August 2022 Inspection report children’s home: SC470585 8 In particular, ensure that managers have effective oversight of, and respond to, shortfalls in relation to staff training, children’s risk assessments, the quality of staff supervisions and staff practice issues.

p.7

Requirement Due date

children can access all appropriate areas of the children’s home’s premises; and

p.8

Requirement Due date

any limitation placed on a child’s privacy or access to any area of the home’s premises—

p.8

Requirement Due date

is intended to safeguard each child accommodated in the home;

p.8

Requirement Due date

is kept under review and, if necessary, revised; and

p.8

Requirement Due date

allows children as much freedom as is possible when balanced against the need to protect them and keep them safe. (Regulation 21 (b)(c)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)) 29 August 2022

p.8

Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees—

p.8

Requirement Due date

undertake appropriate continuing professional development. (Regulation 33 (4)(a)) 29 August 2022

p.8

Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that children’s views inform and support continued improvement in the quality of care provided. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 22, paragraph 4.11)

p.8

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: SC470585 9

p.8

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Flying Spur Limited

p.9

Inspector

Joe Cox, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC470585 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.

p.9

Inspector

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.10

Inspector

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

p.10

Inspector

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

p.10