Children's Home run by Norfolk County Council in Norfolk

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC068076 1 SC068076 Norfolk County Council

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This local authority home provides care for up to two children. It provides residential care for children when family, foster care or other community-based placements are not possible or desirable at the time.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in May 2021.

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This monitoring visit

On 6 October 2022, an assurance inspection identified serious and widespread concerns relating to the care and protection of children. Following that inspection, Ofsted served a compliance notice in respect of the leadership and management of the home. This monitoring visit was undertaken to monitor the provider’s progress in addressing the steps set out in the compliance notice.

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This monitoring visit

Managers have made improvements to their oversight and monitoring of behavioural incidents. Management reviews of incidents generally demonstrate a greater level of curiosity in relation to triggers for incidents. Managers seek to identify learning that can be taken from incidents. Debriefs with staff after incidents include consideration of how effectively staff felt they managed the incident and what other approaches may have worked.

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This monitoring visit

More consideration has been given to the appropriateness of requests for police support to manage incidents. Most incidents have been responded to appropriately by staff. After incidents occur, direct work has taken place with children to help provide them with clear expectations for their behaviour and to gain their views. However, in relation to one significant incident, the manager failed to adequately consider whether staff had worked in line with agreed plans and whether their Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC068076 2 responses to risk were appropriate. There have been improvements in the monitoring of incidents, but this is not yet consistent.

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This monitoring visit

Improvements have been made in communication. There are now clearer systems to ensure good communication between managers and senior managers. This has ensured that senior managers have been made aware of significant incidents and any concerns about children’s care.

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This monitoring visit

Work to improve the home’s environment has been completed. This has resulted in a more welcoming environment for children. In addition, children now have access to all areas of the home at all times, with restrictions to their access to the kitchen lifted. These changes have created a more homely environment for children.

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This monitoring visit

Managers have considered the issues relating to matching children that were identified at the last inspection, and have discussed these with senior managers. They are clear that more effective matching needs to take place in the future. However, due to no children moving into the home since the assurance inspection, effective matching cannot be tested. Therefore, the requirement is restated.

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This monitoring visit

A recommendation set at the previous inspection has not been reviewed at this visit and is restated. It will be reviewed at the next inspection.

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This monitoring visit

Although the provider has made progress in meeting the steps set out in the compliance notice, they have not met them all. The remaining shortfalls will be raised as a statutory requirement. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC068076 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

20/04/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good 31/08/2021 Full Good 03/07/2019 Full Good 04/09/2018 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC068076 4

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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

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))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that impact assessments and matching of children consider the impact on children already living at the home.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated. 2 January 2023

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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

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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

lead and manage the home in a way that is consistent with the approach and ethos, and delivers the outcomes, set out in the home’s statement of purpose;

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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)(a)(h))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated. 2 January 2023 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC068076 5

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that any individual appointed to carry out visits to the home as an independent person makes a rigorous and impartial assessment of the home’s arrangements for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of the children in the home’s care. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 65, paragraph 15.5)

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Information about this inspection

The purpose of this visit was to monitor the action taken and the progress made by the children’s home since its last Ofsted inspection.

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Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC068076 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Norfolk County Council

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: County Hall, Martineau Lane, Norwich, Norfolk NR1 2DH

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Inspector

Joe Cox, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC068076 7 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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