Children's home run by Break Charity

Inspection report for children’s home: SC063814 1 SC063814 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 home is owned by a registered charity. It provides care for up to four children who have experienced neglect, abuse and trauma, along with family and placement breakdowns. Three children were living at the home at the time of the inspection. The inspectors saw and spoke to two children.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager has been in post since December 2019.

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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: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC063814 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

08/08/2023 Full Good 25/10/2022 Full Good 19/10/2021 Full Good 21/08/2019 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: SC063814 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Since the last inspection, children have experienced a settled period. No children have moved into or out of the home. Children are supported to understand the challenges of group living and this has helped them with their peer relationships. Children appear relaxed and comfortable. There is lots of laughter at the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is large and spacious, which allows children to comfortably spend time in the communal areas. Children contribute to the home’s decor and have recently helped redesign the garden according to their wishes. This is now an inviting space for children to spend time outside.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported with their education. The registered manager advocates for children and provides challenge when necessary to ensure that children’s education provision is meeting their needs. This has meant that one child has sat her exams and another has gained qualifications at college.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff know children well. Staff are sensitive to and consider children’s emotional well- being. One child has an individualised plan of staff support that is shared with them daily. This allows the child to feel secure, knowing who is looking after them. Children can identify adults that they can talk to. Plans for the children ensure that each child has time with a trusted adult and children are able to choose a member of staff to support them with things they find difficult, such as medical appointments. The staffing structure of the home supports children to have one-to-one time with staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children take part in a wide range of activities, including trips to the cinema, martial arts classes and visiting the local leisure centre. Children have all been on a holiday of their choice. One child visited a theme park in Paris, another child went to Rome. At the time of the inspection, one child was on a sailing holiday in Estonia.

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

There has been an increase in incidents for one child. The manager recognises the factors that contribute to these incidents and has clear plans in place to minimise risk. Incidents are managed well. Staff follow clear, detailed plans and are child-focused in their approach. There has been no use of restraint since the last inspection.

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

The home has a therapist who regularly attends team meetings. This has allowed staff to have a good understanding of children’s emotional needs. The manager implements guidance from the therapist and, as a result, children’s plans focus on supporting them to manage difficult feelings. The manager has advocated for one child to ensure that they can get the therapeutic input that they need. The home has supported the child to attend an assessment and the manager is currently challenging the local authority to Inspection report for children’s home: SC063814 4 ensure that the recommendations from the assessment are actioned and the necessary support is provided to the child.

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

Children are supported by staff to stay safe online. There is an enabling culture in the home. Children have age-appropriate access to the internet and are supported by staff to safely navigate the internet and online interactions. Children take part in one-to-one discussions with key adults around online safety, and staff have shared information and advice booklets with children during house meetings. This has led to a reduction in unsafe online activity for children.

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

Children are involved in the running of the home. They suggest agenda items for staff to discuss in staff team meetings. Children run their own house meetings. They are involved in planning the evening meals in the home and enjoy doing the weekly food shopping with staff.

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

Incidents of children going missing from the home are rare. When children do not return home at their individual curfew time, staff are proactive in encouraging them back in a timely way. This has prevented the need for children to be reported missing to the police. However, when children do go missing, the home’s policy for reporting them missing is not always followed. The policy specifies that the home has a document for sharing key information with police. However, this document is not kept up to date and is not always shared with police when a child is missing.

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

Allegations against members of staff working in the home are escalated appropriately by referral to the relevant authorities. The manager works closely with safeguarding professionals to ensure that information is shared appropriately. However, on occasion, there has been a lack of clarity in senior managers’ decision-making in respect of performance management.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home is led by an experienced qualified manager. The registered manager was present during the inspection. She is ambitious for the home and extremely committed to the children. She knows the children well and has an excellent understanding of their individual starting points and the progress they have made. She leads a stable team of core staff who are equally committed to the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager and staff have established strong relationships with the children, who can reply on them for ongoing support. Children who have previously lived at the home regularly make calls and visits to the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager works well with families and professionals, who say children are making progress living at the home, and attribute this to positive relationships between staff and children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff are suitably skilled to meet the needs of the children in the home. They access a wide range of training, and learning and development needs are discussed with staff in Inspection report for children’s home: SC063814 5 their appraisals. The manager uses monitoring systems to address gaps in staff training. This helps ensure consistency in the quality of care that children receive.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive regular supervision that is reflective and supports professional development. The manager uses supervision effectively to address concerns and support staff to improve their practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The monitoring and review systems in the home are not always used effectively to make improvements to the quality of care offered to children. The manager’s review of consequences is not always clear and does not always reflect on the effectiveness of the consequence. The monitoring system for medication kept in the home failed to recognise that a medication had expired. This was identified in the home’s monthly independent visitor report in May but the medication was still in the cabinet when the independent visitor visited again in June. Inspection report for children’s home: SC063814 6

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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

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)) 10 October 2024

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that the procedures for when a child is missing from home are followed. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 45, paragraph 9.28)  The registered person should ensure that they maintain good employment practice. They should ensure that performance management of staff supports safe practice and minimises potential risks to children. In particular, performance management actions should ensure the safety and well-being of children. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.1)

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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: SC063814 7

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Children’s home details

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

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Inspectors

Andrea Bounden, Social Care Inspector Anver Rose, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC063814 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.

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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