Children's home run by Inroads Essex Limited in Mid Suffolk

Inspection report for children’s home: SC069178 1 SC069178 Registered provider: Inroads Essex Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This privately owned home provides care for up to nine children. The home cares for children aged from eight to 18 years with a range of intellectual and developmental disabilities, additional needs and social and emotional difficulties. The home consists of two individual houses on one site.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in June 2012.

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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

Date of last inspection: 12 January 2022

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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: SC069178 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

12/01/2022 Full Good 24/04/2019 Full Good 16/01/2019 Full Good 07/11/2017 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: SC069178 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

At the time of this inspection, six children were living at the home. There is a plan for two of the children to move to adult placements that meet their ongoing complex needs. One child left the home of her own volition aged 18. Another child moved from the home to alternative care due to their needs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children who move to and from the home are supported well. The children are included in their moving plans; they can meet the staff and visit the home before they move in. The move for the child who required alternative care was planned sensitively, which helped him to settle into his new home quickly.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children require high levels of support. Five children require alternative communication systems, and one child has support for her emotional well-being. Children with complex needs are supported well to meet achievable targets. The staff monitor the children’s progress to ensure that they are receiving the best support. Consequently, the children have made significant progress in their personal care, developing their communication skills and helping to prepare food.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff understand the children’s health needs and work with specialist health professionals to improve their well-being. One child is being supported effectively to overcome emotional difficulties, and another child is being helped with healthy eating.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support the children to engage in education. Four children attend school full time, one child is tutored at the home and another child has finished college. Children are supported to attend education and achieve their potential.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children have developed positive relationships with staff. The children enjoy fun activities, such as going to theme parks and dance classes. This broadens children’s experiences and builds their confidence.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children spend positive time with their parents. Parents visit the home and meet the other children and their families. One parent said that this has helped her to feel more confident about the quality of care provided.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children have their own space to enjoy activities that reflect their preferences and ages. Children are encouraged to personalise their bedrooms, which helps them to develop a sense of belonging. Despite significant refurbishment work, there continue to be areas of the house that require maintenance and repair. A wall in one of the children’s bedrooms needs to be plastered, and the kitchen tiles require new grout. Inspection report for children’s home: SC069178 4

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

The children’s risk assessments are clear and highlight children’s presenting risks. The actions detailed in risk assessments support the staff to reduce these risks.

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

Staff have a good understanding of the whistle-blowing policy. They are confident about who to contact if they are concerned about the safety of a child.

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

The manager responds to safeguarding concerns effectively. When necessary, the manager requests professionals’ meetings to discuss children’s safety plans. Clear and agreed safety plans have worked well to reduce significant risks to one child.

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

The staff have a good understanding of the risks in the local area and liaise with external professionals to ensure that risks in the locality are understood.

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

The staff manage missing-from-home incidents effectively and use protocols to share information with the police. The children understand that staff want them to be safe, which helps to develop their feelings of security.

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

The staff help children to understand how their behaviours impact on themselves and others. The staff undertake restorative work with the children. One child helps the staff to understand the specific support and help she needs to make positive choices. However, this support is not detailed in the child’s records, which makes it difficult for staff to monitor and inform practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is suitably experienced and has a level 5 diploma. The management team work well together to support the staff team.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff value the manager’s experience and feel supported by her. The staff said that the manager is a good listener and helps them to resolve any concerns about the children. The staff feel supported and valued, and they work well together to meet the needs of the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff either hold or are working towards the relevant level 3 diploma. They benefit from a wide range of further training to help them to meet the individual needs of the children. This includes training on autism spectrum disorder, child sexual exploitation, managing self-harm and deprivation of liberty orders. This gives staff knowledge and helps them to understand children’s behaviours and associated risks.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The staff have several meeting forums to discuss the needs of the children. The children’s key workers meet monthly, and parents and social workers are able to attend these meetings. Team meetings provide staff with the opportunity to share experiences and discuss the needs of the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The internal and external monitoring systems are effective. The independent person makes recommendations that help the manager to make improvements. The Inspection report for children’s home: SC069178 5 manager seeks feedback from children, parents and professionals regularly. This helps the manager to review the quality of the children’s care objectively. Inspection report for children’s home: SC069178 6

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Recommendations

 The registered person should provide a homely environment. In particular, they should ensure that all areas of the home are decorated to a consistently high standard. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9)  The registered person should ensure that staff are familiar with the home’s policies on record-keeping and understand the importance of careful, objective and clear recording. In particular, they should ensure that direct work and the children’s rewards are recorded in children’s files. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4)

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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: SC069178 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Inroads Essex Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Suffolk House 7 Hydra, Orian Court Addison Way, Great Blakenham, Suffolk IP6 0LW

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Inspector

Laraine Edmondson, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC069178 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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Inspector

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