Children's Home run by BREAK in Norfolk

Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2592750 1 Registered provider: Break

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This charity-run home provides care for up to two children who may have experienced neglect, abuse or trauma, along with family and placement breakdowns.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager was appointed in October 2023 and will be applying to register with Ofsted.

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Information about this children’s home

Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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Information about this children’s home

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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Information about this inspection

At this inspections, the inspector evaluated:

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Information about this inspection

 the care of children  the safety of children  the effectiveness of leaders and managers. Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children, using the social care common inspection framework. This assurance 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’. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2592750 2

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Outcome from the inspection

We did not identify any serious or widespread concerns in relation to the care or protection of children at this assurance inspection.

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Findings from the inspection

At the time of the inspection, there was one child living at the home. The child said that they are happy living at the home and that staff understand and support them. One child has moved out of the home since last inspection. They returned to live with family, in line with their care plan.

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Findings from the inspection

There are positive relationships between staff and children. Staff offer children opportunities to share their views. However, the conversations about risks are limited and staff are not always curious to open up conversations with children following incidents. This means that children may not understand their risks or develop new ways to manage them.

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Findings from the inspection

There has been a reduction in incidents. Incidents do still occur, but the frequency and seriousness of these have reduced. This reduction in incidents reflects the child becoming more settled.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff receive regular support from the company’s therapeutic service. A member of the therapeutic team attends team meetings fortnightly. Staff have the opportunity to bring topics or incidents to discuss in these meetings. This supports staff to gain a therapeutic perspective about what may be causing a child’s behaviours.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff support children’s education. The child does not currently attend a school provision. Staff are working with the headteacher of the virtual school to develop a timetable for the child. There are plans for the child to have education at the home. The child has been involved in purchasing items to create a home study area.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff do not always attempt to prevent children from going missing from the home. On one occasion, the child was allowed to leave the home alone late at night. Staff did not offer alternative options or attempt to follow them. Return-home interviews are requested by the staff. However, there is no record that these are carried out.

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Findings from the inspection

Restraints are used proportionately. However, the debriefs with staff and the child following restraints do not always take place. When debriefs do happen, there are no dates recorded for these discussions. This means that it is not possible to determine whether they took place within meaningful timescales.

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Findings from the inspection

Some records lack detail. Some incident reports are brief and would benefit from additional information to provide more context. One child’s risk assessment did not include a known risk. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2592750 3 The manager is aware of the areas of development for the home. The manager has implemented a new system to monitor the frequency of staff supervision sessions. This was an area identified for development and has led to staff receiving regular supervision sessions.

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Findings from the inspection

Management oversight is limited. Although there has been an improvement in management oversight since the new manager joined the home, the manager’s comments do not always identify learning following incidents. This means that staff are not helped to see what could be done differently to support their development.

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Findings from the inspection

Allegations against staff are investigated. An internal investigation was completed, which led to the dismissal of a staff member. The concerns were reported appropriately to the local authority designated officer and Ofsted. The internal investigation identified some shortfalls, although these were not linked to actions or recommendations. This could lead to similar incidents occurring in the future. The investigation did not identify that the child was not spoken to by a different staff member following the concerns being raised.

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Findings from the inspection

The statement of purpose has not been updated or sent to Ofsted. The current manager and responsible individual’s details are not in the statement of purpose. This means that families, Ofsted and professionals are unaware of who is managing the home.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

21/06/2023 Full Requires improvement to be good 05/12/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good 20/07/2021 Full Good Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2592750 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

assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the child’s relevant plans, and, if necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child;

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Requirement Due date

help each child understand how to keep safe;

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Requirement Due date

understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(v))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, support children to discuss their risks and behaviours to understand how to keep themselves safe, and ensure that staff are curious following incidents and in discussions to gain information and ensure that risk assessments contain detail about all known risks. 23 February 2024

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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— 23 February 2024 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2592750 5 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;

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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)(f)(h))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that management oversight identifies lessons following incidents and that actions are identified following investigations.

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Requirement Due date

within 48 hours of the use of the measure, the registered person, or a person who is authorised by the registered person to do so ("the authorised person")—

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Requirement Due date

has spoken to the user about the measure; and

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Requirement Due date

has signed the record to confirm it is accurate; and

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Requirement Due date

within 5 days of the use of the measure, the registered person or the authorised person adds to the record confirmation that they have spoken to the child about the measure. (Regulation 35 (3)(b)(i)(ii)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that debriefs with staff and children are carried out and dated. 8 March 2024

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Requirement Due date

keep the statement of purpose under review and, where appropriate, revise it; and

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Requirement Due date

notify HMCI of any revisions and send HMCI a copy of the revised statement within 28 days of the revision. (Regulation 16 (3)(a)(b)) 23 February 2024 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2592750 6

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that when a child returns to the home after being missing, the responsible local authority provides an opportunity for the child to have an independent return-home interview. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 45, paragraph 9.30)  The registered person should ensure that staff understand the importance of careful, objective, and clear recording. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4) Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2592750 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Schofield House, 1 Spar Road, Norwich, Norfolk NR6 6BX

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Inspector

Leanne Lyon, Social Care Inspector Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2592750 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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