Children's Home run by Suffolk County Council in Suffolk

Inspection report for children’s home: SC430022 1 SC430022 Registered provider: Suffolk County Council 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 six children aged between 11 and 17 years with social, emotional and/or mental health difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager has been in post since January 2018.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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requires improvement to be good

How well children and young people are helped and protected requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The children’s home is not yet delivering good help and care for children and young people. However, there are no serious or widespread failures that result in their welfare not being safeguarded or promoted.

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requires improvement to be good

Date of last inspection: 19 December 2023

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: inadequate

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC430022 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

19/12/2023 Full Inadequate 31/08/2022 Full Good 25/01/2022 Interim Sustained effectiveness 28/06/2021 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children’s home: SC430022 3

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improvement to be good

At the time of this inspection, four children were living at the home. One child has moved on from the home in difficult circumstances. This move was necessary to reduce risks and keep the children safe.

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improvement to be good

Children have bespoke educational packages to meet their individual preferences and needs. However, some children are not attending school or engaging in educational activities. Consequently, their educational progress has been affected.

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improvement to be good

The communal areas of the home are spacious and well furnished. However, some bedrooms are not maintained to a good enough standard. There are piles of clothes, personal belongings and rubbish on children’s bedroom floors. This makes it difficult for staff to thoroughly monitor their bedrooms for avoidable hazards.

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improvement to be good

Children’s relationships with their families are supported. Planned time spent with families ensures that the children maintain relationships with the people who are important to them.

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improvement to be good

Children enjoy a range of activities, such as going to the cinema, go-karting, swimming and trips to the coast. Staff focus on children having positive experiences and building their self-esteem.

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improvement to be good

Staff have made sure that children’s support plans are clearly written. Risk assessments are detailed and include appropriate strategies to support staff in managing risks. These assessments are regularly reviewed and updated following any incidents. This ensures that staff are continually informed of any emerging concerns.

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improvement to be good

Some children continue to be at risk of substance misuse. However, these risks have reduced since the last inspection. Staff have implemented risk-reduction measures such as limiting children’s free time and restricting access to mobile phones and money. Staff respond quickly and effectively when they are concerned that a child has taken an illegal substance. The staff continue to inform the police and other professionals regarding any substance misuse concerns.

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improvement to be good

Several staff have moved to the home from one of the provider’s other homes. This increase in staff has strengthened the team. This has helped to reduce the reliance on agency staff, and increased stability and at the home. Consistent support from experienced staff has led to concerning incidents being managed more effectively. Inspection report for children’s home: SC430022 4 On the occasions when children have made unsafe choices, the staff talk with them about their decisions. Staff try to help children improve their understanding of unsafe situations. However, there has been an unnecessary delay in ensuring that children receive support from substance misuse professionals.

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improvement to be good

The fire risk assessment has identified actions to improve fire safety. Despite the manager’s requests, several fire doors still require replacing. Fire safety equipment checks have not been routinely carried out and recorded in accordance with the home’s fire-safety procedures. This reduces the effectiveness of the fire safety measures.

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improvement to be good

Staff are consistent in their expectations of children’s behaviour. Consequences are used as a response to unsafe or unkind actions. These are proportionate and help to increase children’s understanding of safe and appropriate behaviour.

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good

Leaders and managers have reflected on serious incidents to learn from previous shortfalls and inform future practice. Improvement plans have been implemented to address the areas of concern. Senior leaders have escalated concerns regarding any lack of responses from external professionals to the appropriate external agencies.

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good

Following the last inspection, leaders and managers took steps to address some of the requirements and recommendations. One requirement and three recommendations have been met. One requirement’s due date has not passed and therefore this has not been reviewed. Three of the previous requirements have not been met and will be restated.

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good

Managerial monitoring and oversight needs to improve. There are gaps in the monitoring of the environment to ensure that it is safe and cleaned to a good standard. This lack of managerial oversight reduces the opportunity to monitor the quality of care and make continuous improvements.

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good

The location risk assessment has been amended. Local crime statistics have been included and reviewed to ensure that staff are continually informed about the area and can mitigate against potential concerns.

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good

Staff are now receiving regular supervision sessions which provides opportunities to discuss any concerns, talk about children and guide staff development. Team meetings take place weekly. Staff say that they feel well supported and valued by the manager.

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good

Staff receive a range of training, however some staff have no training in county lines, child sexual exploitation, gangs and youth violence. This does not ensure that they are equipped with the skills and knowledge appropriate to the risks for the children they care for. Inspection report for children’s home: SC430022 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, The 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 to understand how to keep safe. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that children receive specialist support in relation to substance misuse. 11 April 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—

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child;

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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)(c)(h))

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Requirement Due date

In particular: 11 April 2024 Inspection report for children’s home: SC430022 6 effectively monitor the quality of care and checks of the environment;

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Requirement Due date

ensure staff receive training in relation to county lines, child sexual exploitation, gangs and youth violence.

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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 premises used for the purposes of the home are designed, furnished and maintained so as to protect each child from avoidable hazards to the child’s health. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(d))

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the actions from the fire risk assessment are implemented and fire equipment checks are completed in line with the home’s policy;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that children’s bedrooms are maintained to a good standard

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated. 11 April 2024

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Requirement Due date

For the purposes of paragraph (3)(b), an individual who works in the home in a care role has the appropriate qualification if, by the relevant date, the individual has attained—

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Requirement Due date

the Level 3 Diploma for Residential Childcare (England) (“the Level 3 Diploma”); or

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Requirement Due date

a qualification which the registered person considers to be equivalent to the Level 3 Diploma.

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Requirement Due date

in the case of an individual who starts working in a care role in a home after 1st April 2014, the date which falls 2 years after the date on which the individual started working in a care role in a home. (Regulation 32 (4)(a)(b) (5)(a)) 11 April 2024 Inspection report for children’s home: SC430022 7

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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: SC430022 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Floor 4 Gold, Endeavour House, Russell Road, Ipswich, Suffolk IP1 2BX

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Inspector

Rachel Watkinson, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC430022 9 achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for

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Inspector

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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