Children's home run by The Exeter Royal Academy for Deaf Education

Inspection report children’s home: 2583028 1 Registered provider: Exeter Royal Academy for Deaf Education Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This children’s home is registered to provide care for four children between the ages of five and 17. According to the home’s statement of purpose, it provides care for children with social, emotional and behavioural challenges, as well as some form of deafness or communication difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, the registered manager was leaving. A new manager had been appointed, who starts in October 2022.

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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 requires improvement to be good

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good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be 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: improved effectiveness

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2583028 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

07/03/2022 Interim Improved effectiveness 11/10/2021 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children’s home: 2583028 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Since previous inspection, one child has left. The manager worked with other agencies to settle the child in her new home. Another child has arrived at the home. The manager and staff listened to the existing child’s views. He arranged a virtual introduction for the children before the child arrived.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff know the children and keep in close contact with other professionals to make sure the children’s needs are met. Managers are strong advocates for children. For example, professionals’ meetings were held regularly to help one child get back into the classroom. Both children regularly attend school.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff monitor the children’s health. They keep one child’s medication under careful review to monitor the effects on his well-being. This has helped the child to settle at night and maintain a stable weight.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have trusting relationships with staff. Staff talk about what affects the children and find solutions. Staff work sensitively with the children to help them overcome their difficulties and to become more resilient. For example, staff help one child to exercise at a safe level for his age.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff help the children to have positive relationships. While the children often coexist in the home, staff organise joint activities and weekly film nights, which the children enjoy. One child now refers to the other child as ‘his brother’ at school. Staff keep children in contact with their families. They provide newsletters full of photos of the children’s activities.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is large and well furnished. However, there is some wear and tear and a lack of personal pictures throughout the home.

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improvement to be good

Staff are consistent in how they approach boundaries around the children. They use a combination of creative strategies to help the children to manage their emotions. This has helped one child to learn how to safely cross the road. This has increased his level of confidence in understanding how to keep himself safe.

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improvement to be good

Managers have introduced an experienced deputy manager who has provided training on how to respond to the children’s behaviour with therapeutic techniques. This has helped staff to respond differently to some of the children’s behaviour. This has helped to reduce the number of incidents.

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improvement to be good

However, staff do not always record incidents so that restraints are clearly identified. Inspection report for children’s home: 2583028 4 Leaders and managers do not always identify safeguarding thresholds. This means that other professionals are not notified promptly to provide a multi-agency response to a risk.

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good

Despite the change in the home’s manager, the responsible individual and deputy manager regularly support staff to reduce any disruption to the children’s daily care. The core team of staff is stable. They develop respectful practice and provide good role models for the children.

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good

Leaders learn from past experiences. For example, the home’s statement of purpose is much clearer about which children the home can support. They listen to staff and are better able to identify children whose needs can be consistently met by staff.

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good

Managers and staff have developed practice at team meetings. Staff look at the reasons behind each child’s behaviour and what staff can do to help the children.

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good

Managers support staff to progress with their training. However, managers still need to arrange staff training on how to accurately record information, and how to find case notes about the children easily online. Some refresher training is required to help staff meet one child’s needs.

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good

Some incidents are not recorded in the correct place, including a restraint episode. This reduces the ability of managers to learn and see patterns of behaviour. Inspection report for children’s home: 2583028 5

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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 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 promotes their welfare.

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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 staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, carers should receive the relevant training to meet the individual needs of each child.

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Requirement Due date

Carers should receive training to fully operate the home’s information technology (IT) system. 21 October 2022

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Requirement Due date

Restraint in relation to a child is only permitted for the purpose of preventing—

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Requirement Due date

injury to any person (including the child);

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Requirement Due date

serious damage to the property of any person (including the child).

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Requirement Due date

Restraint in relation to a child must be necessary and proportionate. (Regulation 20 (1)(a)(b) (2))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, records must be clearly identifiable, and the child’s feelings be fully considered. 30 September 2022 Inspection report for children’s home: 2583028 6 The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if—

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Requirement Due date

there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40 (4)(e))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, new safeguarding concerns and any professional allegations must be notified to Ofsted to ensure transparency. 30 September 2022

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that fixtures and fittings of the home are maintained to create a domestic environment. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9)

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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: 2583028 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Exeter Royal Academy for Deaf Education

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: The Deaf Academy, 1 Douglas Avenue, Exmouth, Devon EX8 2AU

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Inspector

Justine Hosking, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2583028 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.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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