Children's Home run by Institute of Integrated Systemic Therapy in Norfolk

Inspection report for children's home: SC065792 1 SC065792 Registered provider: Institute of Integrated Systemic Therapy Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is run by a private provider and provides care for up to eight children who experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in January 2021.

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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 outstanding

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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: 18 January 2023

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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: SC065792 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

18/01/2023 Full Good 20/12/2021 Full Good 14/10/2019 Full Outstanding 09/01/2019 Full Outstanding Inspection report for children's home: SC065792 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

There were eight children living in the home at the time of the inspection. One child has moved to the home since the last inspection.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children form trusting relationships with staff. Children said they feel safe and well supported. Staff use a therapeutic approach in their work with children and are knowledgeable and skilled in its use.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support children to explore their identities. Staff spend individual time with children exploring family histories and relationships. For example, staff supported one child to visit their hometown as part of ongoing life-story work.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support children to engage in a range of social activities. These include going to the gym, horse riding and gardening. Children also took part in a community litter pick. One child has been accepted on to the NSPCC national children’s board after successfully passing an interview.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children make progress, particularly socially and emotionally. Social workers and parents said that children are more able to verbally express their emotions and feelings, resulting in improved mental health.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support children to spend time with family. If necessary, staff supervise children’s family time. The support from staff allows children to feel confident and safe with their families. Due to the support staff have provided, two children now feel safe enough to see their families unsupervised.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support children to learn skills in relation to self-care, budgeting, shopping and cooking. One older child has been supported to carry out routine maintenance tasks on the home’s car. The opportunities children receive help them to develop age- appropriate life skills.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children attend daily meetings with staff. This provides them with the opportunity to discuss a range of issues and topics. At the meeting observed during the inspection, children discussed some of the frustrations they feel about living together. Discussions were respectful and humorous. This supports children to maintain positive peer relationships.

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

Good care planning means that risks arising from the mix of children in the home are well understood and mitigated effectively. Staff also understand the risks and vulnerabilities of individual children. They understand children’s care plans and know how to keep children safe. Inspection report for children's home: SC065792 4 Staff understand that children’s behaviours are a way of communicating their feelings and experiences. Staff encourage children effectively to verbalise their feelings, and support children to find safe ways to manage difficult emotions.

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

Staff spend individual time with children to explore and address risks. Staff support children to understand how to keep themselves safe and to take appropriate risks. This has resulted in children who are at risk of exploitation being able to have more independent time in the community and in the home.

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

Staff use appropriate consequences and restorative approaches to support children. This allows children to think about how their actions affect themselves and others and helps them to take responsibility for their own actions.

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

Investigations into allegations made by children are well managed and appropriately investigated. Swift action is taken to keep children safe. External agencies, including placing authorities, the local authority designated officer and Ofsted, are informed.

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

Staff support children to understand online risks and how to keep themselves safe. Risks of potential online exploitation are well managed. Appropriate restrictions on internet and social media use are in place, in line with children’s individual needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The home is run by a highly experienced qualified manager. They are extremely ambitious for children and staff.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager and the deputy have an excellent and close working relationship. They understand children’s needs extremely well. They have a thorough understanding of the effect children’s lived experience can have on the child. They know what is required to support children and keep them safe.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager has completed a thorough review into the culture and use of physical restraint in the organisation. They have used research and theory to identify how to change the culture and practice. As a result, a new physical restraint model is in the process of being introduced. This new way of working has resulted in a significant decrease in children experiencing high levels of emotional distress and a reduction in the number of physical restraints used on children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff say they feel valued and listened to by the manager. They have confidence in the manager’s ability as a leader. Staff feel empowered to challenge decisions made by managers and leaders and are encouraged to become involved in the decision- making process. There is a strong culture of developing staff so they can progress in the organisation.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager is an excellent and effective advocate for children. They have challenged the suitability of the education provision for one child. There is now an agreement that a new education provision will be provided. Inspection report for children's home: SC065792 5 The manager and deputy have comprehensive oversight of practice in the home. Shift leaders send reports and updates on all the children at the mid-point and end of each shift. The reports are monitored daily by the manager and deputy. This means managers can identify and respond quickly to significant incidents involving children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff are robustly challenged when they do not meet the manager’s expected standards. They are offered support through high-quality supervision to improve their professional competencies. This ensures children are well supported and kept safe.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Leaders and managers provide staff with excellent training opportunities. This includes a six-month foundation programme covering the underpinning therapeutic approach used in the home. Further therapeutic training is then provided as staff progress to more senior positions.

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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: SC065792 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Institute of Integrated Systemic Therapy

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 210 Borough High Street, London SE1 1JX

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Inspector

Tom McGhee, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: SC065792 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 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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