Children's Home run by Acorn Norfolk Limited in Norfolk

Inspection report for children's home: 2688749 1 Registered provider: Acorn Norfolk Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home provides care for up to four children with learning disabilities. It is operated by a national provider. The home is in the grounds of an independent school.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered at the same time as the home, in November 2022.

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Information about this children’s home

The inspector only inspected the social care provision at this school.

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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

Overall judgement at last inspection: not applicable

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children's home: 2688749 2

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Three children were living at the home at the time of this inspection. Two of these children lived at the home when it was previously part of a larger registration operated by this provider. Children have positive experiences and receive good- quality care and support that enhances their well-being. Children provided positive feedback about staff, and said that they enjoy spending time with them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are engaging well in education and have excellent attendance. Staff support children’s education targets and encourage children’s learning at the home. The strong communication between residential staff and school staff minimises gaps in children’s learning. As a result, children are making sustained progress towards their education goals.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff offer a range of experiences that reflect children’s interests and hobbies. These include activities such as mini-golf, trips to the cinema and attending local Pride events. For one child, the staff have worked very sensitively to support them to overcome their social anxieties about group activities. The range of activities helps children to develop their friendships with each other and enriches their overall experiences.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff have good oversight of children’s health needs. Staff work well with health professionals to meet one child’s complex needs. Effective monitoring and well- planned daily routines support the child’s health needs. Staff work with specialist mental health teams for other children when necessary to meet their additional needs. This has ensured children receive the support that they need without delay.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s views are regularly sought and contribute to the everyday running of the home. Staff encourage high levels of participation through one-to-one discussions and house meetings. When children raise concerns, they feel satisfied with the staff’s responses and actions. This inclusive approach supports children to feel empowered and to make informed choices about their care, and ensures that their rights are respected.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff promote equality and diversity well. This includes helping the children to explore their identities and develop an understanding of other people’s differences. However, some records have not been carefully reviewed by staff to reflect one child’s changing preferences on how they wish to be identified.

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

Staff undertake good-quality training to help them to understand the additional risks to children with disabilities and the children’s communication support needs. The staff support the children with their social interactions through consistent Inspection report for children's home: 2688749 3 supervision levels and familiar routines. This is an important protective factor in children feeling safer.

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

Risk assessments for children are detailed and individualised. Managers ensure plans are responsive and updated when additional risks become known. Recent incidents of self-harm have increased for some children. However, staff have responded to reduce these risks, in accordance with children’s plans.

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

Staff follow proactive behaviour management strategies successfully to reduce situations that can increase children’s anxiety. Staff have a good awareness of potential triggers. This awareness is combined with skilled de-escalation approaches and positive rewards. As a result, unwanted behaviour is reducing for children.

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

Physical interventions are rarely used. When these are necessary, the staff use interventions proportionately and as a last resort. However, on one occasion, supporting records were not completed within required timescales, which meant that the manager’s analysis was delayed. On another occasion, the child’s views were not obtained. This reduces the reliability and depth of learning from these incidents.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is suitably experienced and working towards a relevant level 5 qualification. The manager and the staff team are child-focused and committed to providing support that enables children to make good progress.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There is proactive partnership with parents, who all provided very positive feedback. Parents described strong levels of communication and said the support and progress of children was ‘excellent’.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff benefit from a comprehensive training programme which enhances their knowledge and skills. New staff receive a thorough induction, which includes a range of shadow shifts with more experienced staff. Staff turnover is low. This has provided good continuity of care from staff who can meet children’s individual needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is a strong ambassador for children. When one child was having difficulties with other children at school, the manager successfully advocated for the child and challenged the responses from other professionals. This resulted in a swift and positive resolution, which the child valued.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff supervisions are child-focused and constructive. However, the manager did not receive regular supervision during a critical time when the home initially opened. One staff member has not received their annual appraisal within the required timescales.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Since the home was re-registered, one child has moved in and then moved out in a short space of time to another home in the organisation. The manager has not yet reviewed this child’s unplanned ending to identify potential learning points that can Inspection report for children's home: 2688749 4 inform future practices. This is a missed opportunity, as elements of this move could have been more considerate in relation to the child’s experiences.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Processes for notifying Ofsted are in place. However, one serious incident was not notified to Ofsted within the required timescales. This delay reduced Ofsted’s capacity to ensure that appropriate safeguarding arrangements were in place. Senior managers have identified this shortfall and have adapted systems to ensure this does not reoccur. Inspection report for children's home: 2688749 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

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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

understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(f))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, review children’s placement endings to identify lessons learned and inform future practice. 31 May 2023

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees—

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Requirement Due date

receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience.

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Requirement Due date

have their performance and fitness to perform their roles appraised at least once every year. (Regulation 33 (4)(b)(c)) 31 May 2023

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that all incidents of restraint are subject to systems of regular scrutiny. They should ensure that children’s views are obtained and the manager’s evaluations are completed within required timescales. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 46, paragraph 9.36) Inspection report for children's home: 2688749 6  The registered person should ensure that staff understand the importance of careful and clear recording. Information about children must always be recorded in a way that is accessible to children and reflects their preferences. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4)  The registered person should have a system in place to ensure that all serious events are notified to Ofsted within 24 hours. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 63, paragraph 14.13)

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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: 2688749 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Acorn Norfolk Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 33 Roebuck Road, Hainault Business Park, Ilford IG6 3TZ

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Inspector

Mark Anderton, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: 2688749 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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