Children's Home run by Norbury Park Limited in Croydon

Inspection report for children's home: 2746854 1 Registered provider: Norbury Park Limited

p.1

Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

This privately owned home cares for up to four children with emotional and social difficulties.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The home registered with Ofsted in January 2024. The post of registered manager has been vacant since March 2024. A new manager has been in post since April 2024.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

At the time of this inspection, there were two children living in the home.

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

p.1

good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

p.1

good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

p.1

good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

p.1

good

Date of last inspection: not previously inspected

p.1

good

Overall judgement at last inspection: not applicable

p.1

good

Enforcement action since last inspection: not applicable Inspection report for children's home: 2746854 2

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Both children are settled in the home. Staff promote positive relationships that are built on warmth and affection. This fosters a sense of belonging for the children. One child said that staff treated him in the way that parents would, which is one reason he likes living at the home.

p.2

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff work closely with the children’s teachers to overcome barriers that can impact on learning. This close work is helping both children to make good educational progress.

p.2

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

When it is safe to do so, staff support children to spend quality time with their family. When restrictions on family contact are imposed by the courts, staff manage these situations sensitively.

p.2

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff help children to have fun and to enjoy life. Staff are attuned to the children’s interests. For example, one child likes to rap and has been taken to a music studio. Children also enjoy participating in activities such as boxing and bowling.

p.2

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Key-worker sessions are well planned and tailored to children’s needs. Children engage well in the sessions, which have been instrumental in helping them understand a variety of issues, including personal care, use of technology and their educational needs. These sessions can occasionally include discussions relating to incidents. However, the child’s reflections on these incidents are not routinely captured in the records.

p.2

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The physical environment of the home is not always maintained to a standard that demonstrates to children that their preferences and comfort are a priority. For example, the home appears neglected and in need of redecoration, and furniture and furnishings in the home are old and need replacing.

p.2

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff prioritise children’s physical health and emotional well-being. Children are supported to attend health appointments and encouraged to understand the importance of maintaining good health. Staff help children to learn how to cook and make healthy meal choices. This promotes good health outcomes for children.

p.2

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

Leaders investigate allegations made by children and ensure that there are detailed records and that children are told about the outcome. One child said that they know how to make a complaint and that leaders respond to their concerns.

p.2

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

A strength of this home is that children are settled and rarely go missing from the home. On the rare occasion a child does go missing from the home, the staff are quick to implement the relevant protocols, staying in touch with the child and ensuring that the police and the child’s placing local authority are kept updated. Inspection report for children's home: 2746854 3 Both children have a deprivation of liberty order in place. Staff are aware of the parameters of the orders and adhere to the guidelines.

p.2

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

Staff only use physical restraint to safeguard children from harming themselves and others. Staff ensure that they make a record of all incidents, and the manager carefully reviews them to ensure that all interventions are balanced, proportionate and fair.

p.3

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

Children’s individual risk assessments are detailed. Staff know about children’s vulnerabilities, and they are effective in safeguarding them. Safety plans are appropriate and include clear strategies to mitigate risks to children. However, while staff understand children’s safety plans, when new risks arise, these plans are not always updated.

p.3

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

The local area assessment does not include up-to-date data or strategies for mitigating the risks to the children in the vicinity of the home.

p.3

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

Leaders and managers ensure that safe recruitment procedures are in place. However, this needs to be more robust, ensuring that proof of new staff’s addresses is kept.

p.3

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The new manager is settling in well. They are experienced in working with children with complex needs. The manager is well supported by the senior leadership team, who have good insight into the needs of the home and the children.

p.3

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The staff are all fairly new to the home. The majority are permanent and have worked hard to create a family atmosphere and a sense of stability for the children.

p.3

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive regular supervision sessions. However, supervision records do not include discussions regarding the progress of children and how staff are supported to address children’s needs.

p.3

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Induction arrangements for new staff are adequate and the training they receive is specific to the needs of the children living in the home. However, there is no specific training on exploitation, to support staff to identify the signs of children at risk and mitigate the risks to children effectively. Both children are vulnerable to exploitation.

p.3

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers have conducted a skills analysis of the staff team and identified relevant training to improve practice. However, there is no workforce development plan in place.

p.3

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff team meetings take place regularly. Children’s progress and safeguarding issues are discussed thoroughly, and staff support each other in developing more effective ways to meet children’s needs. Inspection report for children's home: 2746854 4

p.3

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.

p.4

Requirement Due date

The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

p.4

Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

p.4

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;

p.4

Requirement Due date

help each child to understand how to keep safe;

p.4

Requirement Due date

have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm;

p.4

Requirement Due date

understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person;

p.4

Requirement Due date

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare; and

p.4

Requirement Due date

are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii))

p.4

Requirement Due date

In particular, leaders and managers must ensure that all staff fully understand their roles and responsibilities in protecting children from harm. Leaders and managers must ensure that all incidents and risks to children are thoroughly, and that risk assessments and safety plans are updated following incidents. 30 August 2024

p.4

Requirement Due date

The registered person must review the appropriateness and suitability of the location of the premises used for the purposes of the children’s home at least once in each calendar year 30 August 2024 Inspection report for children's home: 2746854 5 taking into account the requirement in regulation 12(2)(c) (the protection of children standard).

p.4

Requirement Due date

When conducting the review, the registered person must consult, and take into account the views of, each relevant person. (Regulation 46 (1) (2))

p.5

Requirement Due date

In particular, leaders and managers must ensure crime statistics are included in the review regarding the local area risks and ensure appropriate safety planning is in place to mitigate risks relating to the location of the children’s home. Leaders and managers must ensure safeguarding agencies are consulted when the local area risk assessment is updated.

p.5

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—

p.5

Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

p.5

Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

p.5

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)(h))

p.5

Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must have systems in place so that all staff, including the manager, receive supervision of their practice that allows them to reflect on their practice and the needs of the children assigned to their care. 30 August 2024

p.5

Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed and furnished so as to meet the needs of each child and enable each child to participate in the daily life of the home. This includes ensuring the home is regularly cleaned, and decorated to a good standard. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 11, paragraph 3.7)  The registered person should ensure that good employment practice is maintained, which safeguards children and minimises risks to them. In particular, ensuring two proofs of address are obtained for new employees. (‘Guide to the Children’s Home Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.1) Inspection report for children's home: 2746854 6  The registered person should ensure that a workforce development plan is in place that complies with the quality standards and includes the experience and

p.5

Recommendations

qualifications of the leaders and staff team, induction processes, supervision and induction of staff. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 52, paragraph 10.8)  The registered person should ensure that children’s wishes and feelings are recorded in sufficient detail. This specifically relates to children’s views regarding incidents of concern, expressed in key-working sessions, being recorded. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4)

p.6

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: 2746854 7

p.6

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Norbury Park Limited

p.7

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 40 Gracechurch Street, London EC3V 0BT

p.7

Inspector

Angela Reid, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: 2746854 8 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.

p.7

Inspector

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.8

Inspector

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.8

Inspector

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.8